Canada honors two Ukrainians (01/28/96)

Canada honors two Ukrainians

by Christopher Guly

OTTAWA - Two Ukrainian Canadians are among 68 awarded the Order of Canada - Canada's highest civilian honors system which recognizes outstanding achievement by Canadians.

Metallurgist Dr. Walter Curlook and educator Walter Podiluk are among 46 Canadians named members. The order also has two higher-ranked designations: officer and companion.

Canadian Gov. Gen. Romeo LeBlanc will present the citations at his official Ottawa residence, Rideau Hall, in February. As chancellor of the honors system, and Canada's constitutional head of state, the governor general makes Order of Canada appointments twice a year; on New Year's Day and Canada Day (July 1).

Shuttling between residences in Toronto and Noumea, in the South Pacific French island of New Caledonia, Dr. Curlook serves as vice-chairman of Inco Ltd. A doctoral graduate in metallurgy from the University of Toronto in 1953, he joined the company a year later, after working for Inco as a student as far back as 1944.

An inventor of several patented process innovations in mining and metallurgy, Dr. Curlook pioneered bulk mining concepts and automation, and helped make the industry more efficient, safe and, ultimately, more productive.

From 1982 to 1991 he served as executive vice-president of Inco, and has been a corporate director since 1989. Dr. Curlook is also past chairman of The Mining Association of Canada and currently serves on The Premier's Council for Economic Renewal in Ontario.

Meantime, Mr. Podiluk has left his mark on Saskatchewan's education and health care system.

Holding degrees in arts and education from the University of Saskatchewan, he served as superintendent of schools for the Saskatoon Catholic Board of Education. There, he helped develop French-English and Ukrainian-English schools.

He was honored by the Vatican with the decoration Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice. In 1984 he also received the "Distinguished Services Award" from the Canadian Association of School Administrators.

Mr. Podiluk has also been active in Saskatchewan's Sheptytsky Council of the Knights of Columbus, and served as president of the Sheptytsky Society of Saskatchewan and the Ukrainian Catholic Council of Canada.

Beyond his work in Saskatchewan's educational system, Mr. Podiluk also held senior positions with the provincial government.

In 1984, he was appointed deputy minister of health. Four years later, Mr. Podiluk was named deputy chairman and executive director of the Saskatchewan Commission on Directions in Health Care. Between 1991 and 1995, he served as president and chief executive officer of the Grey Nunsrun St. Paul's Hospital of Saskatoon.

Holding an honorary doctorate of laws from the University of Saskatchewan, Mr. Podiluk works as a special consultant to Saskatchewan's Ministry of Health.

As members, both Mr. Podiluk and Dr. Curlook can place the initials "C.M." after their names and wear a badge on their left breasts bearing the inscription "Desiderantes meliorem patriam" ("They desire a better country").

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