Jubilee medal honours writer
Veteran Star columnist Haroon Siddiqui, who has long championed the rights of minorities, is one of the first recipients of Canada’s new Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, created to honour the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne. Siddiqui is one of some 36 distinguished Ontarians — journalists, politicians, athletes, lawyers, musicians, dancers and human rights activists — who will be presented with the newly minted medals Monday by Ontario Lt.-gov. David Onley at Queen’s Park to recognize “tremendous achievements and contributions to their country.” As a columnist, Siddiqui said he has worked to “give a voice to the voiceless; that is what we do at the Star.” He is one of a number honoured “for fighting for the civil rights of others,” as well as humanitarian Stephen Lewis, lawyer Clayton Ruby and activist David Lepofsky, said Anthony Hylton, Onley’s acting private secretary, Some recipients represent other 2012 milestones, noted Hylton: legendary CFL quarterback Russ Jackson (100th anniversary of the Grey Cup), former Ontario attorney-general Roy Mcmurtry and former Supreme Court justice Frank Iacobucci (30th anniversary of the Constitution’s repatriation) and Ontario Heritage Trust chair Thomas Symons (200th anniversary of the War of 1812.)
Those honoured also include former Star columnists Michele Landsberg and Tony Aspler, TV anchors Lloyd Robertson and Peter Mansbridge, filmmaker David Cronenberg, singer Molly Johnson, gay rights activist Rev. Brent Hawkes and author Austin Clarke.
Over the course of the year, some 60,000 Canadians will receive the medal. GovernorGeneral David Johnston will present 60 medals Monday in Ottawa.
Siddiqui said he was delighted to receive the award alongside such artistic heroes as musician Gordon Lightfoot (“I’ve seen a gazillion of his concerts”) and ballerina Karen Kain.