Bracebridge resident and Holocaust survivor Eva Olsson is amongst 135 new appointments to the Order of Canada.
Governor-General Mary Simon announced the appointments today.
Created in 1967, the order honors people whose service shapes our society.
Olsson was appointed an order member for relentlessly promoting tolerance and for encouraging Canadians to rise against bullying and discrimination.
“I am honored to receive the Order of Canada,” wrote Olsson on her FB Page. “I arrived in Nova Scotia in 1951 with my husband, at the age of 27. We were grateful for the opportunity to become Canadians and proudly adopted the values of this country.”
Also an author and widely acclaimed public speaker, Olsson has spoken to more than one million people across North America focusing on bullying and the importance of not being a bystander to injustice.
Olsson was awarded an honorary doctorate by Nipissing University in 2006. In January 2008, she was inducted into the Order of Ontario, the province’s highest honour, and was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. In 2012, she received the Diamond Jubilee Medal for continued service to communities across Canada.
Born in Hungary in 1924, she was taken to Auschwitz in May of 1944 by the Nazis. Her autobiography “Unlocking the Doors: A Woman’s Struggle Against Intolerance” was published in 2001 and chronicled her life before, during and after that period.
“I still recall the profound impact of Dr. Olsson’s presentation to Council on October 7th, 2020, about her experiences as a Holocaust Survivor, her work against racism, and her appreciation for living in Muskoka and Canada. On behalf of all residents and members of Council, I wish to sincerely thank her for sharing her story, and for her efforts to improve the lives of everyone she meets,” said Mayor Graydon Smith.
Dr. Olsson received the Mayor’s Special Award at the Council meeting in 2020.
Simon says these most recent nominees are shining examples of the commitment and outstanding contributions Canadians have made to the well-being of communities throughout the land.
Photo via Eva Olsson’s public FB Page