Local man named a member of the Order of Canada.
Winston Kassim, left, with Governor General Michaelle Jean, was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada June 18.
Photo/COURTESY
Winston Kassim is not one to draw attention to himself.
But the longtime North York resident and head of the Royal Bank of Canada's Canadian banking strategic initiatives had to learn to cope with it when he became the first Canadian of Guyanese origin to be named a Member of the Order of Canada.
Kassim, who was appointed last July, was invested during a ceremony presided over by Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean at Rideau Hall June 18. In total, one Companion, 12 Officers and 32 Members of the Order of Canada were named.
The Order of Canada, created in 1967 during Canada's centennial year, recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation by Canadians from all sectors of society.
"My mom told me, whatever good you do, keep it to yourself," Kassim said. "When you do good you should not bring attention to yourself."
Kassim, who was nominated for the prestigious honour by former CEO of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund (Canada) Mark Beckles, is vice chair of the International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF).
An advocate for humanitarian causes and tireless volunteer for the past 30 years, Kassim was instrumental in establishing The Sunatul Jamaat and The Malton Islamic Association, two prominent Greater Toronto Area mosques in 1981 and later helped bring to fruition four community centres for other faith-based groups.
Along with countless others, Kassim worked with various groups in the 1980s to support the release of Nelson Mandela, an anti-apartheid activist who was imprisoned in 1962 and spent 27 years in jail before becoming president of South Africa in 1994. Kassim also lobbied the federal government to bestow honourary Canadian citizenship to Mandela, which was given in 2001.
Kassim, who kept his support work for Mandela private until his appointment to the Order of Canada last year, said although he's known of the honour for almost a year, it didn't become real until the ceremony.
"The reality only came through (June 18)," he said. "I didn't make too much of a deal about it until then. It was truly an honour and privilege to be among so many great Canadians."
Kassim also served as an Olympic Torch bearer when the flame came through Toronto in December, running near his home in the Yonge Street and Byng Avenue area.
"It is volunteers like Mr. Kassim who help IDRF positively impact disadvantaged people from all corners of the Earth in some 26 countries, including Canada," said Dr. Cassim Degani, chair of IDRF. "We are especially proud as Winston has devoted a considerable amount of time to the sustainability and growth of IDRF thereby helping us empower the disadvantaged people of the world."