Mayor’s New Year’s Honour List

Ashton Forrest is a Master’s candidate in the Department of Philosophy at Western University. Her areas of scholarly focus are justice and human rights as they pertain to moral, legal, and political philosophy. As a person with a debilitating chronic condition called scleroderma, she has spent over a decade advocating for and raising awareness about accessibility and disability issues on the local, provincial, and national stage.

She has served on the City of London’s Accessibility Advisory Committee, Cheshire London’s Cultural Competency Committee, and was the former Student Accessibility Consultant with the Academic Support and Engagement Office at Western.

As a current member of the Post-Secondary Education Standards Committee for the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), she is working with other accessibility experts and advocates to create an Accessible Education Standard for the AODA.

Ashton’s main goal is to ensure the voices of people with disabilities are reflected in policy, programming, and the built environment throughout society, especially in the healthcare sector. She lives by the phrase “Nothing about us without us!” Because of all of the positive impact Ashton had made in our community, she is this year's recipient in the category of Accessibility on the 2023 Mayor's New Year's Honour List.

Bev Farrell is a Therapuetic Recreation Specialist who recently retired from Third Age Outreach - St Joseph's Health Care (SJHC) London. In her work with Third Age Outreach and also her volunteer work in the community, Bev has been a passionate advocate for older adults and persons with disabilities and brings joy, compassion, and connection to everything she does.

In her contributions to the Age Friendly London Network, Bev has been instrumental in the creation of many successful programs that have improved access to social activities and recreation for older adults. This has included connecting isolated seniors to peer buddies, creating accessibility kits with the London Public Library, improving access to recreation programs, and running beloved community events for seniors to socialize and learn.

She has also played a large role in planning the annual Age Friendly London Conference. Bev served as Co-Chair of the Social Participation working group of the AFL Network for eight years and in that time, she was a steadfast supporter of the Network and went above and beyond to share her time and expertise.

Bev has had a very successful 34- year career at SJHC.  Bev started in 1987 and through the years has worked in a variety of areas including Veterans Care at Parkwood, Specialized Geriatric Services Outpatient Day Hospital (1994), and most recently with Third Age Outreach (from 2005 to 2021) .

During her 16 years in the Third Age Outreach program she has filled the program with social, recreational activities and education for seniors in the community.  Bev has been an excellent partner and has promoted and lived the meaning of partnership as she has worked with a wide variety of other key organizations in the community to develop senior-focused learning and education. Her partnerships include (but not limited to) her work with the City of London, Horton St. Senior Centre,  New Horizons Initiatives, Age Friendly London Network, London Senior Friendly Coalition and on the Rexpo Organizing Committee.

Bev has been the lead (and founding member) of the Lean on Me Volunteer training program that provides enhanced volunteer support to the frailer senior to promote active community engagement.  This program involves partners from Western, LHSC, CNIB, CLL and ASLM.

Bev has also been an advocate to support professional growth within the TRS discipline and received the Brian Bennison award in 2020 from Therapeutic Recreation Ontario.  Bev frequently presented on various topics at the Therapeutic Recreation Ontario Conference, and supported student learning experiences for both Fanshawe College and Western University students at Third Age Outreach. 

Bev has also been previously recognized with the Sisters of St. Joseph Awards for Excellence, which stands to her strong professional values of excellence, compassion and respect for the people she encounters.

Bev has never shied away from an opportunity to develop and grow the Third Age Outreach program.  She is a careful listener to the clients served and has found ways to develop programming based on a need and gaps in the system.  A great example is the contribution to the development of Parkside Nine Golf Course with the City of London and the development of an accessible golf program using various modifications and / or specialized equipment for seniors to participate in golf as a leisure opportunity.  Another great example is the development of the ASAP and TAAP program in partnership with Horton Street Senior Centre to offer aquatic programs to seniors who after an episode of illness/surgery are no longer able/comfortable using mainstream aquatic programs.  The goal is to gradually re-integrate the individual back to the regular pool programs offered in the community.  Other great accomplishments include working with New Horizons to recruit and train older adults as volunteer teachers / mentors introducing computers to other older adults in their homes and in the community. 

Bev volunteers with the Huntington’s Society of the London Chapter where she provides leisure opportunities to participants while their caregivers attend a support group.  In addition to monthly meetings, Bev coordinated leisure opportunities for a weeklong camp that would run at Lake St. Joseph’s to give adults and seniors the opportunity to experience their best life with leisure!

Despite Bev’s recent retirement, she has registered with SJHC to volunteer and continues to volunteer with the Age Friendly London Network to support seniors to live their best lives.

It is for all these reasons and so many more, that Bev is this year's recipient on the Mayor’s New Year’s Honour List in the category of Age Friendly.

Over the past twenty years, Karen Schindler has made substantial and distinguished contributions to the vitality of the literary arts in London, Ontario as the former director of Poetry London (now Antler River Poetry), an expertly run poetry reading series highly esteemed by the country's leading poets largely because of Karen's efforts, and as the founder and publisher of Baseline Press, a consistently bpNichol-award-winning poetry chapbook press of incomparable quality and reputation, and as a tirelessly engaged mentor and exemplar of community-building in the arts in London, Ontario.

Karen is a community-builder and collaborator, nurturing relationships with nascent publishers like 845 Press and Rose Garden Press, both of which continue to produce chapbooks to this day influenced by the example and mentorship Karen provided directly. And through Baseline launches and Poetry London-related activities, she has engaged a variety of organizations throughout the city including Words Festival, Brown & Dickson Bookshop, DNA Gallery, and TAP Centre for Creativity. And she has served and continues to serve as a mentor and liaison to the national literary community for dozens of writers and publishers in London, Ontario.

Karen has cultivated a stellar reputation for the city, Antler River Poetry (formerly Poetry London), and Baseline Press among more than hundreds of the leading writers in Canada.

Ms. Schindler continues to actively advocate on behalf of London’s art sector. For these reasons and more, Karen is named to the 2023 Mayor’s New Year’s Honour List in the category of Arts.

​​​​Joe Cardillo is a great humanitarian who gives selflessly and receives joy by giving to others. From his business, to his church, to his charitable commitments, he leads by example. If we all have gifts of time, talent and treasure, Joe shares all of his gifts at the highest level. He dedicates his time coordinating the Roman Roadhouse monthly speakers schedule in Byron, ensuring residents have the opportunity to listen to various speakers. As Chair of the Basket Brigade, Joe started a local chapter in the Forest City 13 years ago. The Basket Brigade London has helped to support over 950 families at Christmas time with bountiful baskets of food, Christmas dinner, gifts and partnering with the Jansen Family Christmas Toy Drive, has allowed the Basket Brigade to provide some toys for families with children. This year they are hoping to make a difference for 142 families. For these reasons and more, Joe Cardillo is named to the 2023 Mayor’s New Year’s Honour List in the category of Distinguished Londoner.

Charlene Doak-Gebauer is named a Distinguished Londoner for her incredible dedication to fighting to protect children from internet predators through awareness and education.  She is the author of Digital Sexual Victims: True Cases, and more recently she filmed and produced the documentary Vulnerable Innocence, in her basement.  In 2022 this important documentary was screened at film festivals around the world and is the winner of 22 international awards.  The proceeds from this hit documentary are used for therapy for victims of Internet child exploitation.

Charlene continues to provide families with common sense techniques and tools to protect our vulnerable youth and to educate the masses of the very real dangers for our youth online.  She travels globally as a keynote speaker, shining a light not only on the problem, but also providing solutions to this very concerning and global epidemic.

Charlene is the winner of the 2018, International Women of Excellence Award.  She is a changemaker in the London community and in the global community.  For her incredible passion for protecting youth around the world, Charlene is named a Distinguished Londoner for the 2023 Mayor’s New Year’s Honour List.

Padre Frank Mantz is named a Distinguished Londoner, based on his lifework. His service to Veterans, their families as well as his service to community, is unmatched.

As Padre to the Byron-Springbank Legion Branch 533, he has the important role of sitting with our Veterans as they approach their final days and helping them find peace.  He has performed the funeral service for countless friends, veterans, and Canadian heroes.  His services are filled with credit and recognition and personalized stories about each veteran, it is the care that he takes in preparing for the services that makes them so meaningful to the families.

For a veteran in need, Frank will always go the extra mile to help.

Frank is also one of the stewards of the Lutheran Social Services Fund.  Though this fund, charitable organizations in the London community can receive financial assistance to help with services for children, youth, aged, the ill and challenged persons.  Since 2007 the Lutheran Social Services Foundation volunteer board has been changing the lives of Londoners in significant and thoughtful ways.  Frank actively seeks out charitable organizations that have similar missions and makes sure they take advance of this important financial resource. 

For his selfless commitment to helping others, Padre Frank Mantz is named a Distinguished Londoner for the 2023 Mayor’s New Year’s Honour List.

Jason Rip has been active in the London Arts community for over twenty-five years as a playwright, actor, director, and theatre producer. He was the recipient of the 2018 Chris Doty Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre. He has written over twenty-five plays about London for organizations such as Fanshawe Pioneer Village, Elsie Perrin Williams Estate, Eldon House, Doors Open London, Wolseley Barracks, Grosvenor Lodge, Museum London, Original Kids Theatre, and TAP Centre for Creativity. Mr. Rip's work, when not based on local history or historical biography, tends to be issue-based and has raised funds for charitable organizations he supports. Plays have been written in support of The Congress of Black Women of Canada, The Fugitive Slave Chapel, Autism Ontario, The Unity Project, Safe Space London, and The Nameless organization of St. Thomas.

Londoners commemorated in Rip scripts include Roy McDonald, Marc Emery, Sandy White, Paul Peel, Francis Evans Cornish, Annie Pixley, Elsie Perrin Williams, and Ambrose Small. Mr. Rip has written a total of 97 scripts and his plays have been performed in at least 9 different cities including Montreal, Toronto, Kingston, and Pottstown, Pennsylvania. He was the program co-ordinator for Theatre Works, a YOU co-sponsored theatre program for at risk youth that ran for three years and, for the last seven years, has been a Front-Line Support Worker with The Unity Project of Relief of Homelessness. He was the subject of a short documentary by Matthew Downs, JASON RIP: A TOMBSTONE EPITAPH, which toured many film festivals.

For these reasons and many more, Jason Rip is named to the 2023 Mayor’s New Year’s Honour List in the category of Distinguished Londoner.

Edward L. (Ted) Medzon was born in Winnipeg, received a doctorate in Microbiology and Immunology from McGill University, and served for many years on the faculty of Western University. At Western, he was known as a fine teacher, a dedicated researcher, and a supportive colleague. His academic work spanned the faculties of Science and Medicine, and he served for a time as president of the Faculty Association His university career was fruitful and accomplished. He thrived in his research field, was respected across the country, and served a term as president of the Canadian Association of Microbiologists (1989-1990).

Ted combined professional accomplishment with a deep commitment to community service. He took a special intertest in science education and for many years was active in the London High School Science Fair. He served as president of the organizing group and is still active on the board of the organization. He promoted knowledge of and respect for science in the London community, a most public-spirited undertaking. Ted was a prime mover in bringing the national science fair to London in 2000. He is a gifted, cheerful, and willing organizer.

Ted is also a lover of music and for many years has been active in the lively London music scene across a broad front: in retirement, he plays in jazz bands, concert bands and a Klezmer band. When he joined the New Horizons Band, he took up the euphonium, and has performed in the brass section for 15 years. He also plays the euphonium in the Shriners' band and plays bass guitar in offshoot groups associated with New Horizon. He frequently performs at retirement homes and public venues, bringing vitality and goodwill to this important musical outreach.

In 2017, Ted was a principal organizer of Bands 150, a musical extravaganza that celebrated Canada’s 150th birthday. This event, free to the public, presented live music by fourteen local bands over the course of a weekend at Victoria Park. London was at its musical best on that glad and happy day. On behalf of Serenata Music, Ted now publishes a most useful online listing of musical performances in London. He is a dedicated supporter of the London Symphonia and in 2022 helped that group bring the distinguished Canadians pianist Stewart Goodyear to London. Next year, thanks to the cooperation of Serenata and the Symphonia (with Ted at the fore), Londoners will get to hear the internationally acclaimed Canadian violinist James Ehnes. Ted is now also organizing a performance of work by the composer Walter Kaufmann. These compositions have languished in archives and has never been heard. Ted expands the musical horizons of Londoners.

In a lifetime of achievement and public service, he has also served on the boards of the London Better Business Bureau and the London Jewish Community Foundation. He likewise remains active in the London and District Myeloma Support Group.

In sum, Ted Medzon’s diverse and inclusive approach to good citizenship mirrors the diversity and inclusiveness of the city to which he belongs. For these reasons and so many more, Ted is named to the 2023 Mayor’s New Year’s Honour List in the category of Distinguished Londoner.

Sydney Vickers is an 18-year Londoner and resident of Ward 2 who is already an incredible role model and caring community leader. At a young age she set up tables at her school fun fairs to raise money for Plan Canada, collected donations for the Humane Society and volunteered at the food bank. She wasn't asked to do these things; she led these activities and arranged her family to support her path to help.

When Sydney was in grade 7 she wanted to join a leadership club at her school. To be accepted she needed to present a project she could do in her school or community to help, improve or better something for others. Hopes Hugs was born. Sydney wanted to make a hug blanket that she could give to people that they could use when no one was around to give them a hug. She also wanted to give them hope (Hope for today and hope for tomorrow).

Since that day she has made and delivered more than 2000 hugs blankets for free. They have been shipped from coast to coast including the players and families of the Humboldt Broncos, and right here at home to the London Muslim Mosque for those impacted by the attack on the Afzaal family. Sydney has developed many partnerships including with the Victoria Order of Nurses getting Hugs to people from Strathroy to Grey Bruce County including Sakura House hospice in Woodstock, with the Children's Hospital and more. Sydney's goal is to provide a hug to those in need due to a diagnosis, struggle, life situation like caregiving, tragedy or just to know someone out there cares about you. But most importantly she wants people to have hope. Sydney feels that we all need hope and sometimes we need someone to show us or remind us that hope is there, and others can help you see it. Her middle name is Hope. She has chosen it as a personal mission to live her truth through her name and give hope for today and hope for tomorrow.

Pre-Covid, Sydney tried to deliver each of her hugs and visit. She wanted the people to know she cared and that they were valued. At the age of 13 she held for the first time a hand of a person moments away from dying. She held her hand and read her the poem she wrote softly in her ear. She told this woman she was loved and valued. There was not a dry eye in the room. The woman’s family stated they would never forget Sydney and the peace she provided to them. She made a hug of a Star Wars theme pattern for a 7 year old who had lost her twin. The twin was buried in his Star Wars costume. She gave the girl her Star Wars hugs to know her brother was always with her giving her a hug. The stories about Sydney and the impact she has never ends.

While COVID prevented her from face-to-face deliveries, it could not stop her drive to bring hope. She adapted with door drop offs ensuring physical distancing and engaged more people as go betweens to get the hug blankets to those who needed one and her hug count has not stopped.

Sydney has never sought recognition for this work. She does this quietly and behind the scene. Sydney believes those who need to know, know. Those who need a hug from Sydney don't want their lives on display, what they need is a person to tell them they are not alone. That there is hope. But I think London needs to know we have such a remarkable young woman in our community.  Sydney is planning to pursue post-secondary education to become a welder but intends to keep her charity work going on the side.

Simultaneously, she still kept her marks at the honour roll level for all grades of high school, too.  She has volunteered for hospitality dinners for 7 years, was a circle leader for a VON kids’ bereavement program and also volunteered at the London Food Bank, a mission trip and more. Sydney represents London's future, and represents the best of our youth, and Londoners should know and be proud that we are the home of Sydney Hope Vickers.

She had planned to pursue her journey towards social services UNTIL she tried welding for the 1st time in grade 9.  By grade 11, she was hooked and was invited to a Women in Welding seminar and it cemented her decision as to what she wanted to pursue.  One day she hopes to be a welding inspector, but she intends to continue charity work and keep her Hopes Hugs charity work on the side.  She is currently doing a manufacturing co-op at Aluma Manufacturing Ltd where she is learning to TIG and MIG weld, operate a brake, use a mill, read blueprints, program a C&C cutter as well as clean and prep metal and assemblies. 

For these reasons and so many more, Sydney is named to the 2023 Mayor's New Year’s Honour List in the category of Distinguished Londoner.

For the past twelve years Carl Cadogan has been chair and treasurer of the London Black History Coordinating Committee. Founded in 2002, the LBHCC seeks “to engage the community in celebrating Black History Month through organizing, supporting, and collaborating with community organizations on programs and activities that are available to the region to educate, inform and uplift.”

In estimable fashion, Carl has brought his extensive experience of working in the non-profit sector to his role as chair. This has enabled the LBHCC to mount an impressive celebration of Black History month each February. Carl has encouraged his colleagues on the committee to forge relationships with members of London’s diverse Black population and with local organizations that serve and reflect that population. The result has been partnerships that support LBHCC goals and programs. Black History month in London is now a major event in the city’s cultural calendar and has become a positive force in the larger southwestern Ontario region and beyond.

A glance at the program of Black History Month 2022 highlights the many accomplishments of the LBHCC under the chairmanship of Carl Cadogan. This year’s program featured opening and closing celebrations of music, dance and storytelling; an art workshop for children; an African food festival; a Youth Forum that focused on post-secondary employment opportunities; a presentation on the Black history of Oxford County; a showing of Anthony Sherwood’s film, “100 Years of Faith,” combined with a description of the Chapel Project; a fireside chat with Jean Augustine, Canada’s first female Black Member of Parliament, on Black immigration to Canada; an awards ceremony; and a panel discussion on the 50th anniversary of Canada’s Multicultural Policy. With this stellar lineup, Black History Month 2022 attracted many participants and was an outstanding success. The general public of London has reason to be proud and grateful for this continuing work.

 Carl Cadogan’s fellow committee members value the leadership and networking talents he brings to their organization. One colleague noted especially his “dedication to the Black community” and the respect he has earned from the community at large. Carl’s membership on the Chapel Project Steering Committee gives further proof both of his deep commitment to Black History and of his ability to make links across a broad range of organizations and participants, thereby reflecting London’s diversity, present and past. The Chapel Project Steering Committee was established by the board of the Fanshawe Pioneer Village to plan the means whereby the former African Methodist Episcopal Church building on Grey Street could be moved to and restored at the Village and become a locus for celebrating and interpreting the area’s Black History. Carl has been in indispensable bridge builder to Black organizations on behalf of this cause. According to FPV board chair, Thomas Peace, Carl “has been a key driver ensuring that we move forward,” “an enthusiastic spokesperson,” and a “very wise counsel.”

Inclusion in the Mayor’s Honour List is the most fitting way of recognizing the many contributions that Carl Cadogan has made to the understanding and celebration of diversity in our city. In the words of Leroy Hibbert who has worked with him for many years, “Carl has enabled organizations and projects to flourish through his unique way of inviting individuals to the table for courageous conversations. He has a vision of a community where racialized people are given the opportunity to flourish and succeed in life. His leadership, endurance and dedication has garnered him the respect of many.”

For all these reasons and many more, Carl Cadogan is named to the 2023 Mayor’s New Year’s Honour List in the category of Diversity and Race Relations.

Tom Cull is a professor, environmental leader, and community organizer with over 10 years of experience working with people and organizations in London and the surrounding region to promote the ecological health of the Thames river/Deshkan Ziibi watershed. He founded and acts as the Director of Antler River Rally (ARR). ARR represents 11 years of direct environmental action that can be measured in not only hundreds of tonnes of garbage removed from the river, but the fostering of direct action, citizen stewardship, and the building of a community of care and respect around the river. ARR brings people (from across disciplines, backgrounds, etc) together to find common ground in the work of promoting ecological consciousness and the health and vitality of the river (and watershed). 

ARR also offers student placements. Indeed, many of these students have gone on to work in the environmental sector – a testament to the strong mentoring and ongoing support for these students that Tom offers. Tom regularly speaks at schools, on panels, in public, and in the media. In addition to the work of cleaning up the river, ARR has partnered with many organizations in London, including Urban League, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority, The City of London, Western University, London Public Library, Thames Valley District School Board, ReForest London, London Environmental Network, etc.

Furthermore, Tom's creative output as a poet is driven by ecological thinking, environmental justice, and the fusing of art and activism. This can be noted in the work he undertook as London's Poet Laureate from 2016-2018 which included: River of Words, a multi-poet event which examined our relationship to Deshkan Ziibiing/the Thames River, and The River Talks, a three-day community event involving a wide variety of stakeholders dedicated to re-imagining, renewing, restoring and respecting our waterways.

Tom orients his work through the lens of environmental justice and Truth and Reconciliation. Building relationships with First Nations artists, activists, and communities.  He does so to educate folks about the intersecting social and environmental issues that coalesce around the river. 

Despite his many public facing endeavours, a lot of what Tom does, goes on behind the scenes. He is always “on call” for river-related things. He often gets calls to help someone organize a cleanup or act as connector among and between groups/organizations.  He always makes time for students who want to interview him for class projects or to help someone do a needle sweep in their community or scout out a place for a cleanup.  It seems the work that he loves the most is being a community connector for people---someone at the confluence of many streams who can help people connect and realize their own work and goals.

For these reasons and so many more, Tom is named to the 2023 Mayor’s New Year’s Honour List in the category of Environment.

John Manness has been a strength and stay within the heritage sector of the City of London for well over 20 years. His contributions are legion, but his quiet and self-effacing manner has perhaps been the cause of his being unacknowledged as an important figure in the Heritage community.

John joined the Board of HERITAGE LONDON FOUNDATION  (HLF) in 2005. He was a valuable member of the team that developed the Strategic Plan for 2005-2008,  and he served as Vice-Chair and then Chair of the organization.  He had a steady hand and guided HLF through some tough times. John was always a  hands-on  Board member, and showed up to volunteer at all the many fundraising events held by HLF. He could be counted on to carry chairs and tables, prepare displays, produce booklets and to help in any way he could.

While with HLF John joined the inaugural HLF-ACO LONDON HERITAGE AWARDS committee in 2007 and the whole awards programme would not have been a success without John's willingness to  undertake many tasks that have to be done each year, in fact it could not have been managed in the early days without his gifts of time, insight. attention to detail, and expertise in several areas. From taking the photographs to preparing the booklets and managing, then eventually overseeing, all the AV presentations, John's  involvement with the running of the ceremony each year until 2021 was massive. 

John was the prime mover behind the development of the annual BUILDINGS ON THE BRINK list of heritage buidlings threatened with destruction, whether by neglect or by active demolition.

John also served on the LANDMARKS LONDON STRATEGIC REVIEW AND PLANNING COMMITTEE in 2007. This committee paved the way for the inception of the LONDON HERITAGE COUNCIL (LHC) which came into existence in 2008. John was a founding member of the LHC Board and served on it for many years.

While Chair of HLF John served on the Steering Committee of the RED ANTIQUITIES BUILDING RESTORATION PROJECT. This project was possibly the most challenging and ultimately most successful project undertaken by the Heritage community.

Last but not least, John served on the LACH from 2009 until 2021 bringing his insight and experience in the heritage sector to bear on a wide variety of submissions. For these reasons and more, John is named to the 2023 Mayor’s New Year’s Honour List in the category of Heritage.

“I need all of you to be ambassadors,” (Nawaz) Tahir told the crowd. “Ambassadors of love, because love will conquer hate.” ¹   Those were the words that Nawaz Tahir chose, in speaking to the throng - members of the Muslim community and all Londoners who gathered - at the London Muslim Mosque, in the aftermath of the tragic loss of the Afzaal family.  As Chair of Hikma and spokesperson for the Muslim community, Nawaz was a calming and reassuring presence.  Later he would describe, in the London Free Press, the outpouring of support for the Muslim community as "a heartwarming moment of solidarity, during a dark moment.” ² 

The organization which Nawaz chairs, Hikma (meaning “wisdom”) Public Affairs Council was started with the goal of increasing the political participation of Muslims in the London area.  It is involved in political and media advocacy efforts on behalf of Muslims in London.  Hikma encourages Muslims to get involved in all aspects of public participation, from politics (in any party), government appointments, and in the non-profit sector by serving in volunteer leadership roles.

Nawaz modeled the goals of Hikma in his personal life, even before the tragedy of #OurLondonFamily.  Significantly, Nawaz has served as a Director of the Board for St. Joseph’s Health Care London.  In June 2021, he has  appointed the Board’s First Vice-Chair.  To be chosen to serve in this capacity, in a Catholic institution, speaks volumes about both St. Joe's and Nawaz's commitment to demonstrate their values.  Nawaz is a champion for equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. In 2012, he founded and co-chaired an international conference at Western University on Islam and Democracy. He is co-editor of the book, Religion and Representation: Islam and Democracy (Cambridge, 2015).

He is an active participant in the community.  For example, he has held several football coaching positions at the high-school level, including defensive coordinator and head coach.  His teams have achieved a number of City and Provincial Championship victories.

Even with a significant commitment to community service and volunteerism, Nawaz excels as a lawyer.  He serves as the Managing Partner of the London office of McCague Borlack LLP, where he practices in the areas of insurance, professional malpractice and class action defence litigation.  He graduated from Western Law in 2001 and was called to the Bar in 2002.  He is a past adjunct professor at Western’s Law School, where he taught Civil Procedure.

Nawaz's commitment of time, knowledge, effort and pro bono legal assistance to volunteer causes is invaluable. For all these reasons and more, Nawaz is named to the 2023 Mayor’s New Year’s Honour List in the category of Humanitarianism.

¹ - Londoners and local officials join federal, provincial leaders in denouncing Islamophobia – CTV News.

² - London Free Press, Jun 04, 2022

 Roop Chanderdat started playing with the London Majors Baseball Club in 1998. He played outfield for the team playing in 106 games over seven seasons. He became co-owner of the team with Scott Dart in 2005 and took on the roles of General Manager and Field Manager in 2006. Over the next 17 seasons, Roop has accomplished much with the London Majors and The City of London. Under Roop's leadership, the Majors have won the Pennant (Finsihing season play in first place) in the Inter County Baseball League 4 times (2008-2016-2021-2022), played in the league finals 6 times (2004-2006-2008-2015-2021-2022), and won the IBL Championship 2 times (2021-2022).

Roop was voted First Team All Star Manager and Manager of the Year in 2016 and 2021 and Second Team All Star Manager in 2008 and 2022. Roop has over 300 wins in the Inter County Baseball League and is one of the most respected general managers over his 17 seasons with the Majors. Many of the players that Roop has coached have gone on to sign contracts with Magor League Baseball teams.

Roop, Scott and The Majors hold many special events at Labatt Park during each season. Many of these events help charities in the London community and help raise much needed funds for these not for profit organizations. Roop has also been involved with week long baseball camps for kids so that children have an opportunity to be coached by a professional baseball coaching staff.

Roop Chanderdat is a Londoner who has given greatly to baseball in our community, to the London Majors and brought distinction, respect and excellence to The City of London. For these reasons and more, Roop is named to the Mayor's New Year's Honour List for 2023 in the category of Sports.