Twelve Manitobans to receive provincial honour

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This article was published 11/05/2022 (861 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mohamed El Tassi’s path to the Order of Manitoba began by selling blue jeans and mopping a floor.

The 35-year-old is one of 12 Manitobans who will receive the province’s highest honour from Lt. Gov. Janice Filmon this summer.

He began working at Sargent Blue Jeans when he was 15; his duties were to sell pants there and clean the place.

By age 20, El Tassi was a co-owner of the business and that’s when he was able to begin helping others. He is being honoured for championing vulnerable people, including people with disabilities and the homeless.

“I don’t know what to say about receiving the order,” El Tassi said, minutes after getting the email from the province.

“I accept this with a lot of humility. I am humbled by it – I’m not one to talk about myself.

“I’m blessed.”

El Tassi is the son of Albert El Tassi, the president and CEO of Peerless Garment who is an Order of Manitoba recipient.

Other Manitobans to be honoured on July 14 are:

— Desiree Scott, a member of Canada’s national soccer team and an Olympic gold medalist in 2020 and two-time bronze medalist. She went to the University of Manitoba and first represented Canada in 2006.

— Andre Lewis, the artistic director and CEO of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Lewis started with the RWB as a dancer and has served as artistic director for more than 25 years.

— Andrew Paterson, the president and CEO of Paterson GlobalFoods Inc. He was chairman of the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation for nine years and funded the Red River College culinary program and the Urban Circle Training Centre.

— Shirley Richardson and her family donated $2.5 million in 2016 to help fund the Diversity Gardens in Assiniboine Park. She had earlier funded the Shirley Richardson butterfly exhibit in the Assiniboine Park Zoo.

— Darcy Ataman is the founder and CEO of Make Music Matter and he created a type of music therapy that has helped 8,500 participants around the world. Ataman has co-founded a record label and publishing company that helps musicians in impoverished areas.

— James Eldridge had a 48-year career with the Manitoba government, serving as a non-partisan adviser to eight premiers. He was one of the people who drafted the equalization provisions of the Constitution Act in 1982.

— Doug Harvey is the founder and CEO of the DLH Group and was recently named the outstanding philanthropist of the year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals of Manitoba. Harvey has given financial support to numerous organizations including FortWhyte Alive and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

— Leo Ledohowski is the owner and executive chairman of Canad Inns. Ledohowski has supported several organizations, including the Health Sciences Foundation and Special Olympics Manitoba, and was integral to the global recognition of the 75th anniversary of the Holodomor.

— Megumi Masaki is a pianist, educator and curator. She is a Japanese-Canadian artist who was artistic director of the annual Eckhardt-Gramatte national music competition.

— Alix Jean-Paul immigrated from Haiti and has dedicated himself to anti-racism, education and community building. He taught for 25 years in Winnipeg and he created workshops for parents and school officials to help new Canadians navigate the school system.

— Marcy Markusa has worked at CBC Manitoba for more than 25 years and is the host of its morning show. She was the first female host of a No. 1-rated morning show in the city.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca