Against injustice.

When political columnist Dalton Camp died in March 2002 he was described as a man of the people, representing those who believe in justice, compassion, and generosity. While he was well known as president of Canada's Progressive Conservative Party, he was respected by powerful members of all political parties,

In an article in the Toronto Star after his death, a friend, Michael Bawtree, described Mr. Camp as a person in favour of "a country--and a world--animated by principles of tolerance, of imagination, of moderation, of respect for tradition, of community." He was very much against anything than undermined a just society. He was against excessive corporate power and its lobbying to place profits before people. He was against the erosion of the country's health system, the privatization of public services, the destruction of the environment, and corrupt or complacent political parties. He was the personification of Public Good.

Another of Canada's finest citizens, Stanley Knowles, died in June 1997. A Member of Parliament for four decades, Mr. Knowles spent most of that time fighting for social justice for ordinary Canadians. When ill health forced him to retire from active politics in the 1980s he was accorded a rare privilege by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. He was made an honourary officer of the House of Commons and given a permanent seat at the Clerk's Table on the floor of the House. Although he had no formal responsibility and drew no salary, he was at his seat almost every day for more than a decade and, sometimes, MPs referred to him as "the conscience of Parliament."

Another notable Canadian was Lester B. Pearson, leader of Canada's Liberal Party for a decade (1958-1968), who became Prime Minister in 1963. Seen as a natural diplomat, his easy-going and friendly manner earned him respect around the world during his twenty-year career at the Department of Foreign Affairs (1928-1948), and subsequently as head of the country. Two of his major accomplishments as Prime Minister were the creation of the Canada Pension Plan in 1965 and universal Medicare in 1966. In 1957 he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in creating the United Nations Peace-Keeping Force.

And, there are many Canadians who continue to work for the Public Good. Stephen Lewis is prominent among them. Described as passionate and determined, Mr. Lewis is a humanitarian who has worked to improve the human condition, both at home and abroad. Leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party for eight years, he also served as Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations, and as the Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF in New York.

Currently, Mr. Lewis is the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa. He is also a Commissioner for the World Health Organization's Commission on the Social Determinants of Health, as well as a director of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, which is dedicated to easing the pain of HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Admired by Canadians of all political stripes, Mr. Lewis is a Companion of the Order of Canada, our country's highest honour for lifetime achievement. In 2004, he received the Pearson Peace Medal from the United Nations Association in Canada, celebrating outstanding achievement in the field of international service and understanding. He holds 22 honourary degrees from Canadian universities, and in April 2005 was named by TIME magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, along with The Dalai Lama, Bill Gates, and Nelson Mandela.