Rooftops Canada is very proud to announce that our Executive
Director,Barry Pinsky, has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal by
the Right Honourable David Johnston,Governor General of Canada.The
Meritorious Service Awards “recognize outstanding accomplishments that set
an example for others to follow and bring benefit to our country.”
The award
recognizes Barry’s role in Rooftops Canada and international development
on behalf of the co-operative and social housing movements in Canada. Under his
leadership, Rooftops Canada has mobilized over $40 million to support
overseas housing, rights and economic development organizations in Africa,
Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. This has leveraged hundreds of millions
of additional dollars in housing and development activity, primarily in
Sub-Saharan Africa.As a result, tens of thousands of families in the
global South have secure tenure, better homes and stronger communities.
“Barry had a
vision that enabled our movement to help more people to achieve decent
affordable housing,” says Nicholas Gazzard, CHF Canada’s executive
director.”We are all proud and honoured to see Barry
recognized.”
According to
Barry, “While it is wonderful to be singled out, none of this would be
possible without the engagement of many deeply committed Rooftops Canada staff,
board members, advisors, young professionals and volunteers. The support of
co-op and social housing organizations across Canada has been critical to our
success. We have also enjoyed a long-standing and very productive relationship
with the Government of Canada’s international assistance programs. I have also
had the opportunity to work with so many amazing overseas partners.
“
honour” says its executive director Davinder Lamba. “With Barry’s
guidance, Rooftops Canada has always been responsive to issues coming from its
African partners. We have appreciated working together for many years to secure
housing and land rights in the region.”
2016
Celebrating HIC’s 40th Anniversary in Quito, Ecuador
Prior to working
full-time for Rooftops Canada, Barry helped coordinate the development of many
housing co-ops in Montreal, Peel-Halton Region and Toronto. He has received the
CHRA International Award, the CMHC Award for Outstanding Contribution to
Co-operative Housing, and he was named a “Wisdom Keeper” by the
Habitat International Coalition (HIC). He has participated in many official
Canadian delegations to UN Habitat events and presented at numerous workshops
and conferences.