A West Vancouver resident was honoured with the Order of Canada at a ceremony in Ottawa May 8 for his long-time contributions to the Canadian mining industry.
Named an Officer of the Order of Canada, Norman Keevil, chairman of mining company Teck Resources Ltd., has been a leader in Canada's mining industry for more than 50 years. Known for his contributions to mining and geology research, Keevil has been an instrumental supporter of mining and geology research at UBC, avidly contributing to the Mineral Deposits Research Unit at UBC and the university's Norman B. Keevil (NBK) Institute of Mining Engineering. Keevil has also helped to establish mining research institutions in Ontario and Chile, as well as an earth sciences scholarship at the University of Western Ontario.
Born in Cambridge, Mass. in 1938 while his Canadian-born father was conducting research at Harvard University, Keevil went on to obtain an undergraduate degree in applied geology and eventually a PhD. Joining Teck in 1962, he worked his way up the corporate ladder over the years to eventually become chairman of the multi-billion dollar company.
Included among this year's 50 recipients are ex-NHL player Sheldon Kennedy of Calgary, Alta. for his work raising awareness on the issue of child abuse, as well as Kim Baird, six-time consecutive chief of Tsawwassen First Nation, who implemented B.C.'s first urban treaty.
