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On Saturday,  March 4, 2023, the penultimate day of the most recent Council of General Synod (the governance council of the Anglican Church of Canada between General Synod meetings), the report of the Anglican Award of Merit Committee was announced by General Secretary, Alan Perry. Although a resolution to establish The Anglican Award of Merit was approved by General Synod in 1967, it was not established until 1986. The AAM recognizes and celebrates lay people for their service at the national or international level. The Anglican Award of Merit Committee has named the following individuals as this year's recipients.

  • Canon (Lay) Donna R. Bomberry
  • George E.H. Cadman KC
  • Elizabeth Hutchinson
  • Dion C. Lewis 

The second name on the 2023 list is the Chancellor (the chief legal officer) of the Diocese of New Westminster. George is only the fourth person from our diocese to receive this honour and the first since Rob Dickson, AAM received the medal and ribbon from then-primate, the Most Reverend Fred Hiltz at his parish church, St. Christopher, West Vancouver in September of 2010. The other two recipients are the late Garth Walker, AAM, ODNW; October 7, 1914 - September 19, 2012, and the late Cynthia Llewellyn, AAM, ODNW; August 28, 1920 - December 4, 2016. The AAM is the highest honour awarded to an Anglican lay person in Canada.

George Cadman was appointed King's Council in 1990 and was invested into the Order of the Diocese of New Westminster in its inaugural year of 2009.

According to the coverage of the announcement on the Anglican Church of Canada website's news pages:

"CoGS members reacted with audible enthusiasm and approval as the winners were announced, followed by applause. The primate said it was a “joy to hear the ways in which lay people across church have contributed to our life nationally and internationally.”

George was appointed Chancellor of the diocese in 1988 and has now served in that capacity for 35 years. At the March 15, 2023 meeting of Diocesan Council (the diocesan governance body, and in George’s words “the Synod between Synods”) Bishop John Stephens made the announcement about George’s receipt of the AAM. The bishop was quick to point out that George is being honoured for his service to all levels in the Anglican Church. George’s response was that he had only two words to describe his reaction to the announcement: “unexpected” and “humbled”. George will receive the Award from the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada at his parish at a date to be confirmed. 

Diocesan comms will share more information about the presentation of the award to George as it becomes available. All of us in the diocese and particularly George's home parish of St. Agnes, North Vancouver are delighted that he has received this recognition.