The Enriching My Country and Yours (Emcy) Awards in celebration of “the diverse communities that make up Canada” were presented last month at a gala event in Regina. The 2008 awards went to Jeanne Martinson (business), Richard Engel (sports), the University of Regina, the City of London, the Saskatchewan Intercultural Association, Hannah Taylor (youth), Menaka Thakkar (arts/education), and Elmer Eashappie (media). The Lifetime Achievement Award was picked up by Kai Lui of the Ottawa Police Service.

The Women’s Business Network (WBN) handed out its 2007 Business Woman of the Year Awards to Robin McIntyre, regional president, Rogers Communications Inc. (corporate businesswoman of the year), Janice Payne, senior partner, Nelligan O’Brien Payne (professional businesswoman of the year), and Heather Maclachlan, director of catering, MacKay Street Epicuria (entrepreneur businesswoman of the year).

For the third time this year Ernst & Young has been recognized for its best practices—this time as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for 2008. In accepting the honour, Karen Wensley, Canada’s People Team Leader, said, “At Ernst & Young, we believe that having a diverse workforce makes us stronger.”  For the complete list of winners, http://www.canadastop100.com/diversity/.

Calgary-based Bellstar Hotels & Resorts which develops and manages properties in British Columbia and Alberta was presented with four key industry awards as Employer of Choice for Best Human Resource Practices by the Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) for a series of tools, including a foreign worker program, that added up to operational success.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) has given its 2008 Diversity Award to Claudia L. Thomas, who is also the first black woman doctor in her field. Through her efforts, female residents at John Hopkins Medical Center have increased to 20% and black residents to 32%.

The ERE 2008 Award for Best Diversity Program went to Sodexo, a leading provider of food and facilities management services. ERE Media's Recruiting Excellence Awards honors the most strategic and innovative global recruiting practices developed throughout the year. This year’s banquet was held in San Diego, California.

The American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE) has selected the winners of its annual awards for distinguished writing and photography. The Freedom Forum / ASNE Award for Distinguished Writing on Diversity went to New York Times reporter David Gonzalez for his three part series on the new wave of Pentecostalism in the city.

The National Association of Minority Media Editors (NAMME) has paid tribute to the advancement of diversity in the media world with its 2007 Celebration of Diversity Awards. The Distinguished Diversity Award for Lifetime Achievement went to Felix Gutierrez, former senior VP, The Freedom Forum and Newseum. For the complete awards list, www.namme.org/programs/awards.