An Iraqi-Jewish refugee has been awarded the Order of Canada, the country's highest honour. (With thanks: Eli)
Jacob Masliyah, one of the top researchers in extracting bitumen from the oilsands, is a Jew born in
Iraq who ended up in
Canada because this was the only country that would accept him as an immigrant after he had completed his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering in
England.
A professor at the
University of Alberta, he has been doing oilsands research for 30 years. His projects have a total of $1 million in research grants attached to them.
The irony of fleeing oil-rich
Iraq for the oilsands of
Alberta is not lost on him, but he never takes the peace of
Canada for granted.
"Virtually every day I remind myself how lucky I am, with my family, to be in
Alberta and to be in
Canada," he said. "Sometimes as Canadians we forget how fortunate we are."
Article in the Edmonton Journal
Really nice to see good news.
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