The Governor General of Canada, Adrienne Clarkson, recently announced 104 new appointments to the Order of Canada. The Order of Canada recognizes people who have made a difference to the country, from local citizens to national and international personalities.

     One of this year’s recipients is Dr. George Karpati. The citation released by the Governor General’s describing Dr. Karpati’s qualifications is below:

        He is recognized internationally as one of the leading experts on the diagnosis and treatment of neuromuscular disorders. One of North America’s outstanding neurologists, he is Director of the Neuromuscular Research Group at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Isaac Walton Killam Chair in Neurology at McGill University. He has made numerous contributions in the area of muscular dystrophy and is the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Distinguished Scientist Award from the Canadian Society of Clinical Investigation.

He came to the Neuro in 1983 to pursue a stroke fellowship and in 1984 was a Killam Scholar at the MNI before joining the Neurosurgical Staff the same year. From 1990 to 1999 he was Head of the Red Neurosurgical Service at the MNH and since 1999 was the Head of the Spinal Division of the MNH-MUHC Department of Neurosurgery. He has done an exceptional job as Chairman of the MNI-MNH Ethics Committee for several years.

Ron is a superb neurosurgeon with excellent operative skills, judgement and control. Although his predominant field of interest is spinal surgery, his overall expertise is diversified and includes vascular and pituitary surgery. His interpersonal relationships have also been outstanding and his colleagues have considered him to be frank, positive and constructive.

We are sad to see him leave McGill but we wish him the very best in his new functions.

André Olivier, M.D.,Ph.D.
Neurosurgeon-in-Chief