Pride of Canada: Wayne Hindmarsh earns the Order of Canada

Wayne Hindmarsh, former President of the Canadian Foundation of Pharmacy, has been appointed to the Order of Canada—one of the nation’s highest civilian honours. This recognition caps a remarkable career spanning more than five decades for Hindmarsh, during which he has advanced pharmacy education, strengthened professional standards, and inspired countless students and colleagues.

For Hindmarsh, the honour came as a total surprise. “Somebody nominated me and I knew nothing about it, until I got a call from the Governor General’s office,” he recalls. “This is truly the honour of a lifetime.”

After starting his career in academic leadership as the Dean of Pharmacy at the University of Manitoba in his home province, Hindmarsh was recruited to lead Canada’s largest pharmacy faculty as Dean of the University of Toronto’s Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy. “When I became Dean, I think we had 18 faculty and when I finished my term, we had more than doubled in size,” he says. “We built a brand-new building and there was just so much opportunity then in expanding the profession.”

From U of T, he joined the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP) where he is currently CEO—a part-time role he holds at the age of 83. “I always say I have more power as an accreditor than I did as a dean,” he jokes. “Being part of setting standards for pharmacy programs and ensuring their quality is maintained is very rewarding to me.”

The Order of Canada not only recognizes Hindmarsh’s professional accomplishments, but also the far-reaching impact of his leadership. Throughout his career, he has been a strong advocate for the evolving role of pharmacists in patient care as part of interdisciplinary teams. “The strides that have happened in the last while are phenomenal, and I think pharmacy is going in a good direction.”

While the official investiture ceremony is still to come, Hindmarsh says the news has already sparked celebration among his colleagues, students and family. “I’m getting all sorts of emails from people I haven’t heard from in a long time,” he said, noting that his son was “over the moon” at the prospect of his father being one of only 8,200 people who have received the Order of Canada since its inception in 1967.

With this recognition, Hindmarsh joins the likes of other trailblazers, including pharmacy philanthropist Leslie Dan, who received the Order of Canada in 1996.

“Wayne has been such a valuable asset to the Foundation and to the profession as a whole, and I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this honour,” says CFP Executive Director Linda Prytula. “I’m grateful to know him.”

No stranger to awards and national recognition, Hindmarsh was CFP’s Pillar of Pharmacy winner in 2009.