A Canadian surgeon with Filipino heritage has been appointed senator of Canada.
Flordeliz Gigi Osler, also known as Dr. F. Gigi Osler, was designated as senator by the Governor General to represent the province of Manitoba, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Sep. 26.
Born to immigrant parents from the Philippines and India, Osler is an internationally renowned surgeon who operates in Winnipeg, her birthplace, and an assistant professor at the University of Manitoba, Canada's government website said.
She is also "a dedicated advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion," it added.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, Sep. 29, the Canadian Embassy in the Philippines congratulated Osler on her appointment.
According to Canada's government website, Osler became the first woman surgeon and the first racialized woman elected President of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) in 2018, when she led the development of the CMA’s first ever policy on equity and diversity.
She has been serving as a role model, research supervisor, and mentor for Filipino and other racialized medical students in Manitoba and across Canada, including within the Filipino Association of Medical Students in Manitoba.
Osler also spends her time as a volunteer to train other surgeons in Africa, while also being a key voice in raising awareness of the health impacts of climate change in Canada.
With medical degree from the University of Manitoba, Osler became a recipient of numerous honours and awards, including the University of Manitoba Distinguished Alumni Award and the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada May Cohen Equity, Diversity and Gender Award.
The Canadian senator was also named as a Women’s Executive Network (WXN) 2019 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner and to the Medical Post’s 2021 Power List.