Ottawa – The Canadian Lung Association is pleased to announce that Kenneth Maybee, a long-time clear air crusader and a former past president and CEO of the New Brunswick Lung Association, has been appointed to the Order of Canada.
"As a pioneer in advocating for clean air, Ken played key roles in helping Canada to develop air quality standards . As co-chair he led the development and implementation of the new Air Quality Health Index that is now available in many cities across Canada," says Mary Pat Shaw, acting president and CEO of the Canadian Lung Association. " Ken’s leadership has inspired the work of The Lung Association and our continued focus on clean air and lung health."
Mr. Maybee was instrumental in having Canada proclaim Clean Air Day in June of each year. He was an official negotiator for the Ozone Annex to the Canada-US Air Quality Agreement, and at the UNFCC COP 11 meetings in Montreal where terms of the Kyoto Protocol were achieved.
"I know that many people, from organizations and government departments across Canada, who strive to improve air quality and the health of all Canadians, will be thrilled to learn of Ken’s appointment," says Barbara MacKinnon, president and CEO of the New Brunswick Lung Association. "Ken’s personal crusade to make human health the driving force for air quality policies and legislation has been extraordinary."
During his time as president and CEO at the New Brunswick Lung Association, the office grew from a staff of 2 to 14, and garnered a reputation as an international leader in air quality. Ken was a key player in successfully advocating for the New Brunswick Clean Air Act and the Smoke Free Places Act.
"You could ask any of the national players in the field of air quality and they would all tell you that he is a visionary, a passionate and effective advocate, a highly principled person," adds Ms. MacKinnon.
Mr. Maybee has led the New Brunswick Lung Association in colourful and innovative ways. During the Canada Post strike just before Christmas in 1997, he realized that the strike would be disastrous for the annual Christmas Seal Campaign. He had the staff sew him a Santa suit and he walked, with much media attention, from Fredericton to Saint John to deliver the mail. As a result the donations were greater that year than ever before. In 2000, he convinced the Millennium Council of Canada and Irving Oil to fund a behavior change program, entitled Flight For Life, to get people to make commitments to improve air quality. The signature event featured kites, on which children and others would write their commitment to clean air and then they would fly to raise awareness for the cause. Kites were flown across Canada, in some American states, as well as in France, England, Ecuador and in China’s Tiananmen Square.
In 2003, the 100th anniversary of the Christmas Seal, Mr. Maybee asked the Canadian Lung Association to hold the Annual General Meeting in New Brunswick. Since the first Christmas Seal campaign originated in Denmark, Mr. Maybee asked the Canadian Federation of Danish Associations to obtain a large stone from Denmark to place in the Lung Association’s Clean Air Trail in Saint John. Denmark actually did this and the large stone is engraved to commemorate the Christmas Seal and the Canadian Lung Association link with Denmark.
"Mr. Maybee has always done all he could to make Canada a better place. His contributions range from small personal gestures to leadership roles. He would always help the less fortunate. He would pay for people to stay overnight in a hotel when they could not get into the shelter, and every Christmas he dressed as Santa and gave out teddy bears to children and the elderly in the hospital," says Ms MacKinnon.
In addition to his achievements with our organization, Mr. Maybee also served Canada in exceptional ways during his military career and later with his personal efforts in developing Visit Canada Visitez, an interpretive trail in Saint John.
Mr. Maybee’s contributions during his military career far exceeded his rank and duties. He received awards for two separate levels of the Order of Military Merit and other justly deserved recognition. He rose to the top NCO position of Command Chief Warrant Officer in Europe.
Several years ago Mr. Maybee, together with a core group of proud Canadians, began to develop a trail in Saint John, New Brunswick. His vision was to have a trail where visitors could experience a vignette of each province and territory of Canada, and a special plaza dedicated to those who served in each war and peace-keeping missions. The welcome arch was to be inscribed with the word "welcome" in every Aboriginal language of Canada. He requested, and had donated, 4-tonne stones from every province and territory in Canada. "Once complete, this trail will provide Canadians and visitors a glimpse of the best features of our country and be a source of pride for us all," says Ms MacKinnon.
Since his retirement in July 2009, Mr. Maybee has been volunteering his time to the Legion, the Shriners and other organizations. In 2010, he was presented with an Honorary Life Membership to the Canadian Lung Association in gratitude for his leadership and outstanding commitment to advance the mission of The Lung Association.
"Ken exemplifies the highest qualities of leadership and has contributed greatly to advance our mission of improving the lung health of all Canadians," says Ms Shaw.
