Barbara Turnbull (Journalist)

Toronto Star reporter Barb Turnbull was posthumously appointed to the Order of Canada during a ceremony at Rideau Hall. Turnbull, a long-time journalist and advocate for spinal cord research and accessibility for the disabled, was left quadriplegic at the age of 18 after being shot in the neck during a convenience store robbery in 1983. Turnbull died in May from complications due to pneumonia at age 50. She received her appointment of distinction just two days before her death. The Order of Canada, created in 1967, recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation.