Celebrating Excellence and Leadership: The 2026 Humanist Canada Award Recipients

Humanist Canada is thrilled to announce the distinguished recipients of our 2026 Awards. These awards honor extraordinary leadership, enduring generosity, and innovative advocacy within our movement.

This year’s recipients were formally celebrated on a global stage at the World Humanist Congress in Ottawa, where humanists from across the world gathered to honor their dedication to reason, compassion, secularism, and human rights.

Here are the inspiring individuals recognized in 2026:

Distinguished Humanist Award: Ruth Henrich

The Distinguished Humanist Award is Humanist Canada’s highest honor. It recognizes individuals who have made exceptional and enduring contributions to Humanism and the advancement of Humanist values through the promotion of a more compassionate, rational, ethical, and inclusive society.

This year, Humanist Canada presents the Distinguished Humanist Award to Ruth Henrich in recognition of a lifetime of principled leadership and extraordinary service.

Ruth’s impact on the Canadian humanist movement is immeasurable. From her vital service as the past Executive Director of Humanist Canada to her current work on the Morgentaler Committee and her ongoing dedication as a Humanist Officiant, Ruth has exemplified Humanist principles in action. Across all her roles, her unwavering commitment to bodily autonomy and fundamental human rights represents the very best of our movement.

When asked about receiving this prestigious award, Ruth spoke about the importance of Humanist Canada:

“I am grateful for Humanist Canada. I am grateful they exist.  They’ve given me the opportunity to pursue projects that matter to me, and I’m grateful they help people like me find their voice.  This award means the world to me, and I want to thank everyone who has worked alongside me as we make this organization better.  I could not have done it without you.”

Humanist Impact Award: Richard Thain & Réjeanne Sylvain

The Humanist Impact Award honors individuals or families whose financial generosity, active volunteerism, and enduring commitment strengthen the foundation and reach of Humanist work. The award celebrates contributions that serve as a vital catalyst for organizational stability, forward-thinking innovation, and collective community support.

The 2026 Humanist Impact Award is presented to Richard Thain and Réjeanne Sylvain for more than 35 years of steadfast dedication to the Canadian humanist community.

Richard has consistently translated Humanist principles into action through sustained financial generosity, vital logistical support, and courageous, highly visible advocacy. His lifetime of leadership and activist spirit has helped build the very infrastructure that allows Humanism in Canada to thrive today.

Reflecting on their journey with the movement, Richard Thain and Réjeanne Sylvain shared:

“We don’t think any of us volunteer, participate, and work for the humanist cause because we expect prizes or accolades. We do it because we believe it is important and meaningful. And in our case, whatever we may have contributed over the years is really very little compared with what we have received in return: friendships, knowledge, life-changing experiences, and the privilege of working with so many wonderful people.”

Read their full Thank you and Reflection here.

Emerging Humanist Leader Award: Marie-Claire Khadij

The Emerging Humanist Leader Award shines a spotlight on the rising stars of our movement—newer leaders, early-career advocates, and innovative volunteers who bring fresh perspectives, creative strategies, and new energy to secular outreach.

Humanist Canada is proud to present the 2026 Emerging Humanist Leader Award to Marie-Claire Khadij.

Marie-Claire’s work marks a profound and modern shift in Canadian humanism, helping it evolve from a largely academic philosophy into a recognized source of compassionate, secular care in public life. Through her extensive volunteerism, emotional labor, and professional leadership—including training new Chaplaincy candidates, her ongoing service with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), and her work completing the milestone book Humanism: Canadian Perspectives / Humanisme : Perspectives canadiennes—Marie-Claire is actively shaping the future of secular care in Canada.

In accepting the recognition, Marie-Claire highlighted the ongoing need for secular advocacy:

“We should never take our rights for granted. We don’t have to look far to see how quickly human rights can be threatened when religious nationalism gains power, and humanists are raising concerns about its growth here in Canada.

Organizations like Humanist Canada defend secularism and help protect reproductive rights, access to Medical Assistance in Dying, women’s rights, 2SLGBTQIA+ rights, and other fundamental freedoms. I volunteer with Humanist Canada because we need to protect our Canadian values. I encourage everyone to dedicate some of their time to organisations with similar goals.”

Looking Ahead

Humanist Canada extends its deepest gratitude and warmest congratulations to Ruth, Richard, Réjeanne, and Marie-Claire. Their contributions—whether spanning decades of leadership and generosity or pioneering new pathways for secular chaplaincy—ensure that the humanist movement in Canada remains vibrant, compassionate, and forward-looking.