February 2025 Convocation Honorary Degree and Distinguished Awards

Harry Bains

Friday, February 28 - Morning Ceremony

Harry Bains moved to Canada from India in 1971. His path into politics began two years later at age 21. While working at a sawmill in Vancouver he experienced discrimination and racism. There he became committed to making his workplace safer by participating in his union. He was elected an officer of Steelworkers-IWA Canada Local 2171, going on to serve in leadership positions in the union for 15 years.

Mr. Bains was first elected the NDP MLA for Surrey-Newton in 2005 and was re-elected in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2020. He was appointed Minister of Labour in 2017, allowing him to make changes he had been advocating for.

As Labour Minister, Mr. Bains took B.C.’s minimum wage from one of the lowest in Canada to the highest. He also ensured most workers would have access to five paid sick days a year and removed roadblocks for workers to join unions. Mr. Bains made improvements to the Workers Compensation Act and prioritized the rights of injured workers, improved safety for those performing asbestos abatement work and brought successorship provisions into the labour code to provide protection for workers against contract flipping.

Over the years Mr. Bains served as Opposition critic for the Ministry of Olympics and Sport, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. He also introduced a private member’s bill to protect owners of manufactured homes who face eviction without any support if a landlord decides to redevelop their property. In 2024 Mr. Bains made the decision to retire from politics to spend more time with his family.

Mr. Bains served on the KPU Board of Governors from 1993 to 1999, including three years as vice-chair. Throughout his years as MLA and Minister, Mr. Bains frequently made time to attend events and government announcements at KPU and was a regular guest at convocation ceremonies.

Amos Kambere

Tuesday, February 25 - Afternoon Ceremony

Forced to leave Uganda following a coup d’état in 1985, Amos Kambere, the youngest member of the Ugandan parliament, eventually found his way to Canada in 1992 with his wife Edith, their four boys and little more than $5 in his pocket.

While the ensuing years were not easy, Mr. Kambere and his family navigated this new culture and community, sharing what they learned with other newcomer families, talking about how to make the most of their new lives in Surrey, B.C. This was the genesis of Umoja.

Founded in 2002, the Umoja Operation Compassion Society is a not-for-profit organization focused on supporting newcomer immigrants and refugees living in Surrey. Umoja — the Swahili word for unity or oneness — seeks to empower immigrants and refugees to successfully integrate into an inclusive Canadian society. Mr. Kambere served as volunteer Executive Director while working full-time at Canada Post.

One major support comes in the form of education with Umoja offering vocational skills training, adult literacy, future leaders youth programs, post-secondary scholarships and more. And this commitment to education extends far beyond Surrey. In 2007, after raising money through bottle drives, Umoja created the Rwentutu Christian Community School, beginning with 90 students and eventually growing to over 250.

Mr. Kambere served on KPU’s Board of Governors from 2018 to 2024, during which time he was Chair of the Governance Committee and Vice-Chair of the Human Resources Committee. Mr. Kambere was valued for his thoughtful approach to decision-making and unique perspective as an active member of a diaspora community in Surrey, providing the board with insight into the needs of newcomers, including KPU’s international students.

Mr. Kambere holds a Bachelor of Education degree from Kyambogo University Kampala Uganda and leadership certificates from Vancouver Community College and British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Edith Kambere

Tuesday, February 25 - Afternoon Ceremony

A staunch advocate for mental health. A crusader for women. A champion of refugees. Edith Ngene Kambere is dedicated to community service and improving the lives of newcomers in Canada.

An exile from Uganda, Ms. Kambere fled with three of her four children to Congo, eventually reuniting with her husband and eldest son in Canada in 1992. In her new life in Canada, Ms. Kambere persevered, overcoming isolation, language barriers and poverty. Not only did she find work as a settlement counsellor, but she also started taking university courses, earning her bachelor’s degree in 2002, all while raising her children. Ms. Kambere went on to complete a master’s degree in social work from the University of British Columbia (UBC), specializing in mental health issues.

Ten years after arriving in Canada, Ms. Kambere and her husband Amos Kambere founded the Umoja Operation Compassion Society, a not-for-profit organization focused on supporting newcomer immigrants and refugees living in Surrey. Umoja — the Swahili term for unity or oneness — seeks to empower immigrants and refugees to successfully integrate into an inclusive Canadian society.

As Co-Executive Director, Ms. Kambere ensured newcomers to Surrey in need of Umoja’s services were welcomed and would have every resource and opportunity available to them to succeed. Beyond this, Ms. Kambere’s most enduring service to her community is her support of women, knowing intimately the challenges women face as refugees.

But being an advocate for immigrants and empowering newcomers wasn’t enough. After 15 years of collecting bottles and cans, Edith and her family raised the funds needed to found the Rwentutu Community School in Uganda. This was the first private school in the village of Rwentutu that students did not have to pay to attend. The school has grown to over 250 students, starting out with just 90.

Bruce Ralston

Tuesday, February 25 - Morning Ceremony

Bruce Ralston has dedicated himself to serving people and improving our communities. Born in Victoria and raised in Vancouver, he is a former B.C. cabinet minister, a five-term MLA for Surrey-Whalley and a two-term Surrey city councillor. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a Master of Arts from the University of Cambridge, before returning to UBC to complete his Bachelor of Laws.

Called to the bar in 1982, he ran a successful law practice for 24 years — first in Vancouver and then in Surrey — where he and his wife have lived since 1986, and where their three children were born and raised. He was appointed King’s Counsel in 2021 in recognition of exceptional merit and contribution to the legal profession.

Mr. Ralston’s career in elected politics began in 1988, when he was elected to Surrey City Council. From 1995 to 2006, he was a director of VanCity Credit Union, serving as board chair from 2002 to 2004. He also served as volunteer president of the B.C. NDP from 1996 to 2001, and on the boards of Surrey Memorial Hospital and Surrey Public Library.

When the NDP government was elected in 2017, Premier John Horgan appointed him the Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology. He subsequently served as Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, and Minister of Forests, until his retirement from government in October 2024. Throughout his seven years as a cabinet minister, he was also the Minister Responsible for the Consular Corps.

First elected MLA for Surrey-Whalley in 2005, he was re-elected in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2020. From his election in 2005, Mr. Ralston served for 12 years as Official Opposition critic in a number of areas: natural gas development, trade, immigration, multiculturalism, finance, agriculture, the Asia Pacific strategy and intergovernmental relations. He also served as chair of the legislature’s Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts from 2009 to 2017.

David Young

Friday, February 28 - Afternoon Ceremony

David Young is a champion of the most vulnerable members of our communities, working to provide help to individuals and families in need. For over 40 years, Mr. Young has worked throughout Canada gaining broad and diverse experiences while building community partnerships and relationships.

Mr. Young became engaged in human services while at university, working as a residential care worker. Youth work with Toronto Catholic Children’s Aid Society followed. In 1982, Mr. Young was hired as a social worker with the B.C. Ministry of Human Resources. After a long career with the B.C. government, culminating with an executive role as an Assistant Deputy Minister, he served as Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs (FRP Canada) in Ottawa. Mr. Young’s extensive career includes working in the areas of income assistance, mental health, child welfare, and family and adoption services.

Since 2008, Mr. Young has served as CEO for Sources Community Resources Society and Foundation (SOURCES). Under his leadership he built a strong community-based not-for-profit agency delivering services to the most vulnerable. He continually innovated and expanded programs to meet evolving community needs.

Mr. Young has served on several national and provincial boards and task forces throughout Canada. In B.C., he served as President of the Federation of Community Social Services and the Community Social Services Employers Association. Locally, he has served on the boards of Kiwassa Neighbourhood House (Vancouver) and the United Way.

In 2016, Mr. Young received a B.C. Achievement Foundation Community Award for his dedication and service to others. In 2022, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medallion.

Mr. Young holds a Bachelor of Arts from Trent University and a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of British Columbia (UBC). A lifelong learner, Mr. Young has pursued additional education in Executive Development at Royal Roads University and in Social Innovation at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.

Alym Amlani

Accounting Instructor, Melville School of Business
Tuesday, February 25 - Afternoon Ceremony

Chartered Professional Accountant. Academic researcher. Professional magician. For nearly 15 years, Alym Amlani has been engaging students at KPU with a unique mix of education, technology, and just a little bit of showmanship.

As an instructor in the accounting department at the Melville School of Business, he blends analytical precision with storytelling, making even complex accounting concepts more accessible and engaging.

Mr. Amlani’s path to teaching wasn’t a traditional one. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Cognitive Systems from University of British Columbia (UBC), and a Master of Professional Accounting degree from the University of Saskatchewan, he developed a deep interest in how people learn. His insights now shape his approach to teaching. A strong advocate of the flipped classroom model, he records lectures for students to watch in advance, using class time for interactive problem-solving and discussion. He has also taught at UBC, Langara and the CPA Western School of Business.

Beyond teaching, Mr. Amlani has designed several courses, plays a key role in curriculum and faculty development, and serves on multiple committees. He has published numerous journal articles and textbooks and has presented at prestigious teaching conferences, sharing insights on educational technology and assessment.

Catherine Chow

Chemistry Instructor, Faculty of Science
Thursday, February 27 - Morning Ceremony

Catherine Chow is a science educator and published scholar who has been a part of the KPU community since 2013.

Ms. Chow has held several positions including chemistry lab instructor, chemistry faculty and educational consultant in the Teaching and Learning Commons. She is a trained facilitator for the Instructional Skills Workshop, was an adjudicator for Student Aid and Financial Awards and worked as a peer reviewer for two non-regular faculty members. She also serves as one of the chemistry representatives on the Science Faculty Council and as the Faculty of Science representative on the Senate Standing Committee on Teaching and Learning.

Ms. Chow’s passion for science and chemistry shines through in her tireless efforts outside the classroom as a chemistry captain of the Kwantlen Science Challenge and chemistry lead for the KPU Science Club at the Richmond Public Library.

Her academic background is in synthetic organometallic chemistry with brief ventures into surface and material science. She holds both a Bachelor of Science (Honours) and Master of Science in Chemistry from the University of British Columbia (UBC). While spending some of her formative years in labs around Europe, Ms. Chow is a tried-and-true Vancouverite, hailing from East Vancouver. In her spare time, you might find this former competitive dragon boat racer paddling around False Creek or English Bay.