Life Membership
Life Membership is an honour reserved for members who have made a significant contribution to the CPS. Life members have demonstrated tremendous dedication to advancing the health of children by supporting the work of the CPS.
Recipients receive complimentary life membership in the CPS (effective the next membership year), complimentary registration to the CPS Annual Conference for life, complimentary registration to the Lifelong Learning in Paediatrics courses each year, as well as all other membership benefits enjoyed by Fellow members of the CPS.
The award is presented during the CPS Annual Conference.
Current recipient(s): Dr. Jeff Critch
We are truly honoured to present Dr. Jeff Critch with Life Membership. Dr. Critch has generously served the CPS in many capacities over the years, making a lasting impact on our community. He dedicated 12 years to the Nutrition and Gastroenterology Committee, including chairing the committee from 2012 to 2018. In 2018, he joined the Board of Directors as the representative for Newfoundland and Labrador, later stepping into executive roles and serving as CPS President in 2023–24.
Throughout his time with CPS, Dr. Critch has been widely appreciated for his warm, personal approach and wonderful sense of humour. He is a paediatric gastroenterologist at the Janeway Children’s Hospital in St. John’s, an associate professor of paediatrics at Memorial University, and is deeply committed to medical education. His leadership, dedication, and collegial spirit have greatly enriched the CPS, and we are delighted to recognize his contributions with Life Membership.
Current recipient(s): Dr. Ruth Grimes
Dr. Ruth Grimes is being recognized with Life Membership with heartfelt appreciation for her longstanding commitment to the CPS and her meaningful contributions to community paediatrics. She has generously shared her time and expertise over the years, serving on both the Community Paediatrics Section Executive and the Community Paediatrics Committee before joining the Board in 2015 as representative for Manitoba and Nunavut. She has also been a dedicated member of the Digital Health Taskforce and continues to contribute as a member of the Awards Committee. Dr. Grimes provided steady and compassionate leadership during an especially challenging time, guiding the CPS through the COVID-19 year as President in 2021–2022.
Known for always putting children first, Dr. Grimes is a paediatrician in Winnipeg. She is committed to education, actively involved in teaching, serves as a Royal College examiner and is the current Competency Committee chair in pediatrics for the University of Manitoba. Through her clinical care and leadership, Dr. Grimes has made a lasting difference in the lives of countless children and in the work of the CPS.
Nominations
The Executive Committee of the board will judge candidates based on:
- Time spent volunteering on the CPS board, committees, and/or sections;
- Volunteering as a spokesperson for the CPS;
- Advocating on behalf of the CPS;
- Promoting the CPS and its work.
Nominations will be held for two consecutive years but must be formally resubmitted following the two year period to be reconsidered. A maximum of two life memberships will be granted per year.
Current voting members of the CPS Board of Directors and Membership Subcommittee are not eligible.
Submissions
Submissions must include:
- Letters from both the nominator and seconder, both of whom are CPS members, describing how the nominee meets the above criteria.
- An updated curriculum vitae for the candidate.
Submit your nominations using the Submit Nomination button.
Past recipients
Dr. Stacey Bélanger
Dr. Mike Dickinson
Dr. Mark Feldman
Dr. Kent Saylor
Dr. Khalid Aziz
Dr. Kimberly Dow
Dr. Glen Ward
Dr. Minoli Amit
Dr. Mark Awuku
Dr. Ellen Wood
Dr. Catherine Farrell
Dr. François Boucher
Dr. Paul Thiessen
Dr. Robin Walker
Dr. Robert Moriartey
Dr. Reg Sauve
Dr. David Smith
Dr. Debbi Andrews
Dr. Bob Hilliard
Dr. Andrew Lynk
Dr. Robin Williams
Dr. Marie Gauthier
Dr. Susan Tallett
Dr. Ann Jefferies
Dr. Heather Onyett
Drs. Joanne Embree, Scott Halperin, Dorothy Moore and David Scheifele
Drs. Jean-Yves Frappier and Richard Stanwick
Drs. Noni MacDonald, Douglas McMillan and Gary Pekeles
Dr. Bob Issenman
Drs. Emmett Francoeur, Danielle Grenier and Denis Leduc
Drs. Jack Holland and John Watts
Drs. Elizabeth Ford-Jones, Elizabeth Hillman and Diane Sacks
Drs. Judith Hall and Gilles Delage
Drs. Robert Haslam and John Godel
Drs. Alexander Allen and Ron Gold
Drs. Maurice Bouchard and James Carter
Drs. Barrett Adams, Eugene Outerbridge, and Claude Paré
Ms. Nicole Menzies
Dr. Nicholas Steinmetz
Dr. James Strain
Dr. Pamela Fitzhardinge
Drs. Clarke Fraser and Morag Gilchrist
Last updated: May 8, 2026