Member of the Order of Canada
- Awarded on: November 16, 2021
- Invested on: May 02, 2024
Diane Sowden, C.M.
Powell River, British Columbia
Diane Sowden is a formidable advocate against violence and exploitation. A devoted mother, gifted with the tenacity to confront society’s most-feared abuses, she co-created the Children of the Street Society, and shaped policy and legislation to end human trafficking and child corruption. She led the movement to raise the age of consent and fearlessly lobbied for stiffer sentences for child predators under the Criminal Code of Canada. An esteemed mentor and role model, she has made British Columbia and Canada a safer place for children and youth through her groundbreaking activism.