SLt(NL) Mario Guilombo, a Navy League Officer from NLCC Enterprise 29, located in Downsview, Ontario, was among the winners of the first-ever Top 25 Canadian Immigrants awards. The national awards program, which was launched in November 2008 by Canadian Immigrant magazine and was sponsored by RBC, issued a nation-wide call-for-nominations, receiving hundreds of submissions over a two month period. Publicized as a “people’s choice award”, the program sought to uncover and celebrate the remarkable achievements of outstanding Canadian immigrants.
“Canada is a nation built by immigrants and we need to recognize and celebrate their accomplishments while providing positive role models for newcomers at the same time,” said Nick Noorani, founder and publisher of Canadian Immigrant magazine. “It is exciting to see such a distinguished group, selected by the public, come together in an atmosphere of celebration, to share and acknowledge each other’s personal and professional accomplishments with the nation.”
Mario Guilombo was selected by more than 10,000 Canadians who voted online for their favourites. Citizenship and Immigration Canada hosted the award ceremony in Toronto on May 28th, where Mr. Guilombo received a commemorative certificate and lapel pin as well as a $250 donation toward a Canadian Charity of his choice. He is also featured on www.canadianimmigrant.ca and in the June edition of Canadian Immigrant magazine.
Among the other winners are Adrienne Clarkson, who came to Canada as a child refugee and was the first modern-day immigrant, second female and first nonwhite person to becoming Governor General of Canada; Michaëlle Jean, who worked in a shelter for battered women, as a journalist and anchor for CBC Newsworld and is our current Governor General of Canada; Deepa Mehta, internationally acclaimed and Oscar-nominated filmmaker; and Baltej Sign Dhillon, the RCMP sergeant best known for being the first RCMP officer to be allowed to wear a turban, who is a member of the guild of speakers with Passages to Canada and director of 3HO Organization.
All of the members of Mario’s family are members with the Navy League of Canada, as he and his wife are both officers with NLCC Enterprise and his daughter Lillian is a former CPO First Class.
Mario’s story of immigrating to Canada is not an easy one, having come to Canada in 2001 from Columbia after his daughter’s legs were broken as a warning. Guilombo, who worked as a legal counsel investigating human rights abuses in the Columbian navy, had been warned to stop probing into certain affairs. After the assault of his daughter he collected his family and fled with only $20 in his pocket. “When my family and I came to Canada, we spoke no English and we knew no one. People gave us invitations, asked us if we needed furniture, gave us so much support,” Guilombo said about his introduction to Canada. “We received so much help in critical moments. Canadians are excellent humanitarians. Most important, we were safe and happy.”
He has now dedicated his live to helping other immigrants who have escaped countries where their human rights were abused. In 2003, Guilombo created Collective Defender of Human Rights, which works with other lawyers and lobbies for victims of violence. He founded Casa de las Americas in 2004, a non-profit organization that helps immigrants. He and Liliana founded and she still directs Canadian Human Rights International Support Team (CHRISTEAM), an all-volunteer organization of 55 people that provides immigrant counselling and has helped 6,000 families.
A former marine and the first Hispanic officer with the Navy League of Canada, Mario describes the cadet program as an important tool to teach children leadership. “If you help others, you are happy and healthy,” said Guilombo. The Navy League of Canada is honoured to have SLt (NL) Mario Guilombo as an officer and there is no doubt that his efforts contribute to making the League and our country a better place.