A Newfoundlander is among a group of people named to the Governor General’s Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case.

The awards recognize Canadians who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of gender equality.

Gemma Hickey is recognized for their leadership in helping to legalize same-sex marriage in Canada in 2005, and the 2017 legal challenge allowing the issuing of gender-neutral birth certificates in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Hickey was one of the first people in Canada to receive a non-binary birth certificate and gender-neutral passport.

Other recipients of the Governor General’s Awards include Marlene Catterall, Dr. Nafissa Ismail, Lorin MacDonald, Maria Wu and Aditi Sivakumar.