The Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award winners have been announced for 2023, with nine recipients hailing from Toronto.
The Canadian Immigrant Magazine’s Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards is the only national awards program which celebrates the achievements of Canadian immigrants. In its 15th year, the awards have been a leader in highlighting inspiring stories of immigrants in Canada, from coast to coast and diverse cultures and backgrounds.
The nine recipients from Toronto are as follows:
Archana Medhekar, family lawyer, mediator, author and founder of Archana Medhekar Law
The internationally-trained lawyer immigrated from India to Canada in 2001, and her Toronto-based law firm, Archana Medhekar Professional Corporation, provides legal services to people from diverse cultural and racial backgrounds facing barriers to access to justice. She is also a well-known advocate for women and children facing domestic violence.
Hénoc Muamba, Toronto Argonauts player, public speaker
Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and growing up in Mississauga, Hénoc Muamba preferred basketball to football. Muamba was chosen first overall in the CFL draft in 2011 and was named the 2022 Grey Cup MVP and Most Valuable Canadian. He credits mentorship for a lot of his success on and off the field and is passionate about giving back through his mentorship program called Eagle Vision, and speaking engagements at schools, churches and prisons.
Hanen Nanaa, social entrepreneur, youth leader and founder of BAM Collective
A war survivor and refugee from Syria, Hanen Nanaa moved to Canada in 2016 and was unsure what to expect but was pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome she received from neighbours, co-workers and strangers.
But she still had to start from scratch and learn English. She enrolled in language classes, actively participated in various community organizations and fully immersed herself in local culture. Today, the 25-year-old’s main focus is Books Art Music (BAM) Collective in Toronto, a community hub that helps youth and equity-deserving people through policy, art, innovation and community engagement.
Mustafa Popalzai, Det. Const., Toronto Police Service’s Homicide Unit and co-founder of Project Hope
Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, Mustafa Popalzai and his family fled from the Taliban to Canada when he was only 14 years old and is now a detective constable with the Toronto Police Service’s Homicide Unit. In 2021, when Afghans fled after the Taliban had regained power in Afghanistan, Popalzai co-founded Project Hope to assist the influx of new Afghan refugees to Canada with information sessions, guidance and even financial assistance.
Ann p*rnel, comedian, actor, writer and co-host of The Great Canadian Baking Show
Ann p*rnel, a Philippines-born Torontonian immigrated to Canada as a child and is now a comedian, actor and co-host of "The Great Canadian Baking Show", for which she was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for Best Host or Presenter in both 2022 and 2023. An alumna of the Second City Toronto Main Stage, p*rnel has also appeared and written on award-winning Canadian shows such as "The Baroness Von Sketch Show", "The Beaverton" and "This Hour Has 22 Minutes".
Beili Wong, comptroller general of Ontario
Immigrating to Canada from China in 1998 and with a combination of courage, resilience and hard work, Beili Wong was appointed as chief internal auditor in 2019 and promoted to comptroller general in 2021 for the Province of Ontario, the first racialized immigrant to hold the position. Wong also gives back to her profession, including serving on the Canadian Auditing and Assurance Standards Oversight Council and as the senior vice chairman for the Institute of Internal Auditors’ North American Board.
Cindy Sinclair, PhD, Academic faculty, University of Toronto and founder of Sinclair Consulting Services
Born in Guyana to parents who believed a woman’s role was in the home, Cindy Sinclair moved to Canada as a teenager. She went to school and after some challenges finding work, she finally received her first job offer as a typist at the University of Toronto (UofT) in 1973.
Sinclair advanced herself into administrative roles in postgraduate medical education, where she saw the struggles international medical graduates experienced when continuing their careers in Canada. Today, she is academic faculty at UofT, where she serves in governance, advisory and mentorship capacities, advocating for equity in education for all.
Leslie Woo, senior fellow at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy and CEO at CivicAction
Raised in Trinidad, Leslie Woo, who is of Chinese heritage, came to Canada as a university student, where she immediately felt out of place. An architect, urban planner and community builder for more than 25 years, Woo relies on all these experiences as CEO of CivicAction in Toronto. She uses her platform to amplify and celebrate other women city builders, co-founding the Women’s Leadership Initiative at Urban Land Institute Toronto.
Sam Primucci (Toronto, ON/Italy), Founder and CEO of Pizza Nova
Italian-born Sam Primucci founded Pizza Nova in Toronto in 1963, making this the popular pizza brand’s 60th anniversary. Primucci was just 12 years old when he and his family immigrated to Canada from Palazzo San Gervasio in the Basilicata region of Italy. The first Pizza Nova location opened on May 12, 1963, 11 years to the day after his family immigrated to Canada and has expanded to more than 150 locations.
The Ontario 2023 winners are: Edward Venzon Cruz from Windsor, Mena Massoud from Markham and Florence Ngenzebuhoro from Hamilton.
To view the full list of 25 winners, visit canadianimmigrant.ca/news/meet-our-2023-top-25-canadian-immigrant-award-winners.
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