CANORA — Donna Pasiechnik, who spent a good portion of her formative years in Canora, received the YWCA Women of Distinction Award for Social Action & Advocacy in Regina on May 28, during an evening of “Celebrating Women of Southern Saskatchewan.”
Awards were also presented in other areas of achievement, including: leadership in business; women in non-traditional roles; education, training & development; Indigenous resurgence in action; research, the sciences & technology, and young women of distinction, ages 14-25.
Biography
Pasiechnik’s biography, as presented in the award’s program, is as follows:
Donna Pasiechnik is a tireless public health advocate who has worked as a journalist, professor of journalism, and public policy analyst with the Canadian Cancer Society, speaking on behalf of the society for nearly two decades.
During her career at the Canadian Cancer Society, her leadership, hard work and determination led to changes in provincial legislation, municipal bylaws, and new policies to protect public health. She was responsible for the passage of many cancer control laws, including Saskatchewan's public smoking ban, Canada’s first asbestos registry, and regulations to protect youth from the danger of indoor tanning.
She’s an expert in communications and government relations and is a skilled team builder, negotiator and speaker with a passion for getting things done. Donna is now a self-employed visual artist and furniture restorer, using her art to support mental health charities and vulnerable populations.
Donna loves a challenge and wants to make a difference in the community in all the work she does, as an advocate, a change maker, or an artist, concluded the biography.
Exciting time
Pasiechnik was nominated for the award for her work at the Canadian Cancer Society by a colleague and former partner from the Lung Association.
She said the awards program was a very exciting evening.
“I attended with my sister from Vancouver and a group of my closest female friends. I did not for a moment expect to win but I was honoured to be a finalist among such an extraordinary group of women. It was a joy to collectively celebrate the achievements of women. I didn’t need to win but having won, I feel it gives me a renewed platform to advocate for issues that are important to me.”
Pasiechnik received the award after being laid off from the Cancer Society, along with nearly all the staff across the province, during the pandemic.
“We never had a chance to say goodbye to one another. The awards gala felt like the retirement party I never had. It was very special and something I will cherish forever.”
Lasting impact
One of the main reasons she was honoured is that Pasiechnik cares deeply about protecting the health of people in Saskatchewan.
“The laws I advocated for that are now in place will continue to reduce cancers and support people living with cancer for decades to come. I found it rewarding to educate policy-makers about the difference they could make but it was a tough job as well,” she continued.
“The public smoking ban is an example. In 2005 the province made it illegal to smoke in any indoor public places. We think nothing of that now but let me tell you, it was a battle to get that law passed. Many politicians were more concerned about keeping businesses happy than they were about protecting hospitality workers from second-hand smoke. In the end, public opinion won out. Most people wanted smoking banned in public places and the law was passed.”
The policies advocated for by Pasiechnik have had a positive impact on public health in the province and are expected to continue to do so for generations to come.
“Cancer is the leading cause of deaths in Canada,” she explained. “Nearly half of cancers can be prevented through behaviour changes like quitting smoking, eating healthier and moving more. Education combined with evidence-based public health policy makes it easier for people to make healthy choices. There were very few people in Saskatchewan doing this work when I started at the Cancer Society in 2003. Sometimes I felt like a lone wolf. It was tough but worth it.”
Her parents, Joseph and Carolle Pasiechnik, moved their family to Canora when Donna was 10.
She left when she was 18, but her parents still live here. Donna believes her Canora background has had a strong influence on her adult life.
“Having grown up in rural Saskatchewan, I know we’re hard working people. We’re grounded. We have a good work ethic and I like to think what was instilled in me growing up in Canora was a work ethic in my job. I like to believe I applied it to my job. There were challenging days. I had to work hard to get some of these laws passed and I did.”
Pasiechnik is retired from the Canadian Cancer Society, but her advocacy work continues.
“I still am interested in public health policy and help out any way I can. I’m now a visual artist and furniture restorer. I’m using my art to support mental health charities and vulnerable people.
“I’m busier now than ever. I care about politics and have been really concerned about what’s been happening in the province over the past couple of years with COVID-19. I am not a person to sit back and do nothing. Advocacy is in my blood. I am not afraid to speak out when I feel strongly about something.”
Last fall, Pasiechnik helped organize a rally to call on the government to enact stricter COVID measures.
“I felt it was an extension of my wanting to protect the health of people. It wasn’t cancer but it was a health threat and I felt the Scott Moe government dropped the ball in terms of protecting people. All you need to do is look at the COVID death rate here compared with other provinces, and you can conclude that they didn’t do their job.”
Pasiechnik would like to see more people get involved with issues that they care deeply about.
“We all want to make the world better. I encourage everyone to use their skills, their voice, and their vote to advocate for positive change,” she concluded.
