Toronto, December 5 The Chinese Embassy in Canada held a ceremony on December 3 to award the 2021 Chinese Government Friendship Award to Professor Lee Edward Errett, President of Bethune Medical Development Association of Canada. Professor Irrit is a well-known Canadian cardiologist who has visited China more than 20 times so far, leading members of the Association to carry out free clinics, perform surgery and hold hundreds of lectures in China. After the COVID-19 broke out, Irit and members of the Association spontaneously raised 40000 N95 masks and several extracorporeal membrane oxygenators (ECMO) and sent them to China. Cong Peiwu, Chinese Ambassador to Canada, said in his speech at the award ceremony that Bethune's spirit did not disappear with the passage of time, but transcended the times and became stronger over time, was inherited and carried forward in China and Canada, and continued to inspire medical workers in both countries. Bethune Medical Development Association of Canada is one of the outstanding representatives. Professor Irrit interpreted the spiritual connotation of "contemporary Bethune" with practical actions, and made outstanding contributions to promoting China Canada friendship and enhancing the friendship between the two peoples. He deserves this honor. Cong Peiwu said that China's development cannot be separated from the continuous struggle of the people of all ethnic groups in the country, but also embodies the wisdom and diligence of international friends and foreign experts. The Chinese side welcomes people from all walks of life to visit China when the epidemic situation allows, and provides more convenience for everyone to visit, work and live in China. The Chinese embassy and consulate in Canada is willing to provide full support for this. He hoped that everyone would continue to inherit and carry forward Bethune's spirit, give full play to their professional advantages, be ambassadors of China Canada friendly exchanges, tell good stories about China and China Canada cooperation, and make new contributions to promoting mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples and stability and development of bilateral relations. Professor Irrit was awarded the "Ambassador Award" by the Chinese Embassy in Canada in 2018. Founded in 2011, Bethune Medical Development Association of Canada is a non-profit organization composed of medical experts to promote Bethune's internationalism spirit and promote the exchange of Canadian traditional Chinese medicine. At present, the Association has about 300 members, mainly including medical professors, doctors and researchers from many well-known universities and hospitals in Canada, and a few from the United States, Britain, Australia and other countries. The Friendship Award of the Chinese Government is the highest honorary award set up to commend foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to China's modernization drive. Since its establishment in 1991, 1848 foreign experts have won awards. (Liu Xinshe)