Prime Minister Stephen Harper became the first Canadian to receive the B'nai Brith International President's Gold Medallion on Friday.
The award recognizes the Conservative government's efforts to fight discrimination and uphold human rights.
"It's a special honour to be so recognized by one of the world's largest and oldest human rights organizations," said Harper.
B'nai Brith honoured Harper for:
- Supporting Canada's role in Afghanistan
- Refusing to sign a resolution at the 2006 Francophonie Summit denouncing Israel's right to self-defence
- Delivering a "heartfelt apology acknowledging the overtly discriminatory Indian Residential Schools program"
- Suspending relations with Palestine's then Hamas-led government because of its refusal to renounce terrorism.
B'nai Brith Internaional President Moishe Smith said Harper portrayed a leadership style of "principle and honesty."
"Our decision to award you the Gold Medallion reflects the esteem the world Jewish community holds for you," he said.
Previous recipients of the Gold Medallion include U.S. Presidents Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Israeli Prime Ministers David Ben-Gurion and Golda Meir.