Order of Canada
|
Seal of the Order of Canada |
The
Order of Canada is
Canada's highest
civilian honour, with membership awarded to those who exemplify the Order's
Latin motto Desiderantes meliorem patriam, which means "They desire a better country." Created in 1967, the Order was established to recognize the lifetime contributions made by Canadians who made a major difference to Canada. The Order also recognizes efforts made by non-Canadians who have made the world better by their actions. Musicians, politicians, artists, television and film stars, benefactors, and many more have been accepted into the Order. The
Queen of Canada,
Queen Elizabeth II, is Sovereign of the Order and the serving
Governor General of Canada is its Chancellor and Principal Companion. Since 1967, 5053 people have been appointed to the Order of Canada.
[http://www.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/index_e.asp?TypeID=orc. The criteria was Honours received: All, Living and Records per page: All.]The Order of Canada was instituted on
April 17,
1967, by
Queen Elizabeth II, on the advice of
Prime Minister Lester Pearson. The Order was created to recognize exemplary achievement and service to Canada, by Canadians. The awards were officially launched on July 1, 1967, during the 100th anniversary celebrations of the formation of the Dominion of Canada. Governor General Roland Michener was the first inductee to the order, with 90 more people appointed on
7 July 1967. Of the 35 appointed Companions of the Order of Canada were; Alex Colville, Hugh McLennan, Vincent Massey amd Terese Casgrain.The creation of the Order was the beginning of the establishment of the
Canadian Honours System, a system of awards and decorations to be bestowed onto Canadians and foreigners. Upon the creation of the system, it broke off the dependence of the
honours system used by the
United Kingdom and by some of its former
Crown colonies and
dominions. Before the Order of Canada was created, the main order presented to Canadians for the above criteria was the
Order of the British Empire.
[http://www.etoile.co.uk/Columns/Paul/040530.html Paul James article on British Orders.] The first appointee (selection) and investiture (inducting) was for
Roland Michener, the twentieth Governor General of Canada, to the level of Companion.
[http://www.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=1170 Roland Michener's listing on the Order of Canada rolls.] Other first appointees included
Vincent Massey,
Louis St. Laurent,
Hugh MacLennan,
Father David Bauer,
Gabrielle Roy,
Donald Creighton,
Thérèse Casgrain,
Wilder Penfield,
Arthur Lismer, and
Maurice Richard.
[http://www.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=4337 Governor General Adrienne Clarkson's speech at an October 30, 2004 Order of Canada investure.] The Queen was presented with the Sovereign's badge by Governor General Roland Michener during a visit to London England in 1967, and was first worn by her during a banquet in
Yellowknife in July 1970.
[http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page5218.asp Official Website of the British Monarchy. Royal Insight Magazine: Mailbox: April 2006 Page 3]Since the Order of Canada was created,
Australia has created a system of awards based on the Order of Canada: the
Order of Australia. However the Order of Australia has been awarded more liberally, especially to foreigners, than has the Order of Canada. In 1996, New Zealand created the
New Zealand Order of Merit, a five level Order of chivalry modelled on the Order of the British Empire. The
Order of New Zealand is modelled on the
Order of the Companions of Honour and the
Order of Merit.
There are three grades (levels) of the Canadian Order: Companion (highest), Officer, and Member, each with respective
post-nominal letters that its members are entitled to use. Promotions in grade are possible; typically, this is not done until at least five years after the initial appointment. For example,
film director Denys Arcand was promoted from Officer to Companion.
[http://www.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=4454 Announcement of Denys Arcand's promotion in the Order.] Originally, the Order had only two ranks, Companion and the Medal of Courage (now the
Cross of Valour).
[http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0005969 The Canadian Encyclopedia entry on the Order.] On
July 1,
1972, the levels of Officer and Member were introduced and all existing members were made Officers.
Companion
Companions of the Order of Canada (post-nominal:
C.C.) have demonstrated the highest degree of merit to Canada and humanity, on the national or international scene. Up to 15 Companions are appointed each year, with a limit of 165 living Companions at any given time, with the exception of honorary Companions.
[http://www.gg.ca/honours/nat-ord/oc/oc-con_e.asp Order of Canada Constitution.] As of
September 29,
2005, there were 166 living Companions, including four honorary Companions.
[http://www.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/index_e.asp?TypeID=orc. The criteria was Honours received: C.C., Living and Records per page: All.] However, with the appointment of
Michaëlle Jean to the position of Governor General, she is the 164th living Companion. The Constitution of the Order of Canada also allows for the spouse of the Governor General to be appointed a Companion, so
Jean-Daniel Lafond is the 165th living Companion. On February 3, 2006, Rideau Hall announced that
Bernard Ostry and
David Suzuki would be made companions. >
Officer
Officers of the Order of Canada (
O.C.) have demonstrated an outstanding level of talent and service to Canadians. Up to 64 Officers are appointed each year. As of
September 29 2005, there were 1006 living Officers, although there is no limit to how many may be living at one time.
[http://www.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/index_e.asp?TypeID=orc. The criteria was Honours received: O.C., Living and Records per page: All.]Member
Members of the Order of Canada (
C.M.) have made an exceptional contribution to Canada or Canadians at a local or regional level, group, field or activity. As many as 136 Members may be appointed annually and there is no limit on how many Members may be living. As of
September 29 2005, there were 1,964 living members.
[http://www.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/index_e.asp?TypeID=orc. The criteria was Honours received: C.M., Living and Records per page: All.]| Companion | Officer | Member | | | | |
| Ribbon Bar |
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The
badge of the Order is a white enamelled
snowflake design, in
gilt for Companions and Officers, and in
silver for Members. The central disc bears a
maple leaf, in red enamel for Companions, in gold for Officers, and in silver for Members, on a white enamel background, surrounded by a red enamel ring (annulus) bearing the motto of the Order, and topped by a crown. The reverse is plain except for the word "Canada".
[http://www.medals.org.uk/canada/canada001.htm. Pictures of the backside of the various medal designs.] The ribbon consists of white, with red edges. On top of the motto, the crown of
St. Edward is present. The ribbon has alternate red and white stripes, similar to the
Canadian flag. The insignia can be passed down as a family heirloom but cannot be sold. When a member of the order is upgraded to a higher rank that individual must return their original emblem to the Chancellery.
[[1] Constitution of the Order Section 24-(3)-B]The medal (as well as the majority of the ensuing emblems in the Canadian honour system) was designed by
Bruce W. Beatty, who as of 2004 has been in attendance at every investiture ceremony since 1967.
[Canada's House: Rideau Hall and the invention of a Canadian home by Margaret MacMillan, Marjorie Harris and Anne L. Desjardins in conversation with Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul. Toronto : A.A. Knopf Canada with Otherwise Editions, 2004. ISBN 0676976751 page 58] Beatty was himself made a member of the Order in 1990.
[http://gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=2729] Bruce W. Beatty's Membership citation]When wearing medals and decorations, the Order of Canada is worn before all national orders and nearly all other Canadian decorations: only the
Victoria Cross and the
Cross of Valour are worn before the Order of Canada. The grades of Companion and Officer have their medals worn by a neck ribbon, while the Member grade is displayed on a chest ribbon on the left side of the jacket. Until recently, women appointees had to wear a ribbon bow in order to display the Order, which was positioned to the left. Other than on special occasions laid out by the Governor General, women wear their Order by the same means as the men, although current governor general
Michaëlle Jean has taken to displaying the order with the female bow. The chest ribbon is the same for each grade, save for a metallic
maple leaf in the centre, the colour of which depends on the grade that one was appointed to:
red for a Companion,
gold for an Officer,
silver stands for a Member. Each appointee is also granted the right to ask for coat of arms from the
Canadian Heraldic Authority if one does not exist for them. Companions can ask the Authority for the use of
supporters on their personal
coat of arms. The Order
motto (in gold lettering on a red background) is circled around the shield, while the Order medal is suspended from the base of the shield. Because the Queen is sovereign of the Order, the current
Coat of Arms of Canada, in use since 1994, uses the red ribbon with the Order motto in gold.
[http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/sc-cs/arm1_e.cfm - Coat of Arms of Canada.] For civilian wear, a lapel pin is worn on the jacket, which is designed as a miniature of the medal design. An example of one being used is shown in
this photo of
Roméo Dallaire, O.C. The Governor General also wears a special chain during certain ceremonies. The chain consisted of the Companion medal, suspended from the shield of Canada, submitted by
the crown. On each side, the necklace is composed of two repeating elements: a white stylized snowflake and the central disc that appears on the Companion medals. At the Governor General's installation ceremony he or she is presented with the Chain of the Order of Canada and the Order of Military Merit.
| C.C. & O.C. Ribbon | C.M. Ribbon | Female Bow | Coat of Arms[Coat of arms of Michaëlle Jean, displaying the Order motto and medal.] | Lapel Pin[The Honourable Bob Rae wearing the Officer's lapel pin] | | | | | |
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All living Canadians are eligible for any of the three awards, except federal and provincial politicians and judges while they are holding office. Awards are announced twice annually, once around
New Year's Day (
January 1) and again around
Canada Day (
July 1). Appointees who have died before their investiture are still considered part of the Order. Multiple people who have committed the same honourable act or deed are eligible for induction. For example, all three members of the Canadian band
Rush (
Geddy Lee,
Alex Lifeson and
Neil Peart) have all been appointed Officers of the Order, the first time the Order of Canada was given to a group rather than an individual. All three members of the popular children's group
Sharon, Lois & Bram (
Sharon Trostin Hampson,
Lois Lilienstein &
Bramwell Morrison) have also been made member of the order - although since Lilienstein is an American citizen she was made an honorary member (see below).
Citizens of other countries are eligible for honorary appointments at all three levels. No more than five honorary appointments may be made in any year.
Induction ceremonies are generally conducted by the Governor General at
Rideau Hall in
Ottawa or, on rare occasions when she is in the country, by the Queen herself. The most common reason for the Order not being presented at Rideau Hall is the recipient's inability to come to Ottawa. An early example of this occurred in 1980 when activist athlete
Terry Fox was dying of terminal cancer. A more recent example occurred in 2003 with singer-songwriter
Gordon Lightfoot In 2002, shortly before a concert, Lightfoot suffered a serious
abdominal haemorrhage that resulted in his being in a
coma for a time and months in hospital recovering. On the news of his near-death condition, Lightfoot was promoted to the rank of Companion. Since his condition left him unable to travel,
Adrienne Clarkson flew to
Toronto and presented him with the insignia in a private ceremony performed in his hospital room.
[http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/12/13/canada/lightfoot_031213 CBC story on Lightfoot's C.C. presentation.][http://www.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=4090. Gordon Lightfoot's C.C. Citation.]Another example is
Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother: in 2000, at the age of 100, she was invested as an Honorary Companion at
Clarence House in London. Rather than place the insignia on the elderly woman, who was recovering from a hip replacement, Clarkson handed the frail woman her medallion. Her Majesty made a point of wearing it around her neck at a special lunch following the private ceremony.
[http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2000/10/31/queenmum001031.html CBC article about Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother's investiure.]Prior to Adrienne Clarkson becoming Governor General of Canada, The Order of Canada was rarely awarded outside of Rideau Hall or the Governor General`s secondary residence
La Citadelle. Under her tenure Clarkson held entire investment ceremonies in cities like St. John's, Newfoundland and Vancouver, British Columbia. She was also noted for delegating the duty to other individuals on certain occasions when it would have been difficult for her or the recipient to travel.
Although inductions are usually performed by the Governor General, the task can be delegated to another individual, such as the Lt. Governor of a Canadian province. This was the case when
Mervyn Wilkinson was inducted into the order by
Iona Campagnolo the
Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia in 2002.
[http://www.ltgov.bc.ca/whatsnew/sp/sp_feb25_1_2002.htm]Although sitting federal and provincial politicians cannot be appointed to the Order while in office, it is accepted that influential leaders such as former prime ministers will be appointed after they leave office. In fact, of all the prime ministers alive after the creation of the order (with the exception of recent and current Prime Ministers
Kim Campbell,
Jean Chrétien,
Paul Martin and
Stephen Harper), the only prime minister who was not appointed to the Order was
John Diefenbaker. After losing the
office of the Prime Minister to
Lester B. Pearson in
1963 Diefenbaker remained a sitting
Member of Parliament and died while still in office in 1979, never becoming eligible. Some prominent politicians such as former NDP leader
Ed Broadbent and former Prime Minister
Joe Clark were appointed after exiting politics, only to later return to elective office.
Although sitting politicians cannot be appointed to the order while in office, individuals who hold a ceremonial political office (for example a
Sergeant-at-arms) are considered public servants and therefore can be invested while serving in that office.
Senators cannot be appointed while they hold office, however, there have been several senators who were appointed to the Order prior to taking office. Currently there are 13 Senators who hold the Order. They are (in alphabetical order)
Tommy Banks,
Michel Biron,
Ione Christensen,
Roméo Dallaire,
Trevor Eyton,
Serge Joyal,
Wilbert Keon,
Jean Lapointe,
Sandra Lovelace Nicholas,
Frank Mahovlich,
Donald Oliver,
Nancy Ruth, and
Hugh Segal.
A new member whose appointment is approved during their lifetime, but who dies prior to the announcement of that appointment or their investiture, may be invested posthumously. The 2005 appointment of journalist
Peter Jennings was announced under these circumstances; his family will accept the award on his behalf.
[http://gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=4523 Rideau Hall announcement of Peter Jenning's posthumous appointment.]The oldest person ever to be invested into the Order was Dr.
Cornelius Wiebe, who was 106 years old when he was invested in 1999.
[Cornelius Wiebe's Order of Canada citation http://www.gg.ca/Search/honours_descript_e.asp?type=2&id=3971]Removal
Members can be removed from the Order if the Advisory Council feels their actions have brought it into disrepute. As of 2006, only two people have their Order of Canada stripped from them:
Alan Eagleson and
David Ahenakew. Eagleson was removed from the order after being jailed for fraud in 1998.
[http://archives.cbc.ca/IDCC-1-41-1493-10073/sports/alan_eagleson/ CBC account on the rise and fall of Eagleson.] Ahenakew began facing calls for his removal due to
anti-Semitic comments he made in 2002.
[http://montreal.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=qc_mosesreax20021217 CBC article on Ahenakew's comments and reactions.] After being convicted on charges of wilfully promoting hatred, the Governor General and the Advisory Council told the
CBC that Ahenakew will be stripped of his honour and gave him the option to surrender his badge. On
11 July 2005, the Governor General signed an order, called a revocation ordinance, stripping Ahenakew of his membership in the Order of Canada.(In 2006 the Court of Queen's Bench for Saskatchewan, sitting on appeal of the Provincial Court decision, ordered a retrial of Ahenakew's hate crime conviction on the grounds that criminal intent had not been properly considered by the trial judge, and the Crown has chosen to take the appeal to the Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan. The Governor General's office declared that this did not change the finding that he had brought the Order of Canada into disrepute and should be expelled.)
[http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050706.wahenakews0706/BNStory/National/ The Globe and Mail article on Ahenakew's removal from the Order.][http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/cpress/20050707/ca_pr_on_na/crime_ahenakew_hate_1 Canadian Press confirming the CBC's report of Ahenakew's removal.][http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/07/11/ahenakew050711.html CBC announces the Order being revoked from Ahenakew.]In order for a person to be stripped of their honour, the Advisory Council must agree to the removal, the sending a letter to the person telling them of their decision. In this same letter, the Council also gives the person a time to respond to the decision. In the case of Ahenakew, a registered letter was sent to him asking for a response to their idea of taking his honour away. Ahenakew, who had until
9 July 2005 to respond, refused to do so. That led the Governor General to sign the above order on 11 July to take away his honour. Ahenakew is now required to surrender his medal and his civilian lapel pin. While there are no formal rules the Council has to retrieve the insignia, Ahenakew's lawyer
Doug Christie said that "I think that once you are given a gift, and it is a gift, I don't think anyone can ask for it back," implying that Ahenakew has the right to keep his items. However, the author of the book
The Order of Canada: Its Origins, History and Development, Christopher McCreery, said that since the government ownsthe medal and the scrolls, the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police can be sent and get the items by force. McCreery stated that he does not think the RCMP would be used in Ahenakew's situation.
[http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20050713/AHENAKEW13/TPNational/Canada Globe and Mail's article on the process of removing Ahenakew from the Order.] |
Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order, Governor General Michaëlle Jean, C.C. |
The task of the Advisory Council is to evaluate the nominations of people to the Order and see if the nominated people are worthy enough to be accepted into the Order. The Governor General of Canada makes the appointments to the Order based on recommendations from the Advisory Council. The Secretary General to the Advisory Council announces the decision of the Advisory Council to the
Canada Gazette and to the public about any appointments and dismissals from the Order.
The Advisory Council, which is chaired by the
Chief Justice of Canada, includes the
Clerk of the Privy Council, the Deputy Minister of the
Department of Canadian Heritage, the Chairperson of the
Canada Council for the Arts, the President of the
Royal Society of Canada, and the Chairperson of the
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. As well, five members of the Order are part of the Council for a maximum three-year term. If the nomination involves a non-Canadian, the Deputy Minister of the
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade will be invited by the Advisory Council to evaluate the nomination.
The current members of the Advisory Council are:
* The Honourable
Thomas R. Berger, O.C.
* Ms.
Patricia Demers, President, the Royal Society of Canada
* Mr.
Richard Francis Haskayne, O.C.
* Mr.
Kevin G. Lynch, Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet
* Mr.
Tom Jackson, O.C.
* Ms.
Karen Kain, C.C., Chair, the Canada Council for the Arts
* Ms.
Judith A. LaRocque,
C.V.O.,
FRHSC (hon) Deputy Minister of Canadian Heritage
* Dr.
Daurene E. Lewis, C.M.
* The Right Honourable
Beverley McLachlin,
P.C., Chief Justice of Canada (Chair)
* M.
L. Jacques Ménard, O.C.
* Ms.
Bonnie M. Patterson, Chairman of the Board, Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
Members can be found in
:Category:Members of the Order of Canada and citation can be found on the
|Order of Canada database at gg.ca.
Non-Canadian/Honorary appointments
As of 2006, there have been only twelve honorary appointments to non-Canadians, and one appointee has surrendered his Canadian citizenship. They are as follows:
Companion
*
Nelson Mandela, the former President of
South Africa (actually an honorary Canadian citizen) (1998)
*
HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, former
Queen Consort of Canada (2000)
[http://www.cbc.ca/news/obit/queenmother/timeline.html. Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon received the Order on 31 October 2000.][http://gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=7732. Queen Mum's listing on the Order of Canada rolls.] (deceased)
*
Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former
Secretary-General of the United Nations (originally from
Egypt) (2004)
*
Václav Havel, President of the
Czech Republic (Companion) (2004)
*
His Highness the Aga Khan,
Imam of the
Shia Imami
Ismaili Muslims (Companion) (2005)
Officer
* Professor
John Kenneth Galbraith, influential American economist; born in
Ontario, but renounced his status as a British subject (
Canadian citizenship did not exist until 1947) in August 1937 when he became a US citizen (1997) (deceased)
*
James Hillier, inventor of the electron microscope (1997)
*
Charles Dutoit conductor of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (appointed 1997, invested 2002)
*
Tanya Moiseiwitsch, British Theatre actress - a popular performer at the Stratford Festival (2003) (deceased)
Member
*
Lois Lilienstein Member of
Sharon, Lois & Bram - an American citizen. (2003)
*
Francis Cabot Influential Gardener/Horticulturalist (2005)
*
Salome Bey Musician (2006)
Other
Media baron
Conrad Black became an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1990,
[[2]. Conrad Black's listing on the Order of Canada rolls.] but surrendered his Canadian
citizenship to become a British
life peer in 2001. Nevertheless, he remains in both the Order of Canada and the
Queen's Privy Council for Canada.
Main article: Canadian provincial and territorial orders
Various
Canadian provinces and territories have also created orders to award their citizens on great deeds:
*
Alberta Order of Excellence*
Order of British Columbia*
Order of Manitoba*
Order of New Brunswick*
Order of Newfoundland and Labrador*
Order of Nova Scotia*
Order of Ontario*
Order of Prince Edward Island*
National Order of Quebec*
Saskatchewan Order of Merit*
Yukon Territory Order of PolarisEach province sets up its own rules on how membership in its order is awarded, though there is no rule that Order of Canada members cannot be inducted to provincial and territorial orders. Limitations on the number of provincial order inductions every year by certain provinces has led to this being more common for people from some provinces than from others. An example would be Gordon Lightfoot being a Companion of the Order of Canada and a member of the
Order of Ontario (O. Ont.).
[http://www.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=4090. Gordon Lightfoot's C.C. Citation.] The Order of Ontario places no limit on the annual number of inductions (although it is usually around 25). The Alberta Order of Excellence is limited to five inductees each year. One of the few Albertans to be part of the provincial and Canadian orders is former
prime minister Joe Clark. It is also possible to receive multiple provincial orders. For example Canadian Jazz great
Oscar Peterson who was born in
Montreal but now lives in Ontario is a Companion of the Order of Canada, Knight of the National Order of Quebec, and a member of the Order of Ontario.
At certain periods, holders of the order were presented with other decorations. These are usually commemorative medals. Thus far, four commemorative medals have been given automatically to every living member of the Order of Canada, or the
Canadian Bravery Decorations:
*
Canadian Centennial Medal (1967)
*
Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977)
*
125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal (1992)
*
Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee Medal (2002)
Other provincial commemorative medals such as the
Alberta Centennial Medal and the
Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan require independent nomination.
*
McCreery, Christopher (2005).
The Order of Canada: Its Origins, History and Development.
Toronto:
University of Toronto Press. ISBN 0802039405
Nomination forms may be obtained by writing to
The Chancellery, Rideau Hall, 1 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario CANADA, K1A 0A1.. Postage is free when mailed within Canada. Alternatively, nomination forms may be obtained in
PDF format from the
Governor General's Official Website. Photocopies of nomination forms are also accepted by the Chancellery Office.
*
List of Canadian awards*
List of Canadian provincial and territorial orders
*
Governor General announces new appointments to the Order of Canada, February 3, 2006, retrieved
February 6,
2006.
*
Canadian Forces Honours and Awards Chart. Retrieved on
June 16,
2005.
*
Canadian Forces Administrative Order 18-13 Retrieved on
14 July,
2005.
*
Constitution of the Order of Canada. Retrieved on
July 14,
2005.
*
Governor General's Order of Canada site Retrieved on
14 June,
2005.
*
Modern Honours of Canada - Veteran Affairs Canada. Retrieved on
June 14,
2005.
*
ODM of Canada - Order of Canada. Retrieved on
June 16,
2005.
*
St. John Ambulance Cadets of Ontario. Retrieved on
June 16,
2005.
