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Order of Canada

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Military History and War

   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 "(those) desiring 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.

Creation

   Queen Elizabeth II, Sovereign of the Order, wearing the Sovereign's
   insignia.
   Enlarge
   Queen Elizabeth II, Sovereign of the Order, wearing the Sovereign's
   insignia.

   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.
   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.
   The first appointee (selection) and investiture (inducting) was for
   Roland Michener, the twentieth Governor General of Canada, to the level
   of Companion. 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. The Queen was presented with the Sovereign's badge by
   Governor General Roland Michener during a visit to London, England, in
   1967, and she first wore it during a banquet in Yellowknife in July
   1970.

   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.

Grades

   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. Originally, the Order had only two
   ranks, Companion and the Medal of Courage (now the Cross of Valour). 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. As of September 29, 2005, there were
   166 living Companions, including four honorary Companions. However, the
   appointment of Michaëlle Jean to the position of Governor General made
   her 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.

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.

                          Companion Officer Member

                                Ribbon Bar

Insignia

   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, all on a white enamel background,
   surrounded by a red enamel ring (annulus) bearing the motto of the
   Order, and topped by a crown of St. Edward. The reverse is plain except
   for the word "Canada". The ribbon is white bordered in red 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.

   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. Beatty
   was himself made a member of the Order in 1990.

   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. 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      Lapel Pin

                                                          Image:Rae image.jpg

Eligibility

   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.

   Another example is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother: in
   2000, at the age of 100, Her Majesty was invested as an Honorary
   Companion at Clarence House in London. Rather than place the insignia
   on the Queen Mother, who was recovering from a hip replacement,
   Clarkson handed Her Majesty her medallion. Her Majesty made a point of
   wearing it around her neck at a special lunch following the private
   ceremony.

   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.

   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.

   In the same vein as Prime Ministers being appointed after leaving
   office, all Chief Justice of Canada from Robert Taschereau onward have
   been made Companions. The only one not appointed is Beverly McLachlin
   who is the current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.

   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.

   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.

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. Ahenakew began facing calls for his removal due to
   anti-Semitic comments he made in 2002. 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.)

   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 owns
   the 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.

Advisory Council

   Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order, Governor General
   Michaëlle Jean, C.C.
   Enlarge
   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.
     * Dr. Patricia A. 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

Appointments

   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) (deceased)
     * Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary-General of the United
       Nations (originally from Egypt) (2004)
     * Václav Havel, President of the Czech Republic (2004)
     * His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims
       (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, 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.

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 Polaris

   Each 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.). 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 10 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.

Additional decorations

   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.

Nomination forms

   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.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Canada"
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