National Order of Quebec

The National Order of Quebec (in French Ordre national du Québec) is an order of merit bestowed by the government of Quebec, Canada. It was instituted by the government of Premier René Lévesque, and is one of the most prestigious honours in Quebec and French America. It is partly inspired by the French Legion of Honour.

Recipients

Many people have been inducted into the National Order of Quebec since its inception in 1984. The following are some of the best-known recipients.

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Quebec inductees

Grand officer

• Jean Drapeau (1987), mayor of Montreal
• Marcelle Ferron (1992), painter and stained glass artist
• Armand Frappier (1985), researcher
• Gérard Filion (1989), newspaper director
• Paul Gérin-Lajoie (Officer in 1987, promoted to Grand officer in 1998)
• Félix Leclerc (1985), singer-songwriter
• Jean-Paul Lemieux (1997, posthumously)
• Brian Mulroney (2002), prime minister of Canada
• Gérard Parizeau (1991), insurer, historian
• Jean-Paul Riopelle (Officer in 1988, promoted to Grand officer in 1994), painter
• Gilles Vigneault (Knight in 1985, promoted to Grand officer in 2000), singer-songwriter

Officer

• Laurent Beaudoin (1990), businessman
• Michel Brault (2003), film-maker
• Solange Chaput-Roland (1985)
• Céline Dion (1998), singer
• Léon Dion (1990), author, teacher, intellectual
• Jean Duceppe (1985), actor
• Fernand Dumont (1992), author, intellectual
• Phil Gold (1989), scientist, physician
• Anne Hébert (1985), writer
• Louis Laberge (1988), union leader
• Antonine Maillet (1990), writer, playwright
• Gaston Miron (1996), poet
• Ted Moses (2002), aboriginal chief
• Julie Payette (2000), astronaut
• Lise Payette (2001), politician, writer
• Pierre Perreault (1998), film-maker
• Hubert Reeves (1994), astrophysicist
• Maurice Richard (1985), hockey player

Knight

• Denys Arcand (1990), film-maker
• Frédérick Back (1989), animator
• Denise Bombardier (2000), journalist
• Gaétan Boucher (1985), speed skater
• Pierre Bourque (1993), mayor of Montreal
• Jean Coutu (1993), businessman
• Françoise David (1999), social and feminist activist
• Yvon Deschamps (2001), comedian
• Diane Dufresne (2002), singer, painter
• Marc Favreau (1995), actor
• Jean-Pierre Ferland, singer-songwriter
• Madeleine Ferron (1992), writer
• Denise Filiatrault (2000), playwright, actor
• Jacques Godbout (1998), writer, film-maker
• Pauline Julien (1997), singer-songwriter
• Marie-Claire Kirkland Casgrain (1985)
• Jacques Lacoursière (2002), historian
• Guy Laliberté (1997)
• Robert Lepage (1999), playwright, film-maker
• Claude Léveillé (1998), singer-songwriter
• Raymond Lévesque (1997), singer-songwriter
• Édouard Lock (2001), dancer
• Louis Lortie (1998), pianist
• Norman McLaren (1985), animator, film-maker
• Pierre Nadeau (1992), journalist
• Oscar Peterson (1991), jazz musician
• Luc Plamondon (1990), songwriter
• Ghislain Picard (2003), aboriginal activist
• Léa Roback (2000), feminist and socialist activist
• Jean-Louis Roux (1989), actor
• Michel Tremblay (1991), playwright, author

Non-Quebec inductees

Grand officer

• Charles Dutoit (1995), conductor

Officer

• Raymond Barre (1986), prime minister of France
• Jacques Chirac (1987), president of France (mayor of Paris at time of nomination)
• Laurent Fabius (1986), prime minister of France
• Alain Juppé (1996), prime minister of France
• Jordi Pujol (1996), president of Catalonia
• Lionel Jospin (1998), prime minister of France
• Alain Peyrefitte (1998), French politician
• Philippe Séguin (2000), president of the French National Assembly
• Jean-Pierre Raffarin (2003), prime minister of France
• Michel Rocard (2000), prime minister of France
• Edmund Stoiber (2003), minister-president of Bavaria

Knight

• Gérard Depardieu (2002), actor
• Michel Drucker (2001), television host
• Bernard Pivot (2001), television host