Order of Canada

Membership in the Order of Canada is Canada's highest civilian honour, awarded to those who adhere to the Order's 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 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. {{ref|OoCTotal}}

Appointments

The following is a sample list of some of the famous and influential Canadians appointed in the various levels of the Order. More members can be found in :Category:Members of the Order of Canada.

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Companion

A full list of Companions can be seen at List of Companions of the Order of Canada

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• Margaret Atwood, writer
• Jean Beliveau, professional ice hockey player
• Pierre Berton, journalist, author, popularized Canadian history (deceased)
• Charles Best, prominent scientist (deceased)
• Leonard Cohen, writer, poet and musician
• Robertson Davies, novelist, playwright, critic, journalist and professor (deceased)
• Tommy Douglas, politician (deceased)
• Terry Fox, athlete and cancer fund-raising activist (deceased, youngest Companion in history)
• Marc Garneau, first Canadian in space
• Ian Hacking, philosopher
• Gordon Lightfoot, folk singer, songwriter
• Joni Mitchell, musician, painter
• Oscar Peterson, musician, former Chancellor of York University
• Judah Hirsch Quastel, biochemist (deceased)
• Mordecai Richler, author (deceased)
• Pierre Trudeau, former Prime Minister (deceased)
• Joe Clark, former Prime Minister of Canada and Statesman

Officer

• Stompin' Tom Connors, writer, musician, Canadian icon
• Roméo Dallaire, general, senator, humanitarian, and author
• Céline Dion, singer
• Atom Egoyan, movie director
• David Foster, composer, pianist, producer, Grammy Award recipient
• Wayne Gretzky, professional ice hockey player
• Lorne Greene, famous television actor (deceased)
• k.d. lang, singer and songwriter
• Geddy Lee, musician
• Alex Lifeson, musician
• Frederick Lowy, bioethicist and medical educator
• Neil Peart, musician, author
• Lloyd Robertson, journalist
• Jeffrey Simpson, journalist

Member

• Pitseolak Ashoona, Inuit artist (deceased)
• Raffi Cavoukian, children's entertainer
• Ernie Coombs, a.k.a. "Mr. Dressup" - CBC TV personality (deceased)
• Ernest Cormier, architect and engineer (deceased)
• Catherine Doherty, social activist (deceased)
• Monty Hall, TV personality
• Bill Hunter, ice hockey owner, general manager and coach (deceased)
• Red Kelly, former NHL hockey player, former NHL coach, NHL Hockey Hall of Famer, former Member of Parliament
• Hugh Allan "Buddy" MacMaster, musician
• Jean Marchand, former cabinet minister, speaker of the Senate (deceased)
• Kate and Anna McGarrigle, musicians
• Loreena McKennitt, musician
• Jan Narveson, educator
• Martin Short, actor
• Dr. Andrew Simone, dermatologist, charity operator
• Miyuki Tanobe, painter
• Kenneth Welsh, actor

Non-Canadian/Honorary appointments

As of 2005, there have been only eleven honorary investitures to non-Canadians, and one appointee has surrendered his Canadian citizenship. They are as follows :

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Companion

• Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa (actually an honorary Canadian citizen, Companion) (1998)
• HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother (arguably not a "non-Canadian," Companion) {{ref|BowesLyon}} (2000) {{ref|QueenMum}} (deceased)
• Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary-General of the United Nations (originally from Egypt, Companion) (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, influencial American economist -born in Ontario but surendered his Canadian citizenship in August 1937 (1997)
• 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 Influencial Gardener/Horticuluralist (2005)

Other

Media baron Conrad Black became an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1990 {{ref|Black}}, 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.

Related Topics:
Conrad Black - 1990 - Citizenship - Life peer - 2001 - Queen's Privy Council for Canada

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