|
|
|
|
Order of Canada
|
| |
|
| |
The Order of Canada (French: Ordre du Canada) is Canada's highest civilian order and is the centrepiece of the Canadian system of honours. Membership in the order is accorded to those who exemplify the order's Latin motto, taken from Hebrews 11:16, desiderantes meliorem patriam, meaning "They desire a better country."
Created in 1967, to coincide with the centennial of Canadian Confederation, the three-tiered order was established as a fellowship that recognizes the achievement of outstanding merit or distinguished service by Canadians, through life-long contributions in every field of endeavour, and who made a major difference to Canada, as well as the efforts made by non-Canadians who have made the world better by their actions.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Order of Canada' Start a new discussion about 'Order of Canada' Answer questions from other users |
Encyclopedia
The Order of Canada (French: Ordre du Canada) is Canada's highest civilian order and is the centrepiece of the Canadian system of honours. Membership in the order is accorded to those who exemplify the order's Latin motto, taken from Hebrews 11:16, desiderantes meliorem patriam, meaning "They desire a better country."
Created in 1967, to coincide with the centennial of Canadian Confederation, the three-tiered order was established as a fellowship that recognizes the achievement of outstanding merit or distinguished service by Canadians, through life-long contributions in every field of endeavour, and who made a major difference to Canada, as well as the efforts made by non-Canadians who have made the world better by their actions. The Canadian monarch, at present Elizabeth II, is Sovereign of the order (and also of orders in other Commonwealth realms), and the serving Governor General, Michaëlle Jean, is its Chancellor and Principal Companion. Appointees into the order are selected by an advisory board and formally inducted by the Governor General; as of April 2008, 5,479 people have been appointed to the Order of Canada, including musicians, politicians, artists, athletes, television and film stars, benefactors, and others. Since 1994, non-honorary members are the only regular citizens who are empowered to administer the Canadian Oath of Citizenship.
Creation
The Order of Canada was instituted on April 17, 1967, by Queen Elizabeth II, on the advice of her then Prime Minister, Lester B. Pearson, who was assisted with the establishment of the order by John Matheson. The order was 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, to the level of Companion, with 90 more people appointed on July 7 of the same year, including 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 Michener during a visit by him to London, UK, that same year, and she first wore it during a banquet in Yellowknife in July, 1970.
The creation of the order was the beginning of a Canadian honours system, and reduced the use of the honours system of the United Kingdom and some of its former Crown colonies; prior to the creation of the Order of Canada, the main order Canadians were inducted into for the above criteria was the Order of the British Empire. The order also inspired Australia and New Zealand to follow on Canada and create similar honours: the Order of Australia and the Order of New Zealand respectively. The provinces also followed suit, each creating their own distinct orders.
Grades
There are three grades (levels) of the Order of Canada, in order of precedence: Companion, Officer, and Member (in French, respectively, Compagnon, Officier, and Membre). Each of the three grades have post-nominal letters that its members are entitled to use. Promotions in grade are possible, though this is ordinarily not done within five years of the initial appointment. For example, film director Denys Arcand was promoted from Officer to Companion.
When it was created the order had, in effect, only two ranks, Companion and the Medal of Service, but it included a third award, the Medal of Courage. The latter medal, meant to reward acts of gallantry, fell between the other two awards in level honour but was anomalous within the Order of Canada not a middle grade of the among three of a kind, but effectively a separate award of different nature. On July 1, 1972, without ever having been awarded, it was replaced by the separate Cross of Valour. At the same time, the levels of Officer and Member were introduced and all existing holders of the Medal of Service were made Officers. This fulfilled the vision of Lester Pearson for a three-tiered structure.
Companion
Companions of the Order of Canada (post-nominals: 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, save for honorary Companions; as of February 20, 2007, there were 168 living Companions, including four honorary. The constitution of the Order of Canada allows for each Governor General and his or her spouse, to become a Companion of the order upon the viceroy's appointment; thus, with her appointment to the position of Governor General, Michaëlle Jean became the 164th living Companion, and Jean-Daniel Lafond the 165th.
Officer
Officers of the Order of Canada (O.C.) have demonstrated an outstanding level of talent and service to Canadians, and up to 64 Officers are appointed each year, with no limit to how many may be living at one time. As of October 19, 2008, there were 1,019 living Officers.
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 at one time. As of October 19, 2008, there were 2,013 living members.
Insignia
of Michaëlle Jean, Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada, displaying the order motto and insignia.]]
The sovereign's badge of the order consists of a white enamelled snowflake design with diamonds between each leaf, suspended from a jeweled crown. The central disc bears a maple leaf in rubies on a white enamel background, surrounded by a red enamel ring (annulus) bearing the motto of the order.
The badges for inductees are of a similar design to the sovereign's badge, though without precious stones, in gilt for Companions and Officers, and in silver for Members. The maple leaf in the central disk is in red enamel for Companions, gold for Officers, and silver for Members, and each is topped by a crown of St. Edward, symbolizing that the order is headed by the sovereign. The reverse is plain except for the word CANADA. The ribbon is white bordered in red stripes, similar to the Canadian flag. The chest ribbon is the same for each grade, save for a metallic maple leaf in the centre, the color of which depends on the grade that one was appointed to: red for a Companion, gold for an Officer, silver stands for Member. For civilian wear, a lapel pin is worn on the jacket, which is designed as a miniature of the medalion; an example of one being used is shown in of Roméo Dallaire. The Governor General also wears a special chain during certain ceremonies, consisting of the Companion badge suspended from the shield of Canada and surmounted by the Crown. On each side, the chain 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 Chain of the Order of Military Merit.
The badge (as well as the majority of the ensuing emblems in the Canadian honour system) was designed by Bruce W. Beatty, himself made a member of the order in 1990, and who, as of 2004, has been in attendance at every investiture ceremony since 1967.
Since the 1991 investiture of television barron Ted Rogers, Order of Canada investiture ceremonies have been televised on various television channels and the internet and recipients receive a complementary copy of their investiture ceremony from Rogers Cable.
When wearing medals and decorations, the insignia of 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 badge of 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. Originally, protocol followed the British tradition, requiring female appointees to wear their insignia on a ribbon bow positioned to the left. In 1997 regulations were altered and, with the exception of certain special occasions laid out by the Governor General, women may wear their insignia by the same means as the men. This method of wear is not mandatory and it is notable that current Governor General, Michaëlle Jean, has taken to displaying the order with the female bow.
The insignia may be passed down as a family heirloom, and sale is discouraged. When a member of the order is upgraded to a higher rank, that individual must return their original emblem to the Chancellery. However, a number of insignias have been put up for sale, most recently in 2007 (see Sale below). Each appointee is also granted the right to ask for a coat of arms from the Canadian Heraldic Authority if one does not already exist for them; Companions may ask the authority for the use of supporters on their personal coat of arms. The order's motto, in gold lettering on a red background, is circled around the shield, while the order's badge 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's motto in gold.
Eligibility and appointment
Michaëlle Jean, Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada, poses with a full group of Order of Canada appointees at the 101st investiture ceremony banquet in the Tent Room of Rideau Hall, April 11, 2008.]]
All living Canadians are eligible for any of the three levels of the order, except federal and provincial politicians and judges while they are holding office. After being nominated, the Advisory Council reviews each nomination and, along with the Governor General, makes the final choice of new inductees, within the limits for each grade as prescribed in the Constitution of the Order of Canada. New appointees are then formally accepted into the order at an investiture ceremony, typically conducted by the Governor General at Rideau Hall, however other officials may perform the task, and the ceremony may take place in other locations.
Advisory Council
The task of the Advisory Council is to evaluate the nominations of potential inductees, decide if the candidates are worthy enough to be accepted into the order, and make recommendations to the Governor General, who appoints the new members. The council is chaired by the Chief Justice of Canada, and includes the Clerk of the Queen's Privy Council, the Deputy Minister 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. Also, five members of the order sit on the council for a three year period. If a nomination involves a non-Canadian citizen, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs is invited by the Advisory Council to offer evaluation. Decisions of the council, and/or new appointments and dismissals to or from the Order of Canada, are announced to the Canada Gazette and general public by the Secretary General of the Advisory Council.
The current members of the Advisory Council are:
Honorary appointments
As of 2008, there have been sixteen honorary appointments to non-Canadian citizens. They are as follows:
Honorary companion
Honorary officer
Honorary member
Controversial appointments
Pro-choice activist Henry Morgentaler was appointed to the Order of Canada on July 1, 2008; an act that drew criticism, including from conservative members of parliament, anti-abortion groups, and religious leaders. Protesters marched outside of Rideau Hall on July 9, while compatriots did the same in front of Government House in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, home to that province's Lieutenant Governor. The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Toronto, Thomas Collins, said the country's highest honour had been "debased" by admitting someone who fought for the legalization of abortion. Conversely, Joyce Arthur of the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada supported the appointment of Morgentaler, calling the decision "overdue." Of the situation, Prime Minister Stephen Harper stated he'd rather see the country's highest civilian honour "be something that really... brings Canadians together," while Liberal Party leader Stéphane Dion said the order "should be respected and celebrated."
Similarly, the appointment of sex educator Sue Johanson, host of the long-running Sunday Night Sex Show, as a Member of the order in 2001 stirred controversy, as Johanson taught teenagers the tactics of safe sex alongside abstinence.
Resignation
Resignation from the order can only take place by the member submitting, in writing, to the Secretary General of the Order of Canada, a letter notifying the Chancellery of his or her desire to quit their membership. This request must be accepted by the Governor General before the resignation can take effect.
Nobody has yet resigned from the Order of Canada. However, in July 2008, Roman Catholic priest Lucien Larré, Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte and Gilbert Finn, former Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, indicated their intentions to return their insignia of the Order of Canada in protest against abortion activist Henry Morgentaler's appointment earlier that month. Similarly, members of the Madonna House Apostolate, an Ontario Catholic organization, indicated their intention to return the insignia of Catherine Doherty, the Madonna House's late founder, who was inducted into the order in 1976.
Former police detective Frank Chauvin who was appointed an Officer of the Order in 1987 initially desired to return his Order of Canada medal. He sent a letter to the Governor General asking how to return the medal and claims he did not receive a response. Following this he and another Catholic pro-life activist filed suit again the Order of Canada Advisory Council demanding that the minutes of Morgentaller's appointment be made public
Refusal
While few have declined entry into the Order of Canada, it is not unheard of; as of 1997 1.5% of appointments offered to the order have been refused. The identities of those individuals who have declined induction since the 1970s are kept confidential, so the full list is not publicly known. Some, however, have spoken publicly about their decisions.
Those who have declined the honour include Robert Weaver (who stated that he was critical of the "three-tier" nature of the order), Claude Ryan (declined in 1967), Morley Callaghan (declined in 1967), Mordecai Richler (declined twice), Marcel Dubé, Roger Lemelin, and Glenn Gould (declined in 1970). However, all the above individuals, save for Gould and Weaver, later accepted appointment into the order. Others have declined appointment on the basis of being supporters of the Quebec sovereignty movement these include Luc-André Godbout, Rina Lasnier, and Genevieve Bujold while Alice Parizeau, another supporter of Quebec sovereignty, was criticized for accepting entry into the order, in spite of her beliefs.
Others decline out of modesty, such as Victoria Cross recipient Cecil Meritt, who cited the fact that he already held Canada's highest decoration as a reason not to be admitted to the order. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was offered appointment to the order as an honorary Companion in 1982; however, he refused on the grounds that, as the consort of the Queen, he was a Canadian, and thus entitled to a substantive appointment rather than an honorary one. In 1993, the Advisory Council proposed an amendment to the constitution of the Order of Canada, making the sovereign's spouse automatically a Companion, but Prince Philip again refused, stating he should be appointed on his merits. Conversely, former Premier of Newfoundland Joey Smallwood declined appointment as a Companion because he felt that, as a Father of Confederation, he deserved a knighthood. Smallwood was never knighted and later accepted induction as a Companion.
Removal
Members can be removed from the order if the Advisory Council feels their actions have brought the order into disrepute. In order for this to be done, the Advisory Council must agree to the removal, and then send a letter to the person telling them of their decision, and requesting a response from the person in question regarding the decision.
Those removed from the order are required to return their insignia. While there are no formal rules in place that outline a requirement for the council to retrieve the insignia, the author of 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. As of 2006, only two people have been removed from the Order of Canada: Alan Eagleson, who was removed from the order after being jailed for fraud in 1998, and David Ahenakew, who faced calls for his removal due to anti-Semitic comments he made in 2002.
Additional decorations
At certain periods, holders of the order were presented with other decorations, usually commemorative medals. Thus far, four commemorative medals have been given automatically to every living member of the Order of Canada: the Canadian Centennial Medal (1967), the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977), the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal (1992), and the Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee Medal (2002).
Sale
The Constitution of the Order of Canada states that the insignia is property of the Crown, which, in theory, means it cannot be sold. In practice, however, this is not the case: The first Order of Canada insignia ever sold publicly was the Companion badge of Major Coldwell, who was appointed in 1967; his badge was sold at auction in 1981, an act which received criticism from government officials.
In 2007, it was revealed that one of the first ever issued insignia of the Order of Canada, a Medal of Service awarded originally to Quebec historian Gustave Lanctot, was put up for sale via email. Originally, the auctioneer, who had purchased the insignia for $45 at an estate sale in Montreal, and who remained anonymous, attempted to sell the insignia on eBay; however, after the bidding reached $15,000, eBay removed the item, citing its policy against the sale of government property, including "any die, seal or stamp provided by, belonging to, or used by a government department, diplomatic or military authority appointed by or acting under the authority of Her Majesty." Rideau Hall stated that selling medals was "highly discouraged," however the owner continued efforts to sell the insignia via the internet.
In June 2008 a Member of the Order of Canada insignia (numbered 625) and an Officer of the Order of Canada insignia (numbered 709) sold at auction in Germany. The C.M. sold for approximately $2500.00, while the O.C. sold for $3500.00.
In September 2008 a Member of the Order of Canada insignia (numbered 725) was listed on ebay. After 6 days of bidding the price had risen to $2000.00 and the auction was ended by E-Bay.
Bibliography
- See also: Orders, decorations, and medals of Canada: Bibliography
See also
External links
-
-
-
-
- (audio)
- (video)
- (video)
- (video)
-
-
-
|
| |
|
|
