Sidney Crosby, Eugene Levy among 99 new Order of Canada appointees | 24CA News

Politics

Published 29.12.2022

Sidney Crosby, Eugene Levy among 99 new Order of Canada appointees | 24CA News

Governor General Mary Simon has introduced 99 new Order of Canada appointments, recognizing Canadians from a spread of backgrounds for his or her contributions to the nation.

The Governor General makes the appointments based mostly on suggestions from the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada.

“What a beautiful way to end the year, honouring Order of Canada appointees and learning about the depth and range of their accomplishments,” Simon mentioned in a news launch. “Their commitment to the betterment of Canada fills me with pride and hope for the future.”

Among the appointees are hockey participant Sidney Crosby and actor and comic Eugene Levy.

Crosby, a ahead for the Pittsburgh Penguins, has been appointed an officer of the Order of Canada. The 35-year-old from Cole Harbour, N.S., has 1,452 profession NHL factors, which places him at seventeenth within the league all-time.

Crosby, with the Pittsburgh Penguins, was appointed to the Order of Canada for his contributions to hockey and his charity work, Rideau Hall mentioned. (Jeff Chiu/The Associated Press)

According to Rideau Hall, Crosby earned the appointment “for being one of the greatest hockey players of all time and for supporting community service initiatives for youth.”

Levy obtained a promotion to companion of the Order of Canada, which is the very best rank.

The 76-year-old Hamiltonian is identified for his roles on the sketch comedy present SCTV, dozens of comedy movies and extra lately for co-creating and starring within the tv collection Schitt’s Creek. He was appointed a member of the Order of Canada in 2011.

Levy was promoted for elevating the stature of Canadian tv on the worldwide stage as an acclaimed actor and producer, in response to Rideau Hall. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)

Levy was promoted “for elevating the stature of Canadian television on the international stage as an acclaimed actor and producer.”

Businessman John Louis Bragg of Springhill, N.S., additionally obtained a promotion to companion of the Order of Canada, receiving the honour “For his exceptional contributions to the prosperity and well-being of Atlantic Canadians and for his legendary commitment to the development of rural communities.”

Other appointees embody astronaut David Saint-Jacques, and lawyer and former Canada Radio-Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) chair Konrad von Finckenstein.

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon introduced the brand new appointments to the Order of Canada Thursday, honouring individuals who have helped form Canadian society. (The Governor General of Canada)

Appointment represents ‘nation saying thanks’

Retired choose and lawyer Harry S. Laforme has been the recipient of many honours. The 76-year-old from the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation in southern Ontario has 5 honorary doctorates and was the primary Indigenous particular person in Canadian historical past to sit down on an attraction court docket.

But he mentioned his appointment as a member of the Order of Canada has a particular significance.

“This is the first one that represents the country saying thank you … that’s how I look at it,” Laforme mentioned in an interview.

After graduating from legislation faculty in 1977, Laforme joined a company legislation agency, however rapidly realized his passions lay elsewhere, particularly in representing Indigenous folks and combating for Indigenous rights.

Laforme went on to chair two royal commissions on Indigenous points, and in 2004 made historical past as the primary Indigenous particular person in Canada to be appointed to an appellant court docket — the Ontario Court of Appeal.

A man with grey hair and glasses sits next to a sign that says 'healing together' in French and English. — Harry S. LaForme listens in throughout an announcement appointing him as Chair of the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Ottawa on Monday April 28, 2008. Laforme turned an officer of the Order of Canada Thursday. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

Irwin Cotler, the minister of justice on the time, referred to as Laforme concerning the resolution. Laforme mentioned he’ll always remember Cotler’s phrases.

“I asked him, I said ‘Why? Why did you pick me to go to the court?’ And he said, ‘Well, who better to know what justice is than somebody who has lived with injustice?’ ” Laforme mentioned.

“That resonated with me.”

Laforme served on the court docket for 14 years earlier than retiring and mentioned his proudest second is when he stood up for LGBTQ marriage rights on a 2002 Ontario Divisional Court panel.

“That was a beautiful case and I was able to use my Indigenous background and my belief system in answering those questions that were given by the lawyers, and asked by the lawyers,” he mentioned.

“Equal marriage to me made complete sense when I thought about it in terms of what I’d gone through in my life.”

A woman in a soccer uniform dives to stop a ball from entering the goal. — Canadian goalkeeper Karina Leblanc, a member of the nationwide squad since 1998, was named a member of the Order of Canada Thursday. (Richard Lam/The Canadian Press)

‘We are the leaders’

Professional soccer goalkeeper and Olympian Karina LeBlanc mentioned being named a member of the Order of Canada is a particular achievement.

“It’s truly an honour because I think we live in the best country in the world,” she mentioned in an interview.

“I think we are the leaders in this world and to be able to be amongst that class of phenomenal human beings is truly special.”

LeBlanc, 42, immigrated to Canada along with her household from Dominica in 1988. She credit the choice to come back to Canada for her skilled success.

“I think my life story is only possible because I moved to Canada,” LeBlanc mentioned.

Growing up in Maple Ridge, B.C., LeBlanc confronted bullying, partly due to her thick accent. She additionally did not make the underneath 15 B.C. crew. But she did not let these issues deter her dream of representing Canada and changing into an Olympian. She was named to Canada’s Olympic crew for the 2008 Olympics, and later gained a bronze medal with the Olympic squad in 2012.

LeBlanc retired from skilled soccer in 2015, and is now the final supervisor of Portland Thorns FC of the National Women’s Soccer League.

But LeBlanc mentioned her greatest life accomplishment is changing into a mom. “I want to be my daughter’s hero every single day.”

Colleen Jones makes a shot in the course of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in 2013. Jones was made a member of the Order of Canada Thursday for her profession as a roller, reporter and broadcaster. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press)

Power of perseverance

LeBlanc and Crosby aren’t the one athletes appointed — roller and CBC broadcaster Colleen Jones of Halifax has additionally joined the ranks of the order as a member.

Jones mentioned she’s happy to be honoured for contributing to a sport that did not all the time get nationwide recognition.

“When I first won a Canadian championship in ’82, people would say, ‘And how do you curl?’ ” Jones mentioned in an interview. “Now it’s a real powerhouse sport that’s got a real presence across the country.”

Jones mentioned that although she’s had some troublesome losses over her profession, they taught her an essential lesson about perseverance — one thing she hopes to go on to her kids.

“I wanted to show them that, no matter how tough the loss, I was going to handle that with grace,” Jones mentioned. “I wanted to, in a way, teach them the lesson that you don’t just give up because you lose, that you kind of power on.”

‘Quite shocked in a fantastic approach’

Eli Rubenstein, a Holocaust and anti-hate educator who can also be the non secular chief Congregation Habonim Toronto synagogue, mentioned he was shocked to be appointed. He cited a Hebrew proverb which states, “the reward of a good deed is the deed itself.”

“That’s the motivation, and I was not looking, searching or expecting any kind of accolades or reward for this,” he mentioned in an interview. “And so I was completely taken aback by shock, not completely feeling I was deserving of it.”

A man is seen speaking at a podium. — Holocaust and anti-hate educator Eli Rubenstein, seen in 2018 in Poland on the March of the Living, mentioned he was shocked at his appointment to the Order of Canada. (Ryan Blau/SUBMITTED)

Rubenstein is the nationwide director of the March of the Living Canada, a program that teaches college students concerning the historical past of the Holocaust to fight hatred and intolerance.

Rubenstein mentioned all through his profession he is been impressed by Holocaust survivors who’ve shared their tales, and the scholars who pay attention and be taught from these tales.

“I was so amazed by [the survivors’] resilience, by their courage, by their eloquence and most importantly by their lack of cynicism,” he mentioned. “It’s the hope in the survivors’ eyes when they tell their stories to the students.”

Rubenstein says the appointment additionally got here with an essential lesson.

“Sometimes you toil midnight hours, and burn the candle at both ends, and you don’t realize the people around you, how much they appreciate what you’re doing,” he mentioned.

“Sometimes people just need that extra encouragement, because I was so appreciative … and quite surprised in a beautiful way.”