Order of Canada Investiture Ceremony

Created in 1967, the Order of Canada, one of our country’s highest civilian honours, recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community, and service to the nation. Close to 7,000 people from all sectors of society have been invested into the Order. Their contributions are varied, yet they have all enriched the lives of others and have taken to heart the motto of the Order: DESIDERANTES MELIOREM PATRIAM (“They desire a better country”).

During her opening remarks, the Governor General congratulated those being honoured and explained that their achievements were a reflection of intent, sustained effort and extraordinary execution.

The Governor General invested 5 Officers and 22 Members into the Order of Canada during a ceremony at the Citadelle of Québec.

Jane Ash Poitras’s unique artistic vision gives voice to Indigenous people in Canada by encompassing many diverse topics and themes. An internationally celebrated visual artist of Cree descent, she has created contemporary mixed media collages that are infused with powerful social and cultural meaning. Her work has been showcased in solo and group exhibitions and in numerous public and private collections across Canada and around the world. Affiliated with the University of Alberta, she also speaks regularly at universities and galleries throughout North America and abroad.

A daring business leader, Madeleine Paquin is actively involved in all aspects of the marine industry. Focused on reducing the environmental footprint, she helms Logistec, a corporation operating in the marine and environmental industries across North America, from the Arctic to the Everglades. Beyond the shoreline, she is very active in governance and is renowned for promoting women’s participation in business. She also gives of her time and energy to charitable causes, including brain cancer research.

Peter McAuslan crafted a successful business at the vanguard of the microbrewery industry in Quebec. He founded McAuslan Brewing, known for its quality products and strong relationship with the local community. He has been a long-standing patron of the arts, exemplified by his championing of the St. Ambroise Fringe Festival, the Pop Montreal Music Festival and the Montreal World Film Festival. He also played a leading role in preserving the city’s Scottish heritage by creating a research chair in Canadian-Scottish studies at McGill University.

Margo Kane’s devotion to honouring Indigenous performance is both empowering and engaging. An interdisciplinary artist, she has performed on stage, film and television, and has written works reflective of the Indigenous experience in Canada. Her influential solo work, Moonlodge, which blends song, dance and oral storytelling, has toured throughout Canada and abroad for more than a decade. Founder of Full Circle: First Nations Performance and the Talking Stick Festival, she has provided opportunities for many artists to celebrate and take pride in their rich language, culture and art forms.

Rick Green uses laughter to entertain and to educate. A comic actor, writer and producer, he is known for his work with the Frantics comedy troupe and on such award-winning television series as “The Red Green Show”, “History Bites” and “Prisoners of Gravity.” Since being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), he uses his humour and passion to advocate on behalf of those with the condition. He has created highly acclaimed communication tools to dispel myths and has provided ADHD-friendly solutions for millions of teens and adults worldwide.

For the past 40 years, bassist Alain Caron has been making a remarkable contribution to the contemporary jazz fusion universe. Having begun his career with jazz ensemble UZEB in the 1980s, he went on to perform on national and international stages, establishing a reputation as a six-string electric bass virtuoso. Today, he is known for his unique slap technique, pointed lyricism and clarity of notes. The head of the Université de Montréal’s master’s program in jazz performance and composition, he is a highly regarded master and guest professor.

Audiences and critics alike consider him a cinematic genius; Denis Villeneuve himself would say he is a professional dreamer. His films depict the human condition. At times contemplatively, at times with dizzying speed and intensity, but always intuitively, he transports moviegoers to the very depths of his characters. His camera and his pen push the limits of drama and science fiction: Polytechnique, Incendies, Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 are just a few of the titles brought to the big screen by this aesthete lauded as one of the best directors of his generation.

Si’yam Lee Maracle is recognized as one of the most influential Indigenous voices in Canada’s literary landscape. A traditional teacher, Elder and instructor at the University of Toronto, she was among the first Indigenous authors to be published in Canada in the early 1970s. Comprising numerous acclaimed fiction and non-fiction books, as well as poetry anthologies, her work touches upon gender, sexuality and cultural relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. She has launched a dialogue that has been instrumental in promoting social justice in Canada.

Beverley Salmon is an exemplary model of civic engagement. As Toronto’s first Black female councillor, she advocated for more inclusive policies and practices within municipal government. Her extensive career comprises work with the Toronto Board of Education, the Urban Alliance on Race Relations and the Ontario Status of Women Council. Notably, she has been a dedicated champion for the social and educational well-being of Black communities in the city. Although officially retired, she remains an active volunteer, role model and mentor to members of her local community.