Order of Canada

The Order of Canada (French: Ordre du Canada) is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit. It comes second only to membership in the Order of Merit, which is within the personal gift of Canada's monarch.

To coincide with the centennial of Canadian Confederation, the three-tiered order was established in 1967 as a fellowship that recognizes the achievement of outstanding merit or distinguished service by Canadians who made a major difference to Canada through lifelong contributions in every field of endeavour, as well as the efforts made by non-Canadians who have made the world better by their actions. Membership is thus accorded to those who exemplify the order's Latin motto, desiderantes meliorem patriam, meaning "they desire a better country", a phrase taken from Hebrews 11:16. The three tiers of the order are Companion, Officer, and Member.

The order is administered by the Governor General-in-Council on behalf of the Queen of Canada. The monarch, at present Elizabeth II, is Sovereign of the order and the serving governor general, currently David Lloyd Johnston, is its Chancellor and Principal Companion. Appointees to the order are recommended by an advisory board and formally inducted by the governor general or the sovereign. As of February 2011, 5,837 people have been appointed to the Order of Canada, including scientists, musicians, politicians, artists, athletes, business people, television and film stars, benefactors, and others. Some have later resigned or have been removed from the order, while other appointments have been controversial. Appointees receive badges and the right to armorial bearings.

Read more about Order Of Canada:  Creation, Grades, Insignia, Eligibility and Appointment, Proposed Amendments, Additional Honours

Other articles related to "order of canada, canada, order, of canada":

Orders, Decorations, And Medals Of Canada - Orders - Order of Canada
... The Order of Canada (French Ordre du Canada) is the country's second highest civilian honour for merit and is administered by the Governor General-in-Council, on behalf of ... Created in 1967, appointment is granted to those who adhere to the order's motto Desiderantes meliorem patriam (Latin for "desiring a better country"), meaning that ... stars, benefactors, and many more have been accepted into the order since its creation, more than 5,000 people have been appointed to the Order of Canada ...
Carlo Cattarello - Order of Canada
... Cattarello was given the Order of Canada from Governor General Adrienne Clarkson for the time he spent coaching, fundraising and collecting equipment for youth ...
Order Of Canada - Additional Honours
... At certain periods, holders of the order were presented with other awards, usually commemorative medals ... medal has been given automatically to every living member of the Order of Canada the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977 ...
Elizabeth Parr-Johnston - Professional Career - Order of Canada
2008, Parr-Johnston was installed by the Governor General of Canada as a Member of the Order of Canada, Canada’s highest civilian honour ... contributions to the educational and voluntary sectors in Canada ... As president of two universities in Atlantic Canada, she was highly respected for creating increased opportunities for women, notably by mentoring female faculty and by ...

Famous quotes containing the words canada and/or order:

    Though the words Canada East on the map stretch over many rivers and lakes and unexplored wildernesses, the actual Canada, which might be the colored portion of the map, is but a little clearing on the banks of the river, which one of those syllables would more than cover.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    Success and failure in our own national economy will hang upon the degree to which we are able to work with races and nations whose social order and whose behavior and attitudes are strange to us.
    Ruth Benedict (1887–1948)