Order of Canada Investiture Ceremony

Established in 1967 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Order of Canada is the cornerstone of the Canadian Honours System, and recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. The Order recognizes people in all sectors of Canadian society. Their contributions are varied, yet they have all enriched the lives of others and made a difference to this country.

His Excellency presided over an Order of Canada investiture ceremony at Rideau Hall. The Governor General, who is chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order, bestowed the honour on 35 Members and 10 Officers.

Robert Thirsk (Ottawa, Ontario) is a space pioneer and an advocate of Canadian science education. An engineer and physician by training, he has twice flown to space as an astronaut with the Canadian Space Agency. The first Canadian to complete a long-duration expedition aboard the International Space Station, he has conducted extensive microgravity research that will benefit citizens worldwide and enable future space exploration. He has also shared his love of science with Canadians from coast to coast, and played key roles in the development of educational projects that allow young students to participate in space research.

Deepa Mehta (Toronto, Ontario) has pushed the boundaries of filmmaking. As a director and screenwriter, she has used film to challenge cultural traditions and has brought stories of oppression, injustice and violence to the fore. Her daringness and persistence are a testament to her dedication, and she is an inspiration for aspiring filmmakers everywhere. Her films, notably the epic trilogy Fire, Earth, and Water, and her adaptation of Midnight’s Children, have been released in more than 50 countries and have opened at several international film festivals, garnering major awards.

For more than 50 years, musician Ronnie Hawkins (Douro-Dummer, Ontario) has demonstrated a strong devotion to Canada’s music industry. Often referred to as the “father of Canadian rock n’ roll”, he was a key player in the 1960s rock scene, with his band The Hawks serving as a launching pad for a host of Canadian musicians. In addition to producing scores of singles and albums, he has performed in support of many charitable causes, notably the Peterborough Flood Relief and the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario. Mr. Hawkins is an Honorary Officer of the Order of Canada.

Céline Galipeau (Montréal, Quebec) is one of our most remarkable journalists. With Radio-Canada for nearly three decades, she quickly became a foreign correspondent. Known for her humanist vision and for the clarity and intelligence of her news stories, she notably covered major conflicts, including the wars in Chechnya, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. She is especially renowned for her reports on the status of women, covering such difficult topics as Chinese foot binding and Afghan women being burned alive. In 2009, she broke with tradition by hosting “Téléjournal,” becoming the first female news anchor on national television.

For decades, Elexis Schloss (Edmonton, Alberta) has been an active and committed philanthropist and volunteer. Her generosity of spirit and ability to rally others around charitable causes have helped to shape her community. She has supported initiatives in the arts, athletics and health care, and also worked on behalf of immigrant women, the homeless, Aboriginal peoples and children in Africa living with HIV. Her passion for helping others is exemplified in the pivotal role she played in founding Compassion House, a housing and support program in northern Alberta for women undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

Elisapee Ishulutaq’s (Pangnirtung, Nunavut) artistry was integral to the growth of print and tapestry making in Pangnirtung. An Elder, mentor and role model, she is the only living co-founder of the Uqqurmiut Centre For Arts & Crafts, a key pillar of Pangnirtung’s cultural history and economy. As an artist, her latest compositions have employed new media and increasingly innovative colour, form and scale. With this capacity to embrace the avant-garde, she has catalyzed a vital creative evolution in her artistic community.

Louise Forestier (Montréal, Quebec) has been a leading figure in Quebec culture for close to 50 years. Since the beginning of her career, she has been an ambassador of Quebec song as both a singer and songwriter, becoming known to the general public through the legendary show Osstidcho. She has produced over 20 albums, numerous shows in Canada and Europe, and such timeless songs as “La Saisie.” She also performed in large-scale musical productions, including Starmania and Nelligan, and has participated in numerous television series and films, including “Orderers”. She is also involved in training young artists and was a coach at the Festival en chanson de Petite-Vallée, in Gaspé.

"Certainly, you have poured your respective hearts and souls into your work. You have achieved a level of focus that has enabled you to excel and to effect positive change, be it a new idea or innovation, an original song or story, or a new way of reaching out and helping others. (...) I offer you my deepest thanks for all you have done for Canada."