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Order Of Canada

January 1, 2012 by · Comments Off on Order Of Canada 

Order Of CanadaOrder Of Canada, Governor General David Johnston announced Friday an illustrious list of 66 Canadians appointed to the Order of Canada, including former Liberal prime minister Paul Martin, legendary hockey coach Scotty Bowman and former top soldier Rick Hillier.

The list of one companion, 28 officers and 37 members of the Order of Canada also includes former senior diplomat Robert Fowler – the past Canadian ambassador to the United Nations who was held hostage by al-Qaida for 130 days – longtime broadcasters Brian Williams (of CBC and CTV fame) and Stuart McLean (host of CBC Radio’s The Vinyl Cafe) and retired general Charles Bouchard, who commanded the recent NATO military mission in Libya.

Other notable names include former Canadian Forces chief Maurice Baril, former Ontario lieutenant-governor James Bartleman, former federal public service head Kevin Lynch and University of Saskatchewan president Peter MacKinnon.

More than 5,000 Canadians have been invested into the Order of Canada over the past 40 years. The appointments are made on the recommendation of an advisory council.

Martin, who was prime minister from 2003 to 2006, was the lone person invested as a companion of the Order of Canada, which “recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement and merit of the highest degree, especially in service to Canada or to humanity at large.”

Officers of the Order of Canada are appointed for their “lifetime of achievement and merit of a high degree, especially in service to Canada or to humanity at large,” while members are recognized for “a lifetime of distinguished service in or to a particular community, group or field of activity.” Bowman, a former Habs coach, was named an officer of the order, as was well-known Quebec journalist Alain Dubuc. Former MP Benoît Bouchard, a member of Brian Mulroney’s cabinet and Montreal professor Maïr Verthuy were among the Quebecers named members of the order.

Bowman, who holds the record for wins by a coach in National Hockey League history, recorded 1,244 regular-season wins and 223 more in the playoffs during his 30 seasons as a coach with the St. Louis Blues, the Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings. Bowman won nine Stanley Cup titles as a coach – an NHL record. He was behind the bench for the Canadiens’ dynasty of the 1970s, winning five titles, including four straight from 1976-79. A Montreal native, he’s the senior adviser of hockey operations for the Chicago Blackhawks. His son, Stan, is the team’s general manager.

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