Wondering About Gord Downie and an Order of Canada? Here’s an Answer
Yesterday I had a question about the latest list of all the people who are going to be receiving the Order of Canada in 2017. A hundred names were published just before New Year’s and Gord Downie wasn’t there. Why?
His name was put forward plus there was a petition directed at Governor General David Johnson with 75,000 names on it. What does a guy (or woman) have to do to get an Order of Canada?
Some people did a little sleuthing and we all learned something.
Orders of Canada are handed out twice a year: around New Year’s and on Canada Day. The people on the list published December 30 entered the very involved vetting process long before we even knew Gord was sick. Therefore, it appears that he missed the cut.
We might now want to put money on Gord getting his order in time for Canada day—which, given that July 1st will be our 150th birthday, will be much, much more high-profile.
Thanks to Michael and everyone else who went right to the top to find out what’s going on. Fingers crossed for Gord five months from now.
Except that’s gamblng on him makng it to Canada Day :/
To quote Gord, “awards are for sucks”. Despite that, I’m sure he’d be honoured to receive the Order, even though he’s received so many honours since we learned of his illness, including the love of a great many people, a Lakota name, eagle feathers from the AFN and Chanie’s community; the privilege of calling Pearl Wenjack “sister”… the list goes on. He is already well and truly loved. The Order would be more for our own satisfaction, and might be special for his family.