Governor General Announces New Appointments to the Order of Canada

On June 28, 2013, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada announced 74 new appointments to the Order of Canada. The new appointees include 34 Officers (OC) and 40 Members (CM). These appointments were made on the recommendation of the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada.

The Order of Canada was established in 1967 to recognize a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to community and service to the nation. Over the last 45 years, more than 6,000 people from all sectors of society have been invested into the Order.

Some of the BC-based appointees honoured for their contributions and achievements in the fields of arts, culture, and heritage community include:

Dempsey Bob, O.C., Terrace, for his dedication to the preservation of Tahltan-Tlingit artistry as a master carver and mentor to a new generation of artists; 

Robert Bringhurst, O.C., Heriot Bay, for his contributions to Canadian literature and to the preservation of First Nations’ culture as a poet and cultural historian;

Patrick Lane, O.C., North Saanich, for his accomplishments as a powerful voice in Canadian poetry and for his mentorship of the next generation of Canadian poets;

Bramwell Tovey, O.C., O.M., Vancouver, for his achievements as a conductor and composer, and for his commitment to promoting new Canadian music. This is an honorary appointment;

Frederick James Wah, O.C., Vancouver and Nelson, for his groundbreaking work as a poet and for his contributions to the life of poetry in Canada;

Robert Silverman, C.M., Vancouver, for his contributions to classical music, as a pianist and educator. 

For a full list of appointees, short citations, and a backgrounder on the Order of Canada, visit: http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=15215