Appointments to the Order of Canada

Summary#

This notice records appointments to THE ORDER OF CANADA made by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette. The appointments were signed on October 21, 2020 and published in the Gazette on December 5, 2020.

What it does#

• Names people appointed to roles in THE ORDER OF CANADA, including the ranks of Companion, Officer, Member, and one Honorary Member.
• Notes that some listings are promotions within the Order (the original notice uses a footnote to indicate promoted members).
• Gives a long list of individual appointees. Examples named in the notice include Howard Alper, Monique Bégin, Janette Bertrand, Tom Jackson, Mark Tewksbury, and Tessa Virtue.
• Records who signed the notice on behalf of the Governor General: Brigadier‑General (retired) Marc Thériault, Deputy Secretary, Deputy Herald, Chancellor’s Office.

Who's affected#

• The people named in the Gazette are directly affected — they receive a national honour and its rank in the Order.
• Their families, colleagues and the organizations or communities they represent may notice the recognition.
• The notice does not impose obligations or costs on the public. It is mainly an official record. If it is unclear who a particular appointee represents, the Gazette entry does not provide those details.

Why it matters#

• The Order of Canada is one of the country’s main civilian honours. Being named raises public recognition of the recipients’ contributions.
• Appointments can boost the public profile of individuals and the causes, professions or regions they are associated with.
• For most people, this is a ceremonial and symbolic action recorded for the historical and public record rather than a regulatory change.