12 March 2001
Induction into the Establishment - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER -- About a month ago, the press office at the Governor General’s residence announced a new batch of appointments to the Order of Canada. As usual, there were no “controversial” nominees. No one contrary to the deep-seated tradition of the Central Canadian establishment. You’ll excuse me if a little Rafe Mair rubbed on me.
There’s a fellow that calls near monthly on the Rafe Mair show provoking Rafe into a diatribe on the silliness of the Order. The bloke calls in and bitches about how the mucky-mucks responsible for dolling out C.C.’s, O.C.’s and C.M.’s to append on people’s names’. According to the fellow from the Sunshine Coast, the Order is absurd for failing to honour Smokey Smith, who is one of the last British Columbians alive to have received the prestigious military honour, the Victoria Cross. This recent batch overlooked Pte. Smith to honour sex TV host, Sue Johanson.
Speaking of sex, among the coifed Canadians to march up to Rideau Hall for the investiture ceremony is Meg Hickling. Hickling, a member of the Order of British Columbia, has done a lot of sex education in Vancouver over the years. (Perhaps why she’s getting membership to the Order.) I remember Ms. Hickling coming to our grade seven class at Dickens, to the giggles and raised eyebrows at the mention of certain words we live with.
The Order, for the unwashed, is an exclusive award that people get if they have served the country or have contributed and excelled in any endeavour benefiting Canada. It’s a neat thing to put on a bio or something that blows one’s personal achievements.
To namedrop, some of those honoured this year include: Author and Central Canadian (Ontario) darling June Callwood is made a Companion, which is the highest level of achievement. Jack Diamond, the local philanthropist is titled a Companion too, for that great charity work he does, as is former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Right Honourable Antonio Lamer. Publishing mogul Jack McClelland ditto, as is author and noted anti-separatist, Mordecai Richler. M. Richler was the subject of an Allan Fotheringham column, thus I digress no longer.
Former Ontario Premier Bob Rae is honoured as an Officer of the Order, as is Ben Heppner, Canada’s answer to Pavarotti. He also happens to be a British Columbian. Chief Joe Gosnell, who was an architect of the Nisga’a Treaty is honoured as an Officer, as is Rex Harrington, one of the ballet’s biggest Canadian stars. George Bain gets a Membership, while Murray Frum, pops to David Frum and widow of the late Barbara Frum is honoured with a Membership too.
Former Brian Mulroney cabinet minister Barbara McDougall can fasten an O.C. after her name, as she’s now an Officer of the Order of Canada. And wrestling patriarch, Calgary’s own Stewart Hart is pinned a Member of the Order of Canada.
I guess, there are those that truly deserve an Order of Canada prize more than others. Certainly there are deserving nominees in these lists, but Rafe Mair is right to bitch of the ineptitude of some glaring omissions.
In his latest book, Rants, Raves and Recollections, he dedicates it to Melvin H. Smith, Q.C. The late Mr. Smith was a top bureaucrat in these parts, yet he criticised the Mulroney government over the Charlottetown Accord. He truly is deserving of the Order, yet because he over-stepped the bounds of reasonable dissent, he is not given his just reward. In the dedication he quotes the words of one Cato the Elder: “I would much rather have men ask why I have no statue than why I have one.”
Perhaps prizes like these are mere ego trips. Sadly, they shouldn’t be used for blatant political patronage.
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