Order please!
Friday, 11. July 2008, 05:02:37
So, there's been a lot of controversy about "The Order of Canada " in the past couple of weeks. The thing is, Canada is not about controversy! We must all be in agreement to get anything done here. For those of you not Canadian and not willing to connect to the last link , the Order of Canada is issued to those Canadians, and I believe a few foreigners who have made some sort of worthy contribution to Canada, the great land of the free.
Anyway, I decided to go to the official government site to see who has been awarded this lofty honour. Here are a few, mostly in ABC order. I couldn't possibly get through them all, but just merely picked a few familiar names. No judgement here!
Bryan Adams . Okay. Summer of 69. He's just a bad skinned rock star who doesn't even care enough about Canada to even live here. He was once quoted as saying (paraphrased) that the Canadian music scene SUCKS! Yeah, he's so deserving. He's a rock star too, I bet he's bedded a few underage groupies. Nice moral guy. Who am I to judge.
Frank Augustyn. Ballet star. Enough said. So what if he was Karen Kain's partner. Who cares.
Lionna Boyd . Classical guitarist who once dated Pierre Trudeau. She wasn't even that good. Oh, as a guitarist. She did have beautiful long blonde hair though. She lives in Florida, probably doesn't even pay Canadian taxes.
Charles Bronfmann. Big Rich Monopolist from Montreal. I'm positive he doesn't pay taxes.
Jean Alland. Military Man. I wonder how many people he killed or was responsible for killing?
George Athans . World champion waterskiing. Awarded for athletic prowess!
Whoopee. I have met his mother Irene though. I wonder if she is still alive. She is an awesome swimmer...even at age 80+. How come she doesn't have the Order?Alex Baumann . Okay. World champion/Olympic swimmer. I had a crush on him. He deserves it.
Charles Best . Discovered insulin! No question here.
Ernie Molson. Canadian beer man! No doubt.
Father Lucien Larre . Well, he just returned his order, in protest to a recent nomination. Funny, because he was actually convicted of abusing young people in his care when he was a psychologist. Gee, someone I could look up to. A real friggin' hypocrite.
k.d. lang. Personally I don't like her because she made a pass at me at Joe's Cafe in 1988. She's GAY. Oh dear. That doesn't bother me, I just don't like people making passes at me. She lives in L.A. anyway. If I hear her songs in the elevator I have to plug my ears and go LA LA LA. I CAN'T HEAR YOU!
Robert Humme ! The Friendly Giant. No contest. I wonder if Jerome and Rusty have the order as well.
and... Ernie Coombs . Mr. Dressup. The greatest Canadian ever.
Agnes MacPhail ...not on the LIST! GRRR.
Bobby Gimby . Of course. Who could disagree? CA-NA-DA!
Barbara Gowdy . Awesome writer. Controversial though. Oh, let's not even go there. Freedom of speech lives in my country. She writes superbly.
Alice Munro . My hero. But, oddly, not on the list. WHAT THE FRICK! The Chekhov of Canada not on the list?
Walter Gretzky? Why? Cause he's a dad of a hockey star? What about mom? I know a few hockey moms who have sacrificed a lot. I nominate Shelly Heggenstaller for the Order of Canada! OH! Update...Mom received OOC!!!!
Peter Gzowski . No contest. Great man. Stupid for smoking though.
Terry Fox ! YES!
Ben Johnson? For what? Steroid use?
Monty Hall ? Let's make a deal?
Sarah Mclachlan. I like this choice.
But Murray McLauchlan ? He was convicted of drunk driving. Many people know how I feel about that. If he gets this award, what does it mean? I bet Bryan Adams thinks he sucks.
Joey Smallwood , one of Canada's greatest. Father of universal healthcare.
Elaine Tanner . Olympic swimming gold. Backstroke. Canada's sweetheart. Mark Sptiz had a crush on her.
Bill Reid . First Nations artist. Genius. Yes.
John Saul Writes trashy top ten best sellers. PUKE! WHAT ABOUT ALICE MUNRO????
Alice Munro does not have the Order of Canada! Petition please! Ben Johnson has the award why not her! GRRRRRRR.
That said...well, maybe another blog. Ordinary , so called ordinary people who deserve...well, it's for me to decide!
*note* Had a difficult time uploading pictures tonight...so that's all you get for now!
How can they place Monte Hall or Ben Johnson on the same page as Charles Best or Terry Fox
By spooksister, # 11. July 2008, 06:11:25
However...Dr. Moregantaler got his beginnings with his Clinics ILLEGALLY...
Did anyone oppose any of those listed as vehemently as Dr. Moregantaler's appointment is being opposed?
I don't think so. That in itself speaks volumes to the 'disunity' this is creating.
I think this has opened Canadians eyes, mine especially--to pay attention--to really take notice of what is going on around us.
I would say most of us are so complacent and ignorant--(me included) that it's taken this to make us pay attention.
I didn't really even know what the Order of Canada award was until about 2 weeks ago.
Forgive me Canada.
By DuckyChickenLady, # 11. July 2008, 12:43:54
Do you know way?
By zetorres, # 11. July 2008, 15:19:55
By Mickeyjoe_irl, # 12. July 2008, 00:50:21
It would be interesting to know all the criteria for these awards - or maybe this is it. I read the above link, but noticed that it said nothing about a lot of the points that both Cheryl and San brought up.
Some of these people are truly deserving of the award, but if the recipients are to be held up as great Canadians, people that you want your children to emulate, then they should be people that demonstrate all the things Canadians belive in - not just some of them.
They should be proud of Canada and proud of their fellow Canadians - not make comments like the Canadian music scene sucks. They should be supportive of Canada in all ways.
They should be free of a scandalous past - even the hint of being a child molester should disqualify the person.
They should uphold Canadian law - no drunk driving charges in their past or any other illegal activity.
These are just a few things that I think should be considered.
By cakkleberrylane, # 12. July 2008, 01:59:16