Doctors, writers and a UFC champion among 83 new appointments to the Order of Canada

Jessica Mundie · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 30, 2025 8:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours ago

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon has announced 83 appointments to the Order of Canada — a database that includes doctors, diplomats, athletes and authors.

Simon's bureau announced 2 caller companions — the highest level of the Order of Canada — 19 officers and 62 members, the introductory honour level successful the order. One assignment is simply a promotion wrong the Order of Canada and different is an honorary appointment.

"We proudly admit each of these individuals whose dedication and passionateness for work not lone enrich our communities but besides assistance signifier the cloth of our nation," the Governor General said successful a media statement.

"Together, they animate america to strive for greatness and to foster a aboriginal filled with anticipation and possibility."

Among the appointments is Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's erstwhile main nationalist wellness officer. She has been made an serviceman of the bid for her relation successful starring the country's nationalist wellness effect to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tam, who ended her word arsenic the apical doc connected June 20, had been successful the relation for implicit 8 years.

Michael MacDonald, erstwhile main justness of Nova Scotia and seat of the Mass Casualty Commission, has been made a subordinate of the order.

MacDonald told CBC News his enactment connected the committee — which led the nationalist enquiry into the 2020 wide shooting successful Nova Scotia — was "one of the astir challenging things" helium has ever done.

Receiving an assignment for that enactment and the attempts he's made to amended the justness strategy successful his location state is "the top honour" of his life, helium said.

These appointments travel the time earlier the Governor General volition put a fig of Canadians into the Order of Canada during the Canada Day Festivities successful Ottawa.

That ceremonial volition see histrion Ryan Reynolds and singer, songwriter Heather Rankin — some becoming officers of the order. Their appointments were announced successful December 2024.

This year's database of appointments also features a fig of musicians including harmonica subordinate Mike Stevens, Canadian blues euphony fable Donnie Walsh and Grammy-winning grounds shaper Greg Wells.

Stevens told CBC News that helium was successful the process of moving houses erstwhile helium got the telephone telling him helium was being appointed an serviceman of the order. He said helium was lasting successful his basement with "boxes stacked to his neck" erstwhile his telephone rang.

"I would similar to archer you I was cool, but I wholly mislaid it," Stevens said. "Never successful a cardinal years did I deliberation I would beryllium recognized for my music. It's a magic instrumentality to beryllium capable to adjacent bash that for a living."

Stevens said the honour is "beyond humbling."

Elizabeth Epperly has been made a subordinate of the bid for her contributions to elevating the works of Lucy Maud Montgomery, the writer of Anne of Green Gables. 

"After my archetypal surprise, I person felt lone joyousness astatine the honour of being included successful the Order of Canada family," Epperly told CBC News successful a statement.

Epperly has heavy ties to the University of Prince Edward Island. She attended, taught at and was the archetypal pistillate president of the school.

"I emotion thing that reflects good connected my alma mater," she said. 

"More than that, I clasp this honour arsenic a solemnisation of L.M. Montgomery arsenic an internationally beloved large writer who inspires radical crossed cultures to consciousness determination is simply a beauty-loving, peace-loving, planet-sustaining assemblage to which they belong."

Prime Minister Mark Carney's soon-to-be main of unit Marc-André Blanchard has besides been appointed. He is acceptable to statesman that occupation successful July.

The Governor General's bureau said Blanchard has been made a subordinate of the bid for the relation he's played successful Canada's economical development, some astatine location and abroad.

Blanchard served arsenic Canada's ambassador to the United Nations from 2016 to 2020. He was astir precocious the enforcement vice-president of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, which manages nationalist pension plans and security programs successful the province.

For his role successful representing Canada connected the satellite stage, Donald Campbell has been named a member of the order. Campbell served as lawman curate of some overseas affairs and planetary trade, G8 acme sherpa and elder negotiator with the United States.

Campbell told CBC News that helium is "pleased to beryllium recognized."

He said overmuch of his vocation has been focused connected issues that are "front and centre" today, including the Canada-U.S. relationship.

Campbell oversaw negotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement successful 1994.

"I deliberation nationalist work is thing that Canadians attraction astir successful a mode that galore different countries, including the state to our south, don't look to successful this moment," helium said.

"Being Canadian and moving for Canada is adjacent much important present than it ever has been."

Two erstwhile senators person besides been made members of the bid for their contributions to the country. Robert Runciman represented Ontario successful the Red Chamber from 2010 to 2017 aft a agelong vocation successful provincial authorities and Claudette Tardif was a legislator for Alberta from 2005 to 2018.

Former regular connected CBC's At Issue sheet Bruce Anderson has been named a subordinate for his commentary connected nationalist sentiment and governmental affairs. He is present the main strategy serviceman astatine Spark Advocacy.

Writer Miriam Toews has been made an serviceman of the bid for her contributions to Canadian literature. Her works see A Complicated Kindness, All My Puny Sorrows and Women Talking.

Louise Halfe, besides known by her Cree sanction Sky Dancer, has been made a member. She is simply a writer from the Saddle Lake Cree Nation successful Alberta. 

Through her enactment successful some Cree and English, Halfe advocates for connection learning and preservation and articulates the past and experiences of Indigenous Peoples.

Michel Rabagliati, a cartoonist from Montreal, has been appointed a subordinate of the order.

Rabagliati told CBC News the assignment was "a implicit astonishment and bully quality — it's not each time that 1 receives a telephone from the Governor General's office."

"This means that my work, implicit the years, has managed to interaction radical extracurricular the soundlessness of my workshop," helium said. "When you enactment successful solitude implicit the agelong word arsenic is my case, receiving specified a favoritism encourages you to continue. As a writer, I consciousness read, appreciated and proud."

Georges St-Pierre, a erstwhile satellite champion mixed martial artist, has been made a subordinate of the bid for his committedness to helping young Canadians basal up to bullying and promoting carnal activity.

Also from the satellite of sports, joining the bid arsenic an serviceman is erstwhile NHL subordinate and manager Ted Nolan. He played 3 seasons for the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins. He besides coached the New York Islanders.

The Governor General's bureau said Nolan has been appointed serviceman for his continued enactment of Indigenous younker arsenic a mentor, talker and anti-racism advocate. He co-created the 3NOLANS First Nation Hockey School with his sons Brandon and Jordan, and established the Ted Nolan Foundation, which provides scholarships to First Nations women.

Nolan told CBC News helium felt "shock and excitement each wrapped up into one" erstwhile helium was told the quality of his appointment.

Once helium got implicit that shock, helium said the archetypal radical helium thought astir were his parents.

"They taught maine the value of giving back, of being arrogant of who I americium arsenic a First Nations man," helium said.