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Indigenous community members have encouraged federal officials to reflect on how the Order of Canada can overcome its “deep colonial symbolism and associations,” says an internal government presentation on efforts to modernize the Canadian honours system.
The April presentation, prepared for the Order of Canada Advisory Council, says recent feedback indicates that accepting the honour “could bring feelings of discomfort or shame” to some Indigenous people due to its colonial associations.
On the other hand, some said the Order of Canada offers an opportunity to advance reconciliation efforts by recognizing Indigenous strength and resilience.
The Privy Council Office’s Impact and Innovation Unit has been working with the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General and the Rideau Hall Foundation to learn more about public awareness of the Order of Canada.
As part of their work, researchers gathered views at an urban Indigenous summit last December and an Indigenous history and heritage gathering in March.
Participants framed achievement in terms of service, shared outcomes and community benefit — which does not always align with an honours system designed to single out individual merit, the presentation says.
“Indigenous perspectives often privilege honouring the contributions of communities as a whole, where community and collective impact matter more than individual distinction,” it reads.
The Canadian Press used the Access to Information Act to obtain the presentation and an associated memo for Privy Council Clerk Michael Sabia, the country’s top public servant.
More than 8,300 people have been invested into the Order of Canada since its creation in 1967. The honour, presented by the Governor General, recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to community and service to the nation.
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Anyone can nominate a living Canadian to the Order of Canada.
The researchers examined “frictions and barriers” that create undue burdens and complexity for nominators and Chancellery of Honours staff at the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General, says the memo to Sabia.
They found problems — including unclear expectations about required information that push nominators into guesswork, and a post-nomination “black box” with little visibility for nominators on next steps, “prompting dissatisfaction and lack of trust,” the memo says.
There was also a lack of triage and clear criteria, causing staff to spend a disproportionate amount of time on files that were unlikely to advance, it says.
Research findings to date have emphasized the importance of proactive communication to Canadians about the Order of Canada, the diverse recipients who have received the honour and opportunities to modernize the application and decision-making processes, said Pierre-Alain Bujold, a Privy Council Office spokesman.
“This work includes — but is not limited to — discussions with First Nation, Métis and Inuit individuals and organizations where we are working to collect evidence that meaningfully represents the views of our Indigenous partners,” Bujold said in a written response to questions.
The internal presentation says Indigenous community members who took part in the initial discussions were asked to reflect on what merit means to them. They mentioned:
— sharing land-based knowledge, teaching stewardship and guiding others on the land;
— supporting Elders, mentoring youth, strengthening communities and volunteering selflessly;
— advocating for equity, amplifying marginalized voices and advancing Indigenous rights and access to opportunities;
— using creativity to preserve culture, raise awareness and create visual or storytelling experiences; and
— highlighting youth who inspire change, promote reconciliation and contribute to community awareness.
“Conversations with Canadians, including Indigenous Peoples, are ongoing,” Bujold said. The Privy Council Office will present its final report to the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General at the end of next month, he added.
Next steps also include engagement with visible minority groups who are under-represented in the Order of Canada, the memo to Sabia says.
Andrew Griffith, a former federal public servant who has compiled data on Order of Canada recipients, said he was surprised not to see a mention in the newly released documents of the under-representation of women.
Griffith’s data indicates that while women made up 51 per cent of the population in the 2021 census, they accounted for just 34.5 per cent of Order of Canada recipients from 2013 to 2024. The figure rose slightly to 36.8 per cent last year.
Griffith said in an interview that might be explained by the general under-representation of women at senior levels of organizations across society, with the exception of government and a few other sectors.
“But it’s still striking (for the Order of Canada) that they haven’t been able to really move the needle all that much.”
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