Musicians and magicians: Avril Lavigne, David Ben among Order of Canada appointees

When David Ben learned he would be appointed to the Order of Canada, his mind immediately went to the great magicians who received the honour before him.

"It was quite an emotional moment for me because it brought back lots of memories of all the many people who have taken great interest in my life and helped me along the way who were also members of the Order of Canada," said Ben.

His is one of 83 new appointments to the Order of Canada announced Thursday, along with pop-punk star Avril Lavigne, former Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz and longtime journalist Joyce Napier, who was recently appointed Canada's new ambassador to the Vatican.

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Lavigne, who rose to fame as a teenager with hits such as "Complicated" and "Sk8er Boi," joins a long list of entertainers who have been named to the Order. The Napanee, Ont.-born singer-songwriter was also inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame last year.

Also on the list of Canadians deemed to have made extraordinary contributions to the nation are artists, activists and academics.

Cree actress, producer and advocate Tina Keeper of Winnipeg, who will also be named a member of the Order of Canada, is taking the honour as a chance to reflect on her roots.

"My late father, who just passed last year at the age of 94, was made a member of the Order of Canada in 1992," she said. "It feels like a very special honour for me."

Her father, Joseph Irvine Keeper, was a founder of the Manitoba Metis Federation.

He blazed a trail she's proud to follow, said the 62-year-old Keeper.

Keeper is perhaps best known for starring in the 1990s CBC drama "North of 60," but was also a member of Parliament in the mid-aughts, and has since moved to producing, including the CTV comedy "Acting Good."

"I'm grateful for all these opportunities I've had to be part of partnerships in trying to move Canada along into reconciliation," she said. "That has always been important. It was important to my parents."

Also on the list is U.S.-Canadian submersible expert Patrick Lahey, the first deaf NHL player Jim Kyte, and Christi Belcourt, a Metis visual artist, environmentalist and social justice advocate who devotes much of her time to supporting Indigenous language revitalization. Many of her intricate artworks can be found in public art collections across North America, Rideau Hall said.

Singer-songwriter Daniel Lavoie, best known for his hit song "Ils s'aiment," and Pierre Chastenay, a trained astronomer and host of Tele-Quebec's popular TV show "Le code Chastenay" are among the inductees from Quebec.

As for Ben, he says he's proud to be among several magicians who have been invited to the Order of Canada over the years, noting that includes several accomplished Canadians who dabbled in the art but are famous for other reasons.

The late philanthropist Allan Slaight, who was invested as a member in 2001, started his career as a magician before making his fortune in radio, while broadcaster Patrick Watson -- a companion of the Order of Canada -- co-wrote and directed several productions with Ben.

"Unbeknownst to most people, the 20th century -- as far as magic goes internationally -- was really Canada's century. The greatest magicians, the ones who had the greatest impact on the evolution of magic as a performing art or craft were Canadian," said the 63-year-old Ben.

The Governor General's office, in announcing Ben's appointment, lauded his work preserving the history of magic.

"I befriended so many octogenarians when I was in my youth that I represent sort of a bridge between multiple generations," Ben said.

Ben recalled meeting one such mentor, a septuagenarian, when he was just 18.

"I literally was invited back to his home every weekend for a number of years, where he just passed on his knowledge so that it would not disappear. It would live for future generations. And so I've sort of embarked on a similar path."

A balance must be struck, Ben said, when it comes to passing on magicians' knowledge. Much of it has been lost, he said, because of the competitive nature of early sleight-of-hand artists.

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"One of my fortes is reconstructing long-lost secrets from my predecessors," said Ben, who shares his secrets for free with magicians who fly in from around the world to meet him in his home in Toronto -- if he feels they're ready to learn.

"One of the measuring sticks is, you can tell if someone is ready for the knowledge...by the questions they ask."

This year's class of honourees will be invested into the Order at ceremonies in the coming months.

Magician David Ben is shown in a handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout Paul Alexander

The full list of new appointments follows.

Companions:

• Monique Forget Leroux, C.C., O.Q., Outremont, Que., a promotion within the Order for a leading figure in Canadian finance.

Officers:

• Yusuf Altintas, O.C., Vancouver, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of British Columbia and leader in metal cutting dynamics and the computer control of machine tools.
• Pamela Geraldine Appelt, O.C., Oakville, Ont., the first Black Canadian woman appointed to the Court of Canadian Citizenship.
• Martha Rachel Friendly, O.C., Toronto, a longtime advocate for an accessible and publicly funded early-childhood education and care system.
• Mellissa Veronica Fung, O.C., London, England, a veteran correspondent, author, documentary filmmaker and advocate for women and girls in war-torn countries.
• Chit Chan Gunn, O.C., O.B.C., Vancouver, a promotion within the Order for his innovative chronic pain treatment, intramuscular stimulation (IMS).
• Beverley Jean Johnston, O.C., Uxbridge, Ont., an internationally renowned percussionist.
• Daniel Gerald Lavoie, O.C., Montreal, a singer-songwriter, actor, poet, radio host and ambassador for French-Canadian culture.
• Lindsay Machan, O.C., Vancouver, an early Canadian proponent of interventional radiology.
• Daphne Maurer, O.C., Toronto, experimental psychologist who reshaped understanding of the sensory world of infants.
• Charles M. Morin, O.Q., O.C., Quebec, internationally recognized for developing psychological and behavioural interventions for insomnia.
• Kent George Nagano, O.C., G.O.Q., M.S.M., Montreal and San Francisco, an honorary appointment for a conductor with a prestigious international career.
• Jack Cyril Pearpoint, O.C., Toronto, a leader of inclusive educational practices to help individuals with disabilities overcome social barriers.
• Stephen Shawn Poloz, O.C., Orleans, Ont., renowned economist, former governor of the Bank of Canada.
• Kenneth John Rockwood, O.C., Halifax, a specialist in age-related diseases and frailty research.
• Frances Estelle Reed Simons, O.C., Winnipeg, for her profound global impact on mitigating the effects of allergic reactions and diseases, notably among children.
• Douglas Wade Stephan, O.C., Toronto, a world-leading researcher in inorganic and organometallic chemistry.
• Jozef Straus, O.C., Ottawa, at the vanguard of innovations in data communications and fibre-optic technology.
• Vaira Vike-Freiberga, O.C., O.Q., Riga, Latvia, an honorary appointment for the professor emerita in psychology at l'Universite de Montreal, who returned to her native Latvia to become the first woman to serve as its president.
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Members:

• Joe Brock Average, C.M., O.B.C., Vancouver, a revered artist, human rights activist and philanthropist who used his art to advocate for people living with HIV.
• Vickie Elaine Baracos, C.M., Edmonton, for transforming our understanding of cachexia, a debilitating syndrome that causes rapid weight and muscle loss in patients with advanced-stage cancer.
• Christi Marlene Belcourt, C.M., Lac Ste. Anne, Alta., a Metis visual artist, environmentalist and social justice advocate renowned for large, painted floral landscapes inspired by Metis beadwork.
• David Gordon Ben, C.M., Toronto, a sleight-of-hand artist and influential figure in Canadian performance art.
• Daniel Georges Bichet, C.M., Montreal, an internationally renowned nephrologist and professor at Universite de Montreal.
• bill bissett, C.M., Toronto, a poet, painter and musician, a pre-eminent figure of the 1960s counterculture movement in Canada.
• John Allan Cairns, C.M., O.B.C., West Vancouver, demonstrated the benefits of aspirin for patients with unstable angina, helping millions worldwide.
• Mark Joseph Cameron, C.M., M.B., M.S.M., Hastings, Ont., a humanitarian, educator and former paramedic dedicated to advancing paramedicine and disaster response education.
• Pierre Chastenay, C.M., Shefford, Que., a fixture in science communication in Quebec, especially as host of Tele-Quebec's wildly popular "Le code Chastenay."
• Edward Herman Cole, C.M., Toronto, instrumental in establishing a kidney-paired donation program now practised in clinical settings worldwide.
• John Terry Copp, C.M., Elora, Ont., professor emeritus at Wilfrid Laurier University, founder and director emeritus of the Laurier Centre for Military and Strategic Disarmament Studies.
• The Reverend Michael Creal, C.M., Toronto, an Anglican priest who has dedicated more than 50 years to being an educator, activist and faith leader.
• Budhendranauth Doobay, C.M., O.Ont., Hamilton, a retired surgeon, religious leader and the founder of Guyana's Doobay Medical Centre, which provides free dialysis to patients in need.
• Nima Gyaltsen Dorjee, C.M., Calgary, leading engineer and Tibetan human rights activist.
• Elder Jane Rose Dragon, C.M., O.N.W.T., Fort Smith, N.W.T., for maintaining and sharing traditional knowledge and skills with the next generation, notably in the creation of Indigenous garments.
• Marcelle Dubois, C.M., Montreal, playwright and artistic co-director of Theatre aux Ecuries.
• Leonard John Edwards, C.M., M.S.M, Ottawa, a senior public servant and diplomat, former ambassador to both Korea and Japan.
• Lee Edward Errett, C.M., O.Ont., Toronto, a global leader in cardiac research and care.
• Brian Ross Evans, C.M., Nepean, Ont., Canada's first chief food safety officer and the country's second-longest-serving chief veterinary officer.
• William Anthony Fox, C.M., Peterborough, Ont., one of Canada's foremost authorities on archaeology.
• Janine Elizabeth Fuller, C.M., Vancouver, a lifelong champion of intellectual freedom and an advocate for LGBTQ+ communities.
• Rosemary Burns Ganley, C.M., Peterborough, Ont., a long-time advocate for human rights, gender equity and social justice.
• Arnie Gelbart, C.M., Montreal, founder, executive producer and CEO of Galafilm Productions Inc., oversaw production of nearly 400 hours of documentaries, films, TV series and specials.
• Franklyn Griffiths, C.M., Toronto, an early scholar of Arctic international relations, helped shape the West's understanding of Soviet politics through his seminal writings on Russian affairs.
• Sylvia D. Hamilton, C.M., O.N.S., Grand Pre, N. S., a filmmaker, writer, poet and artist whose body of work documents the struggles and contributions of African Canadians, particularly Black women.
• Madeleine D. Humer, C.M., Victoria, a mentor and music educator in choral conducting.
• Jane Knott Hungerford, C.M., O.B.C., Vancouver, admired for leadership in fundraising for health care, education, social services and conservation efforts, and proud member of the Gwich'in Nation.
• Captain Sidney Joseph Hynes, C.M., O.N.L., M.M., Mount Pearl, N.L., master mariner and entrepreneur.
• William Janzen, C.M., Ottawa, longtime director of the Ottawa office of the Mennonite Central Committee Canada.
• Tina Jones, C.M., O.M., Winnipeg, as chair of the Health Sciences Centre Foundation she championed philanthropy as a means of advancing innovation in health care.
• Christina Jean Keeper, C.M., O.M., M.S.M., Winnipeg, best known for her role in CBC's "North of 60." Tina Keeper is an award-winning actress, producer and one of the first Cree members of Parliament.
• Judy M. Kent, C.M., Picton, Ont., first woman to serve as both president of Commonwealth Sport Canada and Canada's chef de mission for the Commonwealth Games.
• William James Gordon Kirby, C.M., Winnipeg, founder and executive director of the Centre for Contemporary Canadian Art where he developed the Canadian Art Database, a resource for artists, educators, researchers and the general public.
• James Gregory Kyte, C.M., Ottawa, renowned as the first deaf player in the history of the National Hockey League.
• Patrick Joseph Lahey, C.M., Ottawa and Vero Beach, Fla., co-founder of Triton Submarines and a leading voice for safe practices in the deep diving industry, the second Canadian to reach the bottom of the Mariana Trench.
• The Honourable Susan Elizabeth Lang, C.M., Toronto, co-founder of an all-female law firm and the first woman to be president of the Canadian Superior Courts Judges Association.
• Barry Paul Lapointe, C.M., O.B.C., Kelowna, B.C., founder and chair of KF Aerospace, Canada's largest commercial aeronautical maintenance, repair and overhaul provider.
• Myrna Eunilda Lashley, C.M., Montreal, an important advocate against racial profiling and internationally recognized as an authority on cultural psychology and mental health.
• Avril R. Lavigne, C.M., Malibu, Cali., one of the bestselling female artists of all time with more than 50 million albums sold worldwide.
• Pierre Legault, C.M., M.S.M., Montreal, co-founder of several social and environmental organizations helping disadvantaged people, including Moisson Montreal, Quebec's first food bank.
• Brandt Channing Louie, C.M., O.B.C., West Vancouver, chair and CEO of both London Drugs Limited and H. Y. Louie Co., Limited, a family-owned grocery retailer spanning four generations.
• Bruce A. Lourie, C.M., Toronto, a leader and entrepreneur behind numerous organizations addressing climate change and environmental health.
• Zoe N. Lucas, C.M., Halifax, founding member and president of the Sable Island Institute, encouraged research and conservation to help preserve the island's legacy.
• Mother Pierre Anne Rosaria Mandato, C.M., Montreal, Provincial Superior of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Mary, has devoted her life to supporting young people, the elderly and the sick.
• Bruno Gottfried Marti, C.M., O.B.C, Vancouver, a world-class chef who has advanced the culinary arts.
• Theresa Helen Matthias, C.M., London, Ont., a mouth painter whose works have graced public galleries and private collections worldwide; one was featured on a Canada Post stamp, others have adorned greeting cards and calendars.
• James David Meekison, C.M., Toronto, for 45 years in investment banking, cable television and private equity.
• Richard Kelly Miskokomon, C.M., Muncey, Ont., Chief of the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation and former grand chief of the Anishinabek Nation.
• Colleen Louise Murphy, C.M., Toronto, a playwright who has worked across media, creating plays and operas, as well as writing and directing film.
• Joyce Napier, C.M., Ottawa, renowned for her proficient bilingual reporting in both print and broadcast journalism, headed both CBC/Radio-Canada's Washington, D.C. bureau and CTV's parliamentary bureau in Ottawa.
• Javaid Abbas Naqvi, C.M., Edmonton, founder of Cameron Corporation, a prominent Alberta commercial real-estate development company, and long-standing supporter of community and non-profit organizations.
• Robert Panet-Raymond, C.M., C.Q., Montreal, a distinguished administrator also renowned for his philanthropy.
• E. Michael Perley, C.M., Colborne, Ont., for work addressing environmental and health challenges, including through the Ontario Campaign for Action on Tobacco, where he advocated for tighter laws to reduce tobacco use and limit second-hand smoke.
• Dan Poenaru, C.M., Montreal, a McGill University professor and pediatric surgeon who established a pediatric surgical unit and novel training program in a remote area of Kenya.
• Linda Rabeneck, C.M., Toronto, gastroenterologist and University of Toronto professor, a leader in colorectal cancer screening and prevention.
• Stephen James Randall, C.M., Calgary, founder of the University of Calgary's Latin American Research Centre and a founding member of the Canadian Council for the Americas Alberta.
• Solomon Ratt, C.M., S.O.M., Regina, storyteller, educator and author dedicated to preserving and revitalizing the Cree language.
• Jonathan Scott Rose, C.M., Toronto, for innovations in the architecture and software used in field-programmable gate arrays, which are powering devices used in telecommunications, manufacturing and health care.
• Bibudhendra Sarkar, C.M., Toronto, a celebrated bioinorganic chemist who discovered a novel treatment for patients with Menkes disease, a rare genetic condition.
• Frances Marjorie Shaver, C.M., Vancouver, for groundbreaking scholarly contributions to the field of sex work.
• Donald George Simpson, C.M., Toronto, an academic, entrepreneur, researcher, program designer, administrator and mentor.
• Marvin R. V. Storrow, C.M., O.B.C., Vancouver, a lawyer known for working with B.C. First Nations and litigating several groundbreaking cases on land titles and constitutional rights.
• Jack Edward Taunton, C.M., Delta, B.C., an early leader in sport and exercise medicine.
• Charles E. Weaselhead, C.M., Cardston, Alta., as CEO of the Blood Tribe Department of Health, he formed a long-standing partnership with the Canadian Red Cross and, as chief of the Blood Tribe and Treaty 7 Grand Chief, he launched new social, health and education initiatives.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2024.