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Shania Twain Among 43 Awarded Order Of Canada
Excellence celebrated

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Saturday, November 19, 2005
National Post
Tony Lofaro

Singer Shania Twain said receiving the Order of Canada yesterday ranked much higher than any other award she has ever received in her music career.

"I know it's called an award, but to me, in the world that I'm in, this is something a little bit different," said Ms. Twain following a ceremony at Rideau Hall, where she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

"This is Canadian, the other awards are for entertaining."

Ms. Twain was among 43 recipients of the Order of Canada in a ceremony yesterday that also included speed skater Catriona Le May Doan, former B.C. premier Dave Barrett, dancer/choreographer James Kudelka, Hilary Weston, former Ontario lieutenant-governor, Sierra Club director Elizabeth May, high-tech pioneer Denzil Doyle and Hazel McCallion, Mayor of Mississauga

In her opening speech, Governor-General Michaelle Jean said the Order of Canada illustrates that there is a "great deal of excellence to celebrate in this country," adding that there is something about the Canadian psyche that "makes us shrink back from self-congratulation."

The Sierra Club's Ms. May said she became teary-eyed at the end of the ceremony when the audience applauded the Order of Canada recipients and she noticed Ms. Jean looking at her.

"I just became overwhelmed and started thinking about my mother who passed away two years ago and how I wished she could be here," Ms. May said.

"I happened to catch the Governor-General's eye at that moment and she looked at me with such empathy because she could see I was dissolving [in tears]. We exchanged quite a lot through eye contact in that moment."

Mr. Doyle is often called a "tech guru" and the father of Silicon Valley North, but they are names he is OK with.

"Everybody calls me a guru, but I like mentorship [better]. My father used to say it's too bad you couldn't put an old head on young shoulders," said Mr. Doyle, co-founder of Capital Alliance Ventures, which has led to the investment of millions of dollars in the telecommunications and software sectors.

Ms. Le May Doan, a double-gold Olympic medallist speed skater, said she was honoured to be part of Ms. Jean's first Order of Canada ceremony.

"It was a beautiful ceremony and it was nice to see the many people from different areas of our society and what people do for our country. It's pretty incredible," Ms. Le May Doan said.

She said she didn't mind being upstaged by Ms. Twain, who drew most of the media attention at the ceremony.

"I'm sharing it with her and I'm sharing it with the other recipients, so it's [about] what every single person has done. Obviously, she's a great star in this country and very respected. She's a great story as well."

Ms. Twain said the award had been "a life-changing experience," adding the other recipients would probably agree with her that Canada has much greatness to offer, but that too often we take our country for granted.

She said receiving the award also made her think about her hometown of Timmins, which still holds a "huge place" in her heart.

"When I think of Canada, I think of Timmins. I know it doesn't represent all of Canada, but Timmins is my roots, it's where I'm from," she said.

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