Chretien gets the nod from HM. Queen Elizabeth.
OTTAWA — Last week, an Ottawa medical researcher named Dr. Michel Chretien was received into The Royal Society of London, one of the highest honours a scientist can achieve. His brother Jean was there for the occasion.
This week, brother Jean eclipsed him, with a prestigious British honour of his own.
Queen Elizabeth named the former prime minister to the Order of Merit, an eminent group of achievers chosen for recognition by the monarch herself.
Buckingham Palace spokesman David Pogson said the order, established by King Edward VII in 1902, is a “personal gift” from the monarch to Chretien for his public service.
Only two other Canadian prime ministers have been members: William Lyon Mackenzie King and Lester Pearson.
“He becomes a member of a very, very exclusive club. It’s a tribute to all of Canada as well as the individual,” said Eddie Goldenberg, Chretien’s senior policy adviser from 1993 to 2003.
The Order of Merit has only 24 full members at a time, and occasionally foreign recipients are added. Chretien will become a full, or “substantive” member, alongside notables such as former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher; soprano Dame Joan Sutherland; director/actor Richard Attenborough; and The Duke of Edinburgh. Nelson Mandela is an honorary member.
Past honourees include war nurse Florence Nightingale, poet T.S. Eliot and former British prime minister Winston Churchill.
Foreign recipients have included Albert Schweitzer, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Mother Teresa.
It’s easy to see why the Queen has singled out Chretien, University of Ottawa history professor Michael Behiels said. “She saw him as a politician who was a man of the people. He never made a derogatory remark about the monarchy.”
One of their earlier meetings took place when the Queen toured the North while Chretien was minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, Goldenberg said. The relationship grew over decades and dozens of meetings.
“They always spoke French,” Goldenberg said. “He was always a little surprised at that.”
Buckingham Palace wouldn’t say which achievements the former prime minister was honoured for, but Behiels pointed to Chretien’s roles in patriating the Constitution and fighting separatism.
While the award is often conferred at Buckingham Palace, the monarch may perform the ceremony elsewhere. Queen Elizabeth is to visit Canada around mid-2010, and Pogson did not rule out the possibility the ceremony could take place then.
Queen names Chretien to exclusive order.
Goldenberg said when he spoke with Chretien Sunday, the former prime minister joked about how two brothers from Shawinigan had now achieved top honours in Britain.
“Put politics side, it’s quite a remarkable achievement for a family where his dad had three jobs as a labourer to get the kids through university,” Goldenberg said.
http://www.ottawasun.com/news/canada/2009/07/13/10116796.html
christina.spencer@sunmedia.ca
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Florence Nightingale, poet T.S. Eliot and former British prime minister Winston Churchill,even Nelson Mandela!
BUT The t'is gar from Shawinagan?
Has the world gone mad?
Our former Prime-minister after scandal after scandal is given such a prestigious award ? Are their not more fitting Canadians that deserve it more than Chretien?
The major controversy of the Chrétien years was the sponsorship scandal, which involved hundreds of millions of dollars hastily scattered from the PMO all over Quebec's federalist and Liberal Party interests, without much accountability.
And let's not Forget.In 2000, after initial denials, he acknowledged having lobbied the Business Development Bank of Canada to grant a $2 million loan to Yvon Duhaime, a friend and constituent to whom the Prime Minister stated that he had sold his interest in a local hotel and golf resort, eventually providing evidence of the sale - a contract written on a cocktail napkin.
The order of merit is the HIGHEST honor you can receive from the Queen.
Are their not more deserving Canadians out there?
PS:
Also this is the same PM who devastated the military funding, leaving our troops to show up in uniforms of the wrong colour, with vehicles several decades old. In fact, many of our soldiers' deaths should be, in my opinion, blamed on his government, for canceling the contract that would have given them the much-needed equipment
This week, brother Jean eclipsed him, with a prestigious British honour of his own.
Queen Elizabeth named the former prime minister to the Order of Merit, an eminent group of achievers chosen for recognition by the monarch herself.
Buckingham Palace spokesman David Pogson said the order, established by King Edward VII in 1902, is a “personal gift” from the monarch to Chretien for his public service.
Only two other Canadian prime ministers have been members: William Lyon Mackenzie King and Lester Pearson.
“He becomes a member of a very, very exclusive club. It’s a tribute to all of Canada as well as the individual,” said Eddie Goldenberg, Chretien’s senior policy adviser from 1993 to 2003.
The Order of Merit has only 24 full members at a time, and occasionally foreign recipients are added. Chretien will become a full, or “substantive” member, alongside notables such as former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher; soprano Dame Joan Sutherland; director/actor Richard Attenborough; and The Duke of Edinburgh. Nelson Mandela is an honorary member.
Past honourees include war nurse Florence Nightingale, poet T.S. Eliot and former British prime minister Winston Churchill.
Foreign recipients have included Albert Schweitzer, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Mother Teresa.
It’s easy to see why the Queen has singled out Chretien, University of Ottawa history professor Michael Behiels said. “She saw him as a politician who was a man of the people. He never made a derogatory remark about the monarchy.”
One of their earlier meetings took place when the Queen toured the North while Chretien was minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, Goldenberg said. The relationship grew over decades and dozens of meetings.
“They always spoke French,” Goldenberg said. “He was always a little surprised at that.”
Buckingham Palace wouldn’t say which achievements the former prime minister was honoured for, but Behiels pointed to Chretien’s roles in patriating the Constitution and fighting separatism.
While the award is often conferred at Buckingham Palace, the monarch may perform the ceremony elsewhere. Queen Elizabeth is to visit Canada around mid-2010, and Pogson did not rule out the possibility the ceremony could take place then.
Queen names Chretien to exclusive order.
Goldenberg said when he spoke with Chretien Sunday, the former prime minister joked about how two brothers from Shawinigan had now achieved top honours in Britain.
“Put politics side, it’s quite a remarkable achievement for a family where his dad had three jobs as a labourer to get the kids through university,” Goldenberg said.
http://www.ottawasun.com/news/canada/2009/07/13/10116796.html
christina.spencer@sunmedia.ca
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Florence Nightingale, poet T.S. Eliot and former British prime minister Winston Churchill,even Nelson Mandela!
BUT The t'is gar from Shawinagan?
Has the world gone mad?
Our former Prime-minister after scandal after scandal is given such a prestigious award ? Are their not more fitting Canadians that deserve it more than Chretien?
The major controversy of the Chrétien years was the sponsorship scandal, which involved hundreds of millions of dollars hastily scattered from the PMO all over Quebec's federalist and Liberal Party interests, without much accountability.
And let's not Forget.In 2000, after initial denials, he acknowledged having lobbied the Business Development Bank of Canada to grant a $2 million loan to Yvon Duhaime, a friend and constituent to whom the Prime Minister stated that he had sold his interest in a local hotel and golf resort, eventually providing evidence of the sale - a contract written on a cocktail napkin.
The order of merit is the HIGHEST honor you can receive from the Queen.
Are their not more deserving Canadians out there?
PS:
Also this is the same PM who devastated the military funding, leaving our troops to show up in uniforms of the wrong colour, with vehicles several decades old. In fact, many of our soldiers' deaths should be, in my opinion, blamed on his government, for canceling the contract that would have given them the much-needed equipment
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Green Brain on -
While I don't know a great deal about Chretien - above and beyond the common knowledge - you seem well informed and write convincingly.
So... who would you name as a more deserving and timely Canadian candidate and why?
Just curious!
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Permalink Reply by michael bennett on -
Very difficult question to answer.Apparently HM queen Elizabeth has been pondering this question on naming Chretien since 2009.Ironically the announcement was made after she was invited to Canada in 2010.Political move? Maybe?
I am not sure Mr.Harper would have invited her if the announcement was made before the invite.And he will be presented with the award during her visit.However one name came to mind.
Robert N. Munsch !Currently lives in Guelph, Ontario.
His book, "Love You Forever", is the #1 best-selling children's book of all time.
Studied to be a Jesuit priest for 7 years before switching to writing.
Born in Pittsburgh but revoked his American citizenship to become Canadian.
Bases the characters in his stories on real children.
Has published 42 children's books.
He was awarded the C.M.(Member of the Order of Canada) on April 15, 1999 for his services to Canadian Children's Literature.These are some of his achievements.
A Promise is a Promise
Aaron's Hair
Alligator Baby
Andrew's Loose Tooth
Angela's Airplane
David's Father
From Far Away
Get Me Another One
Get Out of Bed
Good Families Don't
I Have To Go
Jonathan Cleaned Up...
Love You Forever
Millicent and The Wind
MMM, Cookies
Moira's Birthday
Mortimer
Mud Puddle
Munschworks 2, The Second Munsch Treasury
Munschworks, The First Munsch Collection
Murmel Murmel Murmel
Pigs!
Purple Green and Yellow
Ribbon Rescue
Show and Tell
Something Good
Stephanie's Ponytail
The Boy in the Drawer
The Dark
The Fire Station
The Giant
The Paper Bag Princess
Thomas' Snowsuit
Wait and See
We Share EVERYTHING!
Where is Gah-Ning? ,
.50 Below Zero
I never thought I would ever think of a childrens writer for an award like this.However giving it some thought the best thing about innocence is a child with a healthy imagination.and Robert has been on the for front of helping mold childrens imaginations.
Green Brain said:While I don't know a great deal about Chretien - above and beyond the common knowledge - you seem well informed and write convincingly.
So... who would you name as a more deserving and timely Canadian candidate and why?
Just curious!
-
Permalink Reply by Green Brain on
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Yes, I was born in the 80's, my mother raised me on Robert Munsch.
Undoubtedly, works such as those do an unmeasurable amount of good for the psyche of a generation. In a sense, people like Robert Munsch will potentially always be unsung heroes... maybe not unsung, but most likely always undervalued; their achievements always underestimated. It is just so hard to quantify the affect something like a new brand of children's literature will have in the long run.
I would be so bold as to agree with you, that extending the Order of Merit to Chretien is absolutely a political move... Chretien was a Prime Minister, his moves were BIG, tangible, symbolic. There is definitely a drop of romanticism in the whole ordeal. Maybe those who can see through broad-sweeping attention garnering arguably outdated Merits such as this, should simply shrug.
The important thing is not to make sure Chretien is exposed for his scandals, but maybe to make sure people like Robert Munsch are remembered.
Of course, my generation (which grew up on Robert Munsch) doesn't really give a damn what the Queen does...
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Permalink Reply by michael bennett on
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I understand the younger generations thoughts on HM.Queen Elizabeth.However I liken this honour given to Chretien in the same category as Henry Morgentaler receiving the order of Canada or Al Gore receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.
"Morgentaler was named to the Order of Canada on July 1, 2008, recognized "for his commitment to increased health care options for women, his determined efforts to influence Canadian public policy and his leadership in humanist and civil liberties organizations."MAD I SAY!-JUST MAD!
Green Brain said:Yes, I was born in the 80's, my mother raised me on Robert Munsch.
Undoubtedly, works such as those do an unmeasurable amount of good for the psyche of a generation. In a sense, people like Robert Munsch will potentially always be unsung heroes... maybe not unsung, but most likely always undervalued; their achievements always underestimated. It is just so hard to quantify the affect something like a new brand of children's literature will have in the long run.
I would be so bold as to agree with you, that extending the Order of Merit to Chretien is absolutely a political move... Chretien was a Prime Minister, his moves were BIG, tangible, symbolic. There is definitely a drop of romanticism in the whole ordeal. Maybe those who can see through broad-sweeping attention garnering arguably outdated Merits such as this, should simply shrug.
The important thing is not to make sure Chretien is exposed for his scandals, but maybe to make sure people like Robert Munsch are remembered.
Of course, my generation (which grew up on Robert Munsch) doesn't really give a damn what the Queen does...
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