Canada害羞草研究所檚 Walk of Fame adds environmentalist David Suzuki, sprinter Donovan Bailey, and actress Anna Paquin to its ranks tonight with a splashy gala.

The annual bash will also posthumously induct civil-rights pioneer Viola Desmond, business leader Ted Rogers, and country crooner Stompin害羞草研究所� Tom Connors.

Suzuki says he害羞草研究所檒l be thinking of his late parents as he accepts the honour, which recognizes his efforts to champion the environment while making science accessible to average Canadians.

The 81-year-old says the issues facing the planet are as urgent as ever, and he urges Canadians to embrace sustainable living.

This year害羞草研究所檚 gala is expected to be broadcast next year, but a spokesman says no date has yet been set.

Global will air a one-hour retrospective special Dec. 3, hosted by 害羞草研究所淲ill & Grace害羞草研究所� star Eric McCormack.

害羞草研究所淚 wish my mom and dad were here. They were Canadian born-and-raised all their lives and yet when (the Second World War) came they lost all rights of citizenship and were shipped out of Vancouver and kept in camps for three years,害羞草研究所� says Suzuki, whose family later moved to Ontario.

害羞草研究所淚 wish they were alive to see what Canada has become in that time.害羞草研究所�

Suzuki is an outspoken activist for numerous causes including his Vancouver-based research and advocacy group, the David Suzuki Foundation. But the longtime host of CBC-TV害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淭he Nature of Things害羞草研究所� says he害羞草研究所檚 proudest of making science appealing and accessible to average people.

害羞草研究所淚 tried to make it as popular as possible,害羞草研究所� he says.

害羞草研究所淢y father was my biggest fan but also my biggest critic and he watched all the stuff I did and he would call me and say, 害羞草研究所楲ook, I害羞草研究所檓 your father, I love you, but I have to tell you I didn害羞草研究所檛 understand that at all and if I can害羞草研究所檛 understand it, how do you expect Joe Blow to understand? You害羞草研究所檝e got to do better.害羞草研究所� I always think of my father when I害羞草研究所檓 looking at that camera.害羞草研究所�

Suzuki says the current state of the environment is 害羞草研究所渧ery sad and depressing.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淔or over 40 years, the leading scientists have been telling us we害羞草研究所檙e heading on a dangerous path, we害羞草研究所檝e got to change direction. But now, politics and economics interfere and we害羞草研究所檙e not paying attention to what was the survival strategy of our species, which was foresight. Now we say, 害羞草研究所楴o, no, no, we can害羞草研究所檛 afford that, it害羞草研究所檒l cost too much,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 says Suzuki.

害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 have much time and we can害羞草研究所檛 wait for everybody to buy an electric car and take public transit. We害羞草研究所檝e all got to do those things but we also need politicians to make big decisions now.害羞草研究所�

This year害羞草研究所檚 Canada害羞草研究所檚 Walk of Fame additions bring the number of inductees to 173.

The Canadian Press

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