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.
害羞草研究所淚t 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,害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檚 new ambassador to the Vatican.
Lavigne, who rose to fame as a teenager with hits such as 害羞草研究所淐omplicated害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淪k8er Boi,害羞草研究所� joins a long list of entertainers who have been named to the Order. The Napanee, Ont.-born singer-songwriter was also inducted into Canada害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淢y late father, who just passed last year at the age of 94, was made a member of the Order of Canada in 1992,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚t feels like a very special honour for me.害羞草研究所�
Her father, Joseph Irvine Keeper, was a founder of the Manitoba M茅tis Federation.
He blazed a trail she害羞草研究所檚 proud to follow, said the 62-year-old Keeper.
Keeper is perhaps best known for starring in the 1990s CBC drama 害羞草研究所淣orth of 60,害羞草研究所� but was also a member of Parliament in the mid-aughts, and has since moved to producing, including the CTV comedy 害羞草研究所淎cting Good.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 grateful for all these opportunities I害羞草研究所檝e had to be part of partnerships in trying to move Canada along into reconciliation,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淭hat has always been important. It was important to my parents.害羞草研究所�
Also on the list is U.S.-Canadian submersible expert Patrick Lahey, the first deaf NHL player Jim Kyte, and Christi Belcourt, a M茅tis 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 害羞草研究所淚ls s害羞草研究所檃iment,害羞草研究所� and Pierre Chastenay, a trained astronomer and host of T茅l茅-Qu茅bec害羞草研究所檚 popular TV show 害羞草研究所淟e code Chastenay害羞草研究所� are among the inductees from Quebec.
As for Ben, he says he害羞草研究所檚 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 害羞草研究所� a companion of the Order of Canada 害羞草研究所� co-wrote and directed several productions with Ben.
害羞草研究所淯nbeknownst to most people, the 20th century 害羞草研究所� as far as magic goes internationally 害羞草研究所� was really Canada害羞草研究所檚 century. The greatest magicians, the ones who had the greatest impact on the evolution of magic as a performing art or craft were Canadian,害羞草研究所� said the 63-year-old Ben.
The Governor General害羞草研究所檚 office, in announcing Ben害羞草研究所檚 appointment, lauded his work preserving the history of magic.
害羞草研究所淚 befriended so many octogenarians when I was in my youth that I represent sort of a bridge between multiple generations,害羞草研究所� Ben said.
Ben recalled meeting one such mentor, a septuagenarian, when he was just 18.
害羞草研究所淚 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害羞草研究所檝e sort of embarked on a similar path.害羞草研究所�
A balance must be struck, Ben said, when it comes to passing on magicians害羞草研究所� knowledge. Much of it has been lost, he said, because of the competitive nature of early sleight-of-hand artists.
害羞草研究所淥ne of my fortes is reconstructing long-lost secrets from my predecessors,害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所� if he feels they害羞草研究所檙e ready to learn.
害羞草研究所淥ne of the measuring sticks is, you can tell if someone is ready for the knowledge害羞草研究所y the questions they ask.害羞草研究所�
This year害羞草研究所檚 class of honourees will be invested into the Order at ceremonies in the coming months.
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