Help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Order of Canada and get up-close-and-personal with some of Canada’s brightest minds and most inspiring leaders.
UBC President Santa J. Ono has invited BC’s 400+ Order of Canada recipients (OCs) to a daylong celebration of the Order of Canada’s 50th anniversary on November 29th, and UBC is extending this invitation to students in Grades 10, 11 and 12.
Through inspirational talks and interactive, intimate sessions, students can learn more about the personal decisions and choices that shaped the lives and careers of these remarkable Canadians who have followed their curiosity and passion.
If you are a high school teacher interested in bringing students, please complete the registration form.
Event Format | Evening Public Event | About the Order of Canada | Venue | Registration
Event format
9:00AM: School arrivals
9:30am: Intro and inspirational Talks
The day will begin with a welcome by VP, Research and Innovation, Gail Murphy, and TED-style talks by Jaymie Matthews (astronomer, UBC professor, and occasional TV personality) and Carole Taylor (journalist, former SFU Chancellor, and previous BC Minister of Finance) introducing the role and importance of the Order of Canada.
10:30am: Interactive Panel Discussions
Following the Talks, the classes will break out to more intimate OC panel discussions in which students will have the opportunity to make more personal connections with OC recipients and learn about their life decisions and career choices. In sharing their success stories of curiosity and persistence, the OCs will seek to demystify the process of achieving greatness in whatever pursuits your students undertake.
The interactive panels will contain OCs covering five themes — Arts, Social Activism, Sports, Business, and Science and Health. These themes will serve as a lens for the panels to discuss both the life lessons learned and the specific difficulties of their field. Schools are encouraged to submit questions in advance to help shape the discussions and to indicate any themes of particular interest.
Ultimately, the event is meant to provide students with the opportunity to meet the people behind the Order of Canada medal, and highlight the immense societal value that accrues when you follow your curiosity and passion.
11:45 aM: Event Ends
About the Order of Canada
Created in 1967, the Order of Canada, one of our country’s highest civilian honours, recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. Close to 7,000 people from all sectors of society have been invested into the Order. Their contributions are varied, yet they have all enriched the lives of others and have taken to heart the motto of the Order: DESIDERANTES MELIOREM PATRIAM (“They desire a better country”). Appointments are made by the governor general on the recommendation of the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada. Throughout the year, the Order of Canada’s 50th anniversary is being celebrated through a host of special initiatives and partnerships. To join the celebration, visit OC50.gg.ca and use the hashtag #OC50.
About the Venue
All events are hosted in the internationally renowned Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, based on UBC's Point Grey Campus.
Directions and Parking | Accessibility
Registration
*Registration will be opened on October 16 at 8:00 am.
As registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, and numbers will be restricted to venue capacity, we encourage you to register your intention to attend as soon as possible.
**Please note: We have reached capacity for this event and are currently taking registrations for our waitlist. We will contact you as soon as possible if we can accomodate your class but registration is not guaranteed.**
Process
- Provide the information in the form below
- You will receive a confirmation email that we can accommodate your class within three working days of form submission
- Attending classes will be sent full details of participating OC recipients and locations of their breakout sessions by late October
Please address any questions about registration or the event to Zac Zabawa.