Fields such as finance, engineering, law, education, healthcare, arts, and social services are prominent among the 83 latest appointments to the Order of Canada. Genealogy is not explicitly mentioned. Four mention history.
David Gordon Ben, C.M.
Toronto, Ontario
David Ben is one of the finest sleight-of-hand artists in the world. An influential figure in Canadian performance art, he has spent more than four decades exploring, developing, performing and preserving magic at home and abroad. Devoted to sharing wonder, he has written important books on the history of magic and its greatest practitioners. He also co-founded Magicana, a world-renowned arts organization dedicated to the exploration and advancement of magic.
John Terry Copp, C.M.
Elora, Ontario
Terry Copp has nurtured Canadians’ understanding of our history. Professor emeritus at Wilfrid Laurier University, and the founder and director emeritus of the Laurier Centre for Military and Strategic Disarmament Studies, he fostered a rich community of scholarship and cemented Canada’s role in the Second World War. His ongoing work is a legacy to future generations and their knowledge of our past. https://terrycopp.com/
William Anthony Fox, C.M.
Peterborough, Ontario
William Fox is one of Canada’s foremost authorities on archaeology. A research fellow and adjunct professor at Trent University, this retired public servant and long-standing leader of the Ontario Archaeological Society devoted his career to advancing knowledge of Canada’s archaeological past. He was among the first to advocate the participation of Indigenous communities in preserving their material heritage, thus broadening our understanding of Canadian history.
Sylvia D. Hamilton, C.M., O.N.S.
Grand Pre, Nova Scotia
Sylvia D. Hamilton is an esteemed filmmaker, writer, poet and artist based in Nova Scotia. Her award-winning films have premiered at festivals in Canada and abroad, and are taught extensively in schools and universities across the country. Her groundbreaking body of work documents the struggles and contributions of African Canadians, particularly Black women, and have helped to enrich and reframe conceptions of Canadian history.
Here’s an (almost) complete listing of contents of the July 2024 issue.
ScotlandsPeople has significantly expanded its online archive by adding nearly 4,000 new volumes of Church of Scotland records, over 3,000 Kirk session records and documents from presbyteries, synods, and the General Assembly. They’re free.
As Britain decreased its military following WW2 and withdrew from its colonies, the strength of its forces decreased. So did the number added to the Roll of Honour.