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Alanis Obomsawin and Mitch Garber were among 16 Quebecers and 83 Canadians whose achievements were recognized by the Order of Canada on Thursday.

Obomsawin has been here before. In 1983, the Abenaki filmmaker was named a Member of the Order of Canada for her engaged documentaries about the Indigenous experience.

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In 2002, she graduated to Officer of the Order of Canada; and now Obomsawin is set to become a Companion of the Order of Canada, the highest rank of the Order under the Governor General.

Obomsawin is one of five Companions announced by the Governor General on Thursday, alongside Indigenous singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie of Saskatchewan and Montreal mathematician Robert Phelan Langlands. Also named were 21 Officers, one Honorary Officer and 57 Members.

Recipients will be invited to accept their insignia at a ceremony to be held at a later date.

“To tell you the truth, I didn’t know there were different ranks,” Obomsawin said, reached at her office at the National Film Board. “So when this person phoned to tell me, I said, ‘There must be a mistake, I’ve already received it.’ She said, ‘No, this is higher.’