Article content

One unexpected line item in Tuesday’s federal budget was a $13.4 million set aside over five years for reforming Canada’s honours system – that is, the way in which Canadians are inducted into the Order of Canada and other citations.

No details about the planned reforms could be found in the budget documentation. It simply explained that the changes will bring the award “closer to all Canadians.”

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or The Gargoyle - Could Budget 2015 score an Order of Canada for Don Cherry? Back to video

“These enhancements include increasing the number of nominations to the Order of Canada from under-represented sectors and modernizing eligibility and selection criteria for a number of other honours and awards,” the document says.

The key language might be “under-represented sectors.” Some critics believe the Order has disproportionately gone to elite artsy swells while those who do the heavy lifting of Canadian progress – business leaders, community builders – are overlooked.

Possibly, there are regional grievances driving this surprise initiative, too. A Citizen analysis (see below) in 2011 found that far fewer Orders went to worthies in the Conservative heartland of Western Canada than in Atlantic Canada, on a per capita basis. Indeed, Atlantic Canadians were twice as likely to get the gong than those in Alberta, B.C., Manitoba or Saskatchewan.