All around us, Montrealers are making their mark with outstanding contributions to our city’s reputation. Whether in culture, the economy, the community, science or entrepreneurship, we all know someone who deserves to be honoured.
On May 17, as we celebrate the 375th anniversary of Montréal, 17 Montréal luminaries will be recognized for their achievements by receiving the Order of Montréal, a new honour created by the Ville de Montréal as part of the legacy of this anniversary. What could be more exciting than being part of the nomination process?
Here are a few tips to do just that. You can submit any name except for your own. Candidates can be Montrealers1 by birth or by adoption. If they weren’t born here, they have to have put down roots and spent at least five years living in the city. Two people need to support your nomination for it to be eligible. Once you have this information together, simply fill out the form on the Order of Montréal website by October 31.
For the first edition of the Order, the nominations committee will be chaired by none other than renowned international attorney and judge, the Honourable Louise Arbour, and the explorer and mountain climber Bernard Voyer. Based on the committee’s recommendations, the executive committee will then choose the honourees for one of the three ranks of the Order of Montréal: commander – three awarded per year; officer – six per year; and knight – eight per year.
Each rank has its own medal. And the medals have their own story. The Order of Montréal is an honour created by and for Montrealers. This is why Mayor Denis Coderre issued a call to create the insignias. Jacques Desbiens, a young industrial designer, was the winner.
The face of the medals shows the Island of Montréal, surrounded by converging lines suggesting its contemporary diversity, vitality and influence. The back of the medal depicts the four floral emblems of the city, with Montréal’s motto below: Concordia Salus, which means salvation through harmony, or, more plainly, the sense of community one finds in Montréal.
This is a newly established tradition, and the Board of Trade encourages the business community to nominate a deserving candidate.
Find out more about the Order of Montréal