Mohamed Fakih appointed to the Order of Canada

Mohamad Fakih has been appointed to the Order of Canada for his business and community leadership, and for his philanthropic involvement in his community and abroad.

The Lebanese-Canadian businessman is the well-known owner of the Paramount Fine Foods restaurant chain that he grew from a single shop to 80 locations worldwide. He is well regarded for his many charitable acts.

"This is something that actually confirms someone's legacy," Fakih told CBC News. "When the country that you came to for a better life and for yourself and your family, not only accepts you, not only celebrates you, but awards the highest honour."

"I couldn't stop the tears, and I couldn't stop smiling at the same time because I really always wanted to serve this country properly," he said. "Even if I got the Order of Canada, a lot of people around me deserve to celebrate with me."

“Congratulations to Mohamad Fakih for receiving the highest civilian Canadian honour. It’s heartening to see you being recognized for your incredible leadership,” said Federal Minister Omar Alghabra on social media.

"Mohamad Fakih stands as a shining example of what can be achieved if you work hard, put your community first and stand up for injustice and discrimination," said Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie. "Today, I join #Mississauga in congratulating @mohamadfakih8 for being recognized with the #OrderofCanada, Canada’s highest honour."

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, announced 135 appointments to the Order of Canada. The new appointees include 2 Companions (C.C.), 39 Officers (O.C.), 1 honorary Member and 93 Members (C.M.).

“Canada is defined by the people that make up this great country. These most recent nominees to the Order of Canada are shining examples of the commitment and outstanding contributions Canadians have made to the well-being of communities throughout this land, whether it be social, environmental, scientific, economic, cultural or related to mental and physical health. To all of the nominees, congratulations and thank you,” said Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada.

The Order of Canada is one of the country’s highest honours. Created in 1967, it honours people whose service shapes our society, whose innovations ignite our imaginations and whose compassion unites our communities.

The Order of Canada

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon has appointed the following people, who were recommended for appointment by the Advisory Council of the Order of Canada:

Companions of the Order of Canada

• Yann Martel
• The Honourable Murray Sinclair

Officers of the Order of Canada

• Mehran Anvari
• Carl-Éric Aubin
• Neil Devindra Bissoondath
• Liona Boyd (This is a promotion within the order)
• Barry D. Bultz
• Pieter Cullis
• Navjeet Singh Dhillon
• The Honourable Lillian Eva Quan Dyck
• Connie J. Eaves
• The Honourable David Ross Fitzpatrick
• Geoffrey T. Fong
• Evelyn L. Forget
• The Honourable Justice Hugh L. Fraser
• Victoria Grant
• Margo Lainne Greenwood
• Frances Henry
• Tomson Highway (This is a promotion within the order)
• C. Céleste Johnston
• Vaikuntam Iyer Lakshmanan
• Frederick A. Leighton
• J. Roger Léveillé
• Patricia Livingston
• Alejandro G. Marangoni.
• Roderick R. McInnes (This is a promotion within the order)
• Donald Chisholm McKenzie
• Former national chief Ovide William Mercredi
• Jacques Yves Montplaisir
• Helene Polatajko
• Edward J. Ratushny
• Jean Riley Senft
• Graham David Sher
• Helga Stephenson
• Angela Swan
• Ian Tamblyn
• Carol M. Tator
• D. R. Fraser Taylor
• Louise Trottier
• Verena Tunnicliffe
• Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond

Honorary Member of the Order of Canada

• Jackie Richardson (This is an honorary appointment)

Members of the Order of Canada

• Harold Bassford
• Francine Bois
• Mary Ruth Brooks
• Ann Buller
• Judy Cameron
• The Honourable Sandra Chapnik
• Deborah Chatsis
• Ralph Chiodo
• Lily Siewsan Chow
• Elder Ruth Christie
• Michael Patrick Collins
• Gail Cyr
• Sharon Davis-Murdoch
• Janis Dunning and Jacques Lemay
• Max T. Eisen
• Robert Eisenberg
• John Estacio
• Charlie Kakotok Evalik
• Mohamad Fakih
• Graham Farquharson
• Patricia M. Feheley
• Eleanor N. Fish
• Gerald Friesen
• Rabbi Baruch Frydman-Kohl
• Janice R. Fukakusa
• Leo Joel Goldhar
• Morris Goodman
• Walter N. Hardy
• Lucille Harper
• Jane Heyman
• Jean Houde
• William Arthur Humber
• Lawson A. W. Hunter
• Kenneth W. Knox
• Vahan Kololian
• Olga Eliza Korper
• Marc Labrèche
• Gilbert Lacasse
• Yves Lambert
• Barbara Landau
• Gerald Andrew Edward Lawrence
• Pierre Legendre
• Jacques Lemay and Janis Dunning
• Rose Lipszyc
• Allan S. MacDonald
• Andrew Paul MacDonald
• Eric Ross Macdonald Haldenby
• Nona Macdonald Heaslip
• Joy Kathryn MacPhail
• Ginette Mantha
• Gregory Marchildon
• Elizabeth McGregor
• Robert Duff McKeown
• Pradeep Merchant
• Pamela J. Minns
• John Morrisseau
• Duff David Mostoway Roman
• Kevin Murphy
• Kathy Murphy
• Ralph Nilson
• Janice O'Born
• Eva Olsson
• Barbara A. Paterson
• Asger Rye Pedersen
• W. Roman Petryshyn
• Robin Poitras
• Lynn Posluns
• Alexander Reford
• Léo Robert
• Hazel Robinson
• John Robinson
• David Roche
• Reginald Schwager
• Harvey Lyon Secter
• Robert Irwin Silver
• Robert Small
• Barry Smit
• Diane Sowden
• Harriet H. Stairs
• Sharon Elizabeth Straus
• Barbara G. Stymiest
• Bruny Surin
• Curtis A. Suttle
• Cara Tannenbaum
• George M. Thomson
• Jean-Marie Toulouse
• Peter Vaughan
• Gilles Vincent
• Luc Vinet
• Janet Walker
• Vaughn Wyant
• Peter Zandstra
• David Zussman