Michael J. Fox promoted as one of 61 newly announced appointments within the Order of Canada

Canadian-born actor Michael J. Fox, best known for playing Marty McFly in the 1985 film Back to the Future and its sequels, and best known on television for playing Alex P. Keaton on the 1980s sitcom Family Ties, has been honored by the Order of Canada for his work on Parkinson’s disease, a neurological disorder he has lived with since he was 29 years old.

“Michael J. Fox is entering a remarkable chapter in his life, combining selective acting, powerful global advocacy and unflinching honesty about Parkinson’s disease,” the Rideau Hall citation said of Mr. Fox, who is one of 61 new appointments to the Order of Canada announced Friday.

Mr. Fox, 65, was first appointed as an officer of the Order of Merit in 2010, and there is a provision within the Order for promotion based on continued outstanding performance. With this appointment, Mr. Fox has been promoted to Companion.

The Order of Canada consists of three grades: Companion, Officer, and Member, and is considered for promotion five years after the last appointment.

This year’s award noted that Fox, who was born in Edmonton and raised in Burnaby, British Columbia, has promoted innovative research through the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which he founded in 2000, nine years after he was diagnosed with the neurological disorder.

The citation also noted that Foxx has inspired millions of people through his writing, public speaking, and the acclaimed 2023 documentary “Still,” about Foxx’s battle with Parkinson’s disease.

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In an interview Thursday, Fox said the new Order of Canada honor was humbling in the deepest sense of the word and that he would return to Rideau Hall to receive the promotion.

“I recognize that what I did meant something to people, and I respect that and I appreciate that,” Fox said. “I love Canada and I love being part of the Canadian experience.”

He said he also loves America. “It’s very good for me, but I’m Canadian, I wake up in the morning as a Canadian, I go to sleep as a Canadian, and in between I watch hockey,” he said.

Regarding the citation’s reference to “unflinching integrity” in relation to dealing with Parkinson’s disease, Fox said there was no other choice.

“That’s the reality. I think that’s another Canadian characteristic. I think acceptance is the key to dealing with Parkinson’s disease,” he said. “Even if you can accept it, that doesn’t mean you aren’t determined to change it.

“It means you understand what it is. You know what it is and you’re honest about it. You can be optimistic and be a realist.”

Others promoted this year include Christine Sinclair, a well-known Vancouver soccer player who led Team Canada to its first-ever Olympic gold medal and served as a “strong champion” for the advancement of women’s sports.

Singer-songwriter Lorena McKennitt was promoted to officer for representing Canadian culture at home and abroad and supporting military families and reconciliation efforts.

Friday’s announcement featured a total of five promotions within the order. Four companions, 19 officers and 38 members were named, in addition to the approximately 8,800 people appointed or promoted within the order since its founding in 1967.

Friday’s appointments were announced by Governor-General Louise Arbor, who took office this month as King Charles’ representative in Canada, but a statement from Rideau Hall said they were selected by Arbor’s predecessor, Mary Simon.

Simon made the appointment on April 17 based on the recommendations of the advisory committee for the order, one of Canada’s most high-profile honors, the statement said.

Still, Arbor spoke about the moment. “It is my first honor as governor general and I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the new appointees,” she said in a written statement.

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Several members of Canada’s Black community were recognized this year. That includes Corinne Sparks, Nova Scotia’s first black judge and Canada’s first black female judge. Also recognized was Montreal’s Juanita Westmoreland-Traoré, Quebec’s first black judge and Canada’s first black law dean. Others include Gordon Earle, Nova Scotia’s first MP and human rights activist, and Duane D.O. Gibson, a Toronto-based hip-hop artist, author and educator.

Mayan Francis, Nova Scotia’s first black lieutenant governor, was also appointed. “I am extremely honored and delighted to have been appointed to the Order of Canada,” Francis said in a statement.

Actor Philip Akin was nominated for the medal, which honors him for nearly 50 years of stage and film accomplishments, for his work as a performer and producer by example. “He influenced many lives at a time when there were very few black performers on Canadian television,” his award statement said, and also recognized him for founding Obsidian Theater, which produces plays that primarily focus on the work of black playwrights.

Akin joked in an interview that describing the order as a vindication might sound a little harsh. “In my heart, I always knew what I was doing was the right thing and I didn’t need anyone else’s approval,” he said. “It’s amazing that it came.”

He added, “I truly believe in the empowerment and growth of black artists in this country and in leaving a legacy behind.”

Those named to the medal include Yvan Cournoyer, who played 16 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens and was credited with helping the team win 10 Stanley Cups. He was appointed to the board. “He also distinguished himself through his community and philanthropic efforts,” the citation said.

Mr. Cournoyer was surprised when Rideau Hall called him to tell him the news. “It’s amazing. I thought, ‘Wow, what an honor,'” he said in an interview. He quipped that this honor would effectively be his 11th Stanley Cup.

Other appointments include Bishop Andrew Atagotaluk of Inukjuak, Kenya, the Anglican’s first Inuk diocese bishop. Acadian historian Clarence LeBreton, resident of Carakit, New Brunswick. Prince Edward Island entrepreneur Daniel Murphy, founder of hospitality company DP Murphy Group; Verna Caroline Williams of Ayyansh, British Columbia, is credited with revitalizing the Nisga’a language and traditional knowledge.

Former Sen. Charlie Watt was also there. He is an Inuit leader who founded both the Northern Quebec Inuit Association and the Makivik Corporation, which manages Inuit lands in Quebec.

“Throughout his 34-year career as a senator, he championed Indigenous rights and brought Inuktitut to the floor,” his citation reads.

Franco-Ontarian community leader Treva Cousineau is described in her award as a “tireless activist” who has spent more than 60 years defending and promoting Canada’s Francophone community locally, provincially, nationally and internationally.

Christopher Gaze, founding artistic director of Vancouver’s Bird on the Beach Shakespeare Festival, will be appointed to the Order of Canada for his work in building the festival into a major cultural force, championing support for youth, and strengthening British Columbia’s arts community through mentorship and public engagement.

“This is a magical moment in my life, and I am deeply grateful to everyone who has led the way and shown me the path,” Gaze said in a statement. “Theatre is my calling, my passion, and my joy, and it has been an honor to share this joy with so many Bard lovers, colleagues, and supporters throughout my long career in the theater.”

Rideau-Hall said new appointees to the Order will receive funding and receive their insignias at a ceremony to be held in due course.