Two Former Members Removed from the Order of Canada
Introduction
Governor General Mary Simon has approved the removal of two people from the Order of Canada after they faced legal and professional penalties.
Main Body
The decision to end these appointments was published in the Canada Gazette following advice from the Order of Canada's advisory council. The first person removed is Peter Dalglish, who founded Street Kids International and joined the Order in 2016. Mr. Dalglish was removed because he was convicted in 2019 in Nepal for the sexual assault of two children, which led to a sixteen-year prison sentence. At the same time, the appointment of Jacques Lamarre, the former CEO of SNC-Lavalin and a member since 2005, was cancelled. This happened after a professional engineering body in Quebec determined that Mr. Lamarre was involved in corruption and illegal agreements, specifically regarding payments to Saadi Gadhafi. As a result, the regulatory body took away his professional license and fined him $75,000. Rideau Hall emphasized that removing such honours is an unusual step, used only when a person's behavior does not meet the society's high standards. Although this rarely happens, other famous people like Conrad Black and Buffy Sainte-Marie have also lost their honours in the past. These changes occurred just before Louise Arbour took over from Governor General Simon on June 8.
Conclusion
Two former members have lost their Order of Canada honours due to criminal convictions and professional misconduct.
Learning
🚀 From 'Bad Things' to 'Professional Misconduct'
An A2 student says: "He did something bad and the police caught him."
To reach B2, you need to move away from general words (bad, thing, caught) and use Precise Action Verbs. This article is a goldmine for shifting your vocabulary from 'everyday' to 'formal/professional.'
🛠 The Power Shift: Upgrade Your Verbs
| A2 Level (Simple) | B2 Level (Precise) | Context from Text |
|---|---|---|
| To take away | To remove / To cancel | "...approved the removal of two people" |
| To be found guilty | To be convicted | "...he was convicted in 2019" |
| To give a punishment | To penalize / To fine | "...faced legal and professional penalties" |
| To start a group | To found | "...who founded Street Kids International" |
💡 The "B2 Logic": Nominalization
Notice how the text doesn't just say "they were penalized" (verb). It says "they faced legal and professional penalties" (noun).
Why this matters: Using nouns to describe actions (Nominalization) makes you sound more objective and academic. It is the secret ingredient for passing B2 exams.
Example Transformation:
- A2: He was corrupt and the body fined him. (Simple cause/effect)
- B2: The regulatory body imposed a fine due to his involvement in corruption. (Sophisticated structure)
⚠️ Quick Tip: "Former" vs "Past"
Don't just say "the old CEO." Use Former.
- "The former CEO of SNC-Lavalin" This implies they once held the position but no longer do. It is the standard professional term for B2-level biographies.