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Order of Canada
Sunshine Coast Publisher Awarded Canada's Highest Honour
It was a quiet Monday morning when book publisher Howard White received a phone call from the Governor General's office in Ottawa, telling him he was going to receive Canada's highest civilian honour, the Order of Canada, which is awarded to acknowledge outstanding achievements and contributions to Canadian society.
"I was completely surprised. I didn't expect it at all," mused White. "But of course once the news sunk in I was absolutely delighted, it made me feel good all day long." White had to keep the information under wraps until the official announcement by Michaëlle Jean, the Governor General of Canada, on June 29.
Not only is White is the publisher and founder of Harbour Publishing--which has been operating in Pender Harbour since 1974--he is also the author of nine books and the editor of the award-winning Raincoast Chronicles series. But the publisher remains modest about his own accomplishments.
"In my case, this is a team award," says White. "This isn't for the half dozen or so books I wrote, this is for the 500 books by other people that Mary and I helped to bring into the world over the last thirty years. But they can't give the award to Bus Griffiths and Patrick Lane and Anne Cameron and Tom Wayman and Dan Francis and Jim Spilsbury and Clayton Mack and all 200 contributors to the The Encyclopedia of British Columbia, so they have to give it to me. But I accept it on behalf of all of our authors, and all of our publishing team. I am also deeply appreciative of my nominator, Ron MacIsaac, and those who advocated for me."
MacIsaac, who is a barrister in Victoria, BC, has been a fan of Howard White and Harbour Publishing for close to twenty years. "The impact of being made a member of the Order of Canada is the equivalent of being made a knight in the United Kingdom," says MacIsaac, who practiced law in the British Crown Colony of Grand Cayman Island. "There, people of Howard's stature are given knighthoods. I wanted to see him recognized. From now on, when I call him up, I'm going to call him Sir."
White was one of only six British Columbians to be appointed to the Order of Canada on June 29. Among 70 others receiving the Order of Canada at the same time will be former Prime Minister Jean Chretien, broadcaster Pamela Wallin, author Alistair Mcleod, golfer Mike Weir and rocker Tom Cochrane. The award will be presented at Rideau Hall in Ottawa later in the year.
It was a quiet Monday morning when book publisher Howard White received a phone call from the Governor General's office in Ottawa, telling him he was going to receive Canada's highest civilian honour, the Order of Canada, which is awarded to acknowledge outstanding achievements and contributions to Canadian society.
"I was completely surprised. I didn't expect it at all," mused White. "But of course once the news sunk in I was absolutely delighted, it made me feel good all day long." White had to keep the information under wraps until the official announcement by Michaëlle Jean, the Governor General of Canada, on June 29.
Not only is White is the publisher and founder of Harbour Publishing--which has been operating in Pender Harbour since 1974--he is also the author of nine books and the editor of the award-winning Raincoast Chronicles series. But the publisher remains modest about his own accomplishments.
"In my case, this is a team award," says White. "This isn't for the half dozen or so books I wrote, this is for the 500 books by other people that Mary and I helped to bring into the world over the last thirty years. But they can't give the award to Bus Griffiths and Patrick Lane and Anne Cameron and Tom Wayman and Dan Francis and Jim Spilsbury and Clayton Mack and all 200 contributors to the The Encyclopedia of British Columbia, so they have to give it to me. But I accept it on behalf of all of our authors, and all of our publishing team. I am also deeply appreciative of my nominator, Ron MacIsaac, and those who advocated for me."
MacIsaac, who is a barrister in Victoria, BC, has been a fan of Howard White and Harbour Publishing for close to twenty years. "The impact of being made a member of the Order of Canada is the equivalent of being made a knight in the United Kingdom," says MacIsaac, who practiced law in the British Crown Colony of Grand Cayman Island. "There, people of Howard's stature are given knighthoods. I wanted to see him recognized. From now on, when I call him up, I'm going to call him Sir."
White was one of only six British Columbians to be appointed to the Order of Canada on June 29. Among 70 others receiving the Order of Canada at the same time will be former Prime Minister Jean Chretien, broadcaster Pamela Wallin, author Alistair Mcleod, golfer Mike Weir and rocker Tom Cochrane. The award will be presented at Rideau Hall in Ottawa later in the year.
Submitted on July 3, 2007 in By David.
