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Awards unmerited

Chrétien will be remembered for many things — the sponsorship scandal, the Shawinigan handshake, the pie in the face — but certainly not for his merit.

Former prime minister Jean Chrétien is the latest recipient of the supposedly prestigious Order of Merit — an honour bestowed by the British Sovereign for great achievement in the arts, learning, literature and science.

When asked by Toronto Star reporters why he was appointed to the order, Chrétien responded: “they were impressed by the fact that I served Canada for 40 years.”

Since when has punching the clock for the federal government for 40 years deserved recognition from the British Monarchy?

Chrétien will be the fourth Canadian to be accepted into the Order. He stands among giants such as former prime minister and Order member William Lyon Mackenzie King. King served as prime minister for 21 years and led the nation from a colony to an independent nation.

Chrétien had an amusing accent.

Also among the list of past recipients is Florence Nightingale, who pioneered the evolution of nurses from lowly doctor’s servants to esteemed medical assistants and contributed to the early feminist movement.

Chrétien throttled a protestor in Hull.

While it is amusing to berate Chrétien’s meagre accomplishments, the award brings to surface a more serious issue — the decreasing respect for once prestigious honours.

As an elite award limited to 24 living members, the Order of Merit is not something to be taken lightly. Past recipients also include Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela and T.S. Eliot.

Looking at the latest recipient, however, it seems to have become a petty title given away to any popular public figure — disregarding what they may or may not have accomplished.

This trend isn’t exclusive to the Order of Merit. The controversial awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Barack Obama is only another recent example of the decreasing value behind public awards.

It brings to mind the question — are the requirements for these esteemed awards relaxing, or are there simply fewer candidates than there once were?

Looking back on the 21st century, it seems to be much easier to call to mind the names of dictators, warlords and fear-mongering politicians than any celebrated individuals who have led the world towards positive change.

So perhaps it is not the award committees we should criticize, but ourselves. If our politicians seem dwarfed by history’s innovative leaders, then it is time we let them know.

Especially as well-educated students, it is also important we scrutinize ourselves as the leaders of tomorrow. If our parents’ and grandparents’ generations did not provide the world with leaders worthy of honour, then so be it  — but we will.

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