The It's An Honour mobile exhibit opened its doors in North Bay for a two day visit on Monday. The tour introduces visitors to the Canadian System of Honours, which recognizes people for their extraordinary achievement, bravery, valour and service. PHOTO BY LIAM BERTI
Thanks to the Governor General of Canada, you can see the likes of Sidney Crosby, Chris Hadfield and Clara Hughes all in the same room.
Well, sort of.
The It’s An Honour travelling exhibit opened its doors in North Bay Monday morning in front of the Discovery North Bay Museum on Oak St., introducing visitors to the Canadian System of Honours, which recognizes people for their extraordinary achievement, bravery, valour and service.
“We are here to teach people about the honours system, to inspire people, instill pride and just share amazing stories with everyday people,” said Francois Grenier, road manager of the exhibit. “We’ve had people of all ages come to the exhibit, and even some recipients have come by.”
But above all else, according to the guides, the primary objective of the cross-country exhibit is to simply raise awareness about the country’s national honours and profile the extraordinary Canadians who have received the distinction.
The majority of the material inside the specially designed 1,000 sq. ft. trailer is in a multimedia format, allowing those who enter to take part in an interactive learning experience, as was exemplified by the group of 15 school-age children that were noticeably thrilled by a hologram message from Chris Hadfield.
Many actual medals and artifacts are also on display, including the Victoria Cross (Canada’s highest honour), the Order of Canada, and various other Decorations of Bravery and military decorations.
“I didn’t know how many medals and distinctions there were,” said North Bay resident Cynthia Jackson, who toured the exhibit with her son Sammy. “[My son] is very into medals, so getting him to see all the different combinations is very neat, I’m glad we stumbled upon it.”
The mobile exhibit is amidst a two-year tour of the country, primarily targeting towns of less than 100,000 people and visiting schools, community centres and special events along the way. The crew also said the tour aims to increase national pride prior to the country’s 150th anniversary in 2017.
Grenier and the rest of the crew have been on board since the tour began almost one year ago and plan to stick it out until the very end. He and the rest of the crew said the tour is a remarkable way to see their own country while inspiring its citizens along the way.
“Every town is a different thrill,” said Grenier. “Everyone has stories to share and special people to talk about.”
The exhibition’s is coming off a maintenance week in Sudbury after visiting five provinces, two territories and upwards of 70 communities since it set off last year. Next up after North Bay is Hunstville, Ont.
“Everybody, everywhere we go, has stories of accomplishments or achievements, whether it’s for bravery or volunteering, and it’s always a great example for the next generation,” said Grenier.
The Governor General of Canada, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, presents honours to hundreds of Canadians every year who are deemed worthy of recognition for their excellence, courage or exceptional dedication to service.
Anyone can nominate a deserving individual for the Order of Canada, Decorations for Bravery, Meritorious Service Decorations and the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award.
The exhibit will be open on Tuesday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and admission is free, allowing anyone the opportunity to learn more about their fellow Canadians who have been recognized by the system.
