Twain tops success stories in Order of Canada lineup
 

Sat, November 19, 2005

By STEPHEN THORNE, CP


OTTAWA -- Shania Twain has auctioned off many of her awards for charity, but this one she'll keep.

Hailed for a legendary rags-to-riches saga that has inspired millions, the country singer from Timmins led a parade of Canadian success stories to Rideau Hall yesterday to receive the Order of Canada.

She was joined by speed skater Catriona Le May Doan, environmentalist Elizabeth May, chocolatier David Ganong and former Ontario lieutenant-governor Hilary Weston, along with 38 others.

Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean made the presentations, which included 18 officers and 25 members of the order recognizing people who have made a difference to Canada.

"The rags-to-riches story of Canadian superstar Shania Twain has become legendary," said the citation making Twain an officer.

The citation said Twain was instilled with a strong sense of pride by her family, despite living in poverty. Even as a child, it said, music played an important role in her day-to-day life.

"Today, she enjoys enormous success, yet she remains true to her roots," said the citation.

"Dedicated to eliminating child hunger, she supports a number of food distribution agencies like food banks and breakfast programs in schools."

Twain has won Grammys, Junos and Country Music Association Awards, but yesterday she was clearly humbled by what she called "a life-changing experience."

She said sharing the stage with physicists, environmentalists, artists, activists and researchers fostered "a better understanding and a greater pride in the people of Canada."

"I was surprised, and I was very humbled," Twain said. "I'm not sure it's somewhere I belonged. I'm not even sure I'm quite deserving."

She said she will always cherish the red-and-white medal as something more than an award, something that acknowledges her contributions not merely as a performer but as a Canadian.

Le May Doan of Calgary was invested as an officer after winning two Olympic golds, volunteering and acting as a role model.

Retired from skating and awarded the country's highest civilian honourshe knows where she's going from here.

"I have to go home and see my 18-month-old and she'll test my patience some more," she said.

She had no problem retiring from competition because she said she felt sport had given her so much, now it was my time to give back.

May of Halifax, invested as an officer, is now head of the Sierra Club of Canada, but she spent many years in the trenches before becoming an internationally respected voice for Canada's environmental movement. She wept at the end of the ceremony as she thought of her mother, Stephanie May, also a social activist.
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Na...313434-sun.html

Twain has won Grammys, Junos and Country Music Association Awards, but yesterday she was clearly humbled by what she called "a life-changing experience."

She said sharing the stage with physicists, environmentalists, artists, activists and researchers fostered "a better understanding and a greater pride in the people of Canada."

"I was surprised, and I was very humbled," Twain said. "I'm not sure it's somewhere I belonged. I'm not even sure I'm quite deserving."

She said she will always cherish the red-and-white medal as something more than an award, something that acknowledges her contributions not merely as a performer but as a Canadian.


Wow.

-Chris

Award tops with Twain
 

'Humbled' country superstar says latest award means more than others

Sat, November 19, 2005

By DENIS ARMSTRONG, OTTAWA SUN

CANADIAN country superstar Shania Twain added another glowing chapter to her legendary rags-to-riches story yesterday, being appointed an officer of the Order of Canada.

"I was very humbled," the diminutive 40-year-old said yesterday. "I'm not quite sure it's somewhere I belonged. I'm not even quite sure I'm deserving."


Singer Shania Twain posed with Gov. Gen Michaelle Jean after the country superstar was appointed an officer in the Order of Canada at Rideau Hall yesterday. (Tony Caldwell, SUN)

Twain led 42 fellow Canadians -- including Olympic speed skating champion Catriona Le May Doan, chocolate baron David Ganong, former British Columbia premier David Barrett and the National Ballet's artistic director James Kudelka -- to receive the country's highest civilian award from Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean in an elegant ceremony at Rideau Hall.

Jean described the 18 officers and 25 members of the order as "trail-blazing visionaries, each who have made significant contributions to Canada."

A LITTLE GLAMOUR
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Not surprisingly, Twain's presence added a little glamour to the formal ceremony, which the governor general has hosted annually since 1967.

The citation said Twain was instilled with a strong sense of pride by her family, despite living in poverty.

Even as a child, it said, music played an important role in her life.

"Today, she enjoys enormous success, yet she remains true to her roots," said the citation.

"Dedicated to eliminating child hunger, she supports a number of food distribution agencies like food banks and breakfast programs in schools."

Twain, who has sold 65 million records worldwide, making her the best-selling country artist of all time, avoided the media spotlight yesterday.

She spoke casually with fellow laureate, world-renowned neurosurgeon Ronald Tasker, throughout the event, and later appeared briefly in a media scrum where she answered questions in English and French.

Twain, who has won every major industry award including Grammy, Juno and Country Music Association awards, said that she was "shocked" to learn she had received the esteemed award "which means more (to her) than any other."

"Those are entertainment awards, but this is from my country," she said, adding that she will always cherish the medal as something that acknowledges her contributions as a Canadian.

Twain, who now lives in Switzerland with her husband Mutt Lange and son Eja, tipped her hat to her hometown, Timmins, and the new governor general, who she described as having "a warm, huge personality."

SHANIA'S SONGBOOK

Some of Shania Twain's greatest hits:

- Forever and For Always

- I'm Gonna Getcha Good!

- Up!

- Come On Over

- Man! I Feel Like A Woman!

- That Don't Impress Me Much

- From This Moment On

- Honey, I'm Home

- You're Still The One

- Don't Be Stupid

- Love Gets Me Every Time

- No One Needs To Know

- You Win My Love

- (If You're Not In It For Love) I'm Outta Here!

- The Woman In Me

- Any Man Of Mine

- Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?

- Party For Two (with Mark McGrath)

- Don't!

- I Ain't No Quitter

http://www.ottawasun.com/News/Ottaw...313558-sun.html

From depths of poverty to the top of the heap for singer
 

By DENIS ARMSTRONG, OTTAWA SUN, Sat, November 19, 2005

Winning awards isn't new to country superstar Shania Twain. Neither is poverty, which is now a distant memory for the biggest-selling female country singer in the world.

At yesterday's Order of Canada ceremony, Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean noted that Twain has come a long way in a short period of time.

As a young country girl growing up dirt-poor in Timmins, Twain, like her four brothers and sisters, often went hungry. Her adopted father was a foreman for a reforestation crew and money was tight. She began playing guitar and performing country music when she was eight years old and later fronted bands during her teen years.

In 1986, when she was barely 21, Twain's parents were killed in a car accident, leaving Shania in charge of her three younger siblings.

To support her family, she took a job singing at the Deerhurst Inn in Huntsville. By 1993, she was able to record her debut album, Shania Twain. The album garnered the attention of producer John "Mutt" Lange, who had made The Cars, Def Leppard international stars. The pair married months later.

Twain's second album, The Woman in Me, was released in 1995. With four No. 1 singles and two Top-10 singles in the U.S., the album quickly became the best-selling country album by a female artist of all time.

Her third album, 1997's Come On Over, debuted at No. 1. She's sold 65 million records and has won five Grammys, the Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year, the Academy of Country Music, the Billboard Music Award for Female Artist of the Year, the American Music Awards for Favourite Female Pop/Rock Artists and Country Music Artist and many Junos.
http://ottsun.canoe.ca/News/OttawaA...313559-sun.html

Recognizing our best (Ottawa Sun Editorial)
 

Sat, November 19, 2005

We Canadians have a reputation for being a modest bunch. For doing the right thing not to gain glory for ourselves but because, well, it's the right thing.

We think of our neighbours to the south as the boastful ones on our continent. As for ourselves, we'll do our part to help wipe out world hunger or to rescue the environment. We'll put the needs of others ahead of our own, and then shrug it off as what anyone else would have done.

But every once in a while someone notices our achievements, and on very rare occasions the whole country takes notice and a handful of people are invited, as they were yesterday, to come to Rideau Hall and be invested into the Order of Canada. They stand in front of Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean and swell with pride as she tells Canada and the world of the difference they have made through their actions.

It's good for a country to recognize those who have made significant achievements in their fields of endeavour ... to feel a collective pride in their accomplishments.

There probably isn't a person in Canada who doesn't recognize the name of country singer Shania Twain and know something of her rags-to-riches story. But until she was named an Officer of the Order of Canada, few of us were familiar with her efforts to combat child hunger around the world.

Today, she enjoys enormous success, yet she remains true to her roots," said the citation inducting her into the Order.

Twain was joined at the ceremony by 42 others who were recognized for outstanding achievements, including Olympic speed skater Catriona Le May Doan and environmentalist Elizabeth May, both of whom were named Officers in the Order of Canada -- the second highest level of achievement.

Le May Doan "remains a major force in amateur sport," said her citation, and is "dedicated to mentoring the next generation of athletes."

May, head of the Sierra Club of Canada, was recognized for making "a profound difference to the quality of life of Canadians in our lifetime and hopefully for generations to come."

There was a local flavour to the ceremony as well with Denzil Doyle, Ottawa's godfather of technology, named a Member of the Order of Canada.

The Order of Canada is our country's highest civilian honour, awarded to those who adhere to its motto: Desiderantes meliorem patriam meaning "they desire a better country."

We salute the achievements of the latest group of inductees. They give us one more reason to be proud Canadians.

http://www.ottawasun.com/Comment/Ed...19/1313400.html

Well at least others are starting to recognizing the enormous LOVE and GENEROSITY and SINCERITY in the heart of Shania... :BigLove Something we have had the pleasure of knowing all along..

Guess, they never went to a concert, or really paid attention to anything she has ever said. Shania also has never used her efforts for free publicity or to pat herself on the back infront of the cameras like 99.99% of the celebrities do. It is not about lipservice to her.


-Chris

They can't even get Mutt's name right. Reporters are lazy!

-Chris

Amen Chris.

Well, even if they can't get Mutt's name right, this is an award I don't think any of us ever dreamed in our wildest imaginations that Shania would receive. Grammys, yes, AMA's yes, CMA's, SHOULD BE A WHOLE SLEW OF EM' :mad: , but, no matter, what she received yesterday is far more important than all of these worthless CMA's. :) I tip my hat to Lady Eilleen, Shania Twain Lange. I am proud to have found your music so many years ago. You have questioned whether you deserve this honor, no one is more deserving. My sincere congratulatins to a very special person. :)

Steve

Amen brother!!!!!!!!!!! :)

ditto!


-Chris

CMT USA...pretty lame....

Shania Twain has been awarded the Order of Canada, the highest honor given there for lifetime achievement. What do you think is her most impressive attribute?
Her fun fashion sense.
Her rags-to-riches story.
Her singing and songwriting.
Her memorable music videos.
Don't know.


www.cmt.com

Shania Twain has been awarded the Order of Canada, the highest honor given there for lifetime achievement. What do you think is her most impressive attribute?
Her fun fashion sense. 17%
Her rags-to-riches story. 24%
Her singing and songwriting. 29%
Her memorable music videos. 22%
Don't know. 6%


Mostly even....I guess it is just the total package :D


-Chris

...lame-brained....