Eagle Vision founder Lisa Meeches (pictured, right) and former Telefilm executive director Carolle Brabant are among the 61 new appointments to the Order of Canada.

The Order of Canada, one of the nation’s top honours, is presented by the governor general to an array of individuals – including politicians, artists and scientists – who’ve helped shape Canadian society.

Meeches, Anishinaabe from Long Plain First Nation, has been entered into the Order for her “multidimensional contributions to Canada’s social and cultural landscapes.” She founded the Manitoba-based production company Eagle Vision, which has produced a number of film and television projects, including Taken, the award-winning docuseries that strives to solve the mysteries behind missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Also inducted into the Order is Carolle Brabant (pictured, left), who retired as executive director of Telefilm Canada in 2018 after serving at the helm since 2010. Her appointment is to honour her leadership at the federal funder and “for supporting diverse and emerging filmmakers.” During her time at Telefilm, Brabant helped introduce Telefilm’s five-point plan for gender parity, quadruple its funding for Indigenous projects, and launched the Micro-Budget Production Program for emerging artists, which was revamped to Talent to Watch in 2017.

Rita Davies, the current chair of the Ontario Arts Council, was also inducted into the Order for her “leadership at the helm of several cultural organizations and for her steadfast devotion to the arts.”

The most recent round of appointments to the Order of Canada included comedian Dave Thomas, and documentary filmmakers Tom Radford and Gérard Raymond Le Chêne, while Tom Jackson was promoted to a Companion of the Order.

Ellis Jacob named to Order of Ontario

Cineplex CEO Ellis Jacob was among 25 recipients of the Order of Ontario.

Considered the province’s highest honour, the appointments are given by the lieutenant governor of Ontario and chancellor of the Order of Ontario.

Jacob was named to the Order for his work as an innovator in Canada’s film exhibition sector and his efforts to support accessibility and become a major employer of individuals with disabilities. Jacob was named a member of the Order of Canada in 2010.