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Wayne gretzky companion order of canada
Executive summary
Wayne Gretzky was appointed Companion of the Order of Canada (the Order’s highest grade) in May 2009, and official records and past reporting confirm he was previously invested with the Order earlier in his career and later promoted [1] [2] [3]. Reporting also documents that Gretzky delayed — and in some cases refused or postponed — formal investiture ceremonies, prompting public commentary and criticism [1] [4] [5].
1. The honour and its timing: how Gretzky appears in official rolls
The Governor General’s honours database lists “Mr. Wayne Gretzky, C.C.” and notes that the change was a promotion within the Order, while historical reporting records that Gretzky was originally invested and later promoted to Companion, the Order of Canada’s highest rank — Maclean’s and The Canadian Encyclopedia cite the 1984 appointment and the 2009 promotion, and Rideau Hall confirmed his listing in official records [1] [2] [3]. CBC’s archive also reports that Romeo LeBlanc presented Gretzky with his insignia during a Rideau Hall ceremony in 1998, indicating a public investiture occurred at that time [4].
2. The investiture delay controversy: what critics say
Maclean’s [6] and later coverage recount that Gretzky had been slow or reluctant to attend formal investiture ceremonies; Maclean’s quoted Rideau Hall staff noting scheduling and that repeated contacts were not returned, while honours experts told media they found the delays notable [1] [5]. Sports commentators and columnists have framed this as embarrassing or unnecessary for someone of Gretzky’s national stature, arguing that investiture ceremonies are typically scheduled to accommodate high-profile appointees [5].
3. Gretzky’s stated reasons and his own perspective
Available reporting records mixed explanations: Rideau Hall in 2018 said he “has not yet had the opportunity to attend,” while later commentaries and Gretzky-adjacent sources suggest he is content with the original medal and not seeking additional public accolades [1] [7]. The Toronto Sun piece relays that Gretzky said he was happy with his first Order of Canada medal and “hasn’t picked up” the promoted insignia because he does not want more accolades, framing his stance as personal preference rather than rejection of the honour [7].
4. What the record shows he actually received
Archival CBC reporting documents a Rideau Hall presentation where Governor General Romeo LeBlanc presented Gretzky with his insignia during a ceremony — a fact used to show he was formally invested at least once [4]. The Governor General’s current honours page and The Canadian Encyclopedia corroborate that he was promoted within the Order and is publicly listed as a Companion [2] [3].
5. How commentators interpret the gap between appointment and ceremony
Honours experts cited in media view the gap between appointment and investiture as unusual for a Companion-level appointee, with some calling it “embarrassing” or an avoidable scheduling oversight [5]. Columnists defending Gretzky argue the media reaction is disproportionate and that his private charitable work and earlier investiture should settle the matter — illustrating a divide between protocol-focused critics and defenders emphasizing personal choice and privacy [7] [5].
6. Wider context: celeb honourees, logistics, and public expectations
Reporting places Gretzky’s case alongside other high-profile honourees who queued or delayed investitures (Maclean’s mentions others who did not collect medals promptly), and notes that Rideau Hall typically coordinates dates to accommodate recipients, especially at the Companion level — which is why commentators flagged the delay as avoidable [1] [5]. At the same time, columnists sympathetic to Gretzky point to his charitable work and past investiture as grounds to downplay the controversy [7].
7. What reporting does not say (limitations)
Available sources do not mention a definitive, up-to-date statement from Gretzky personally that explains every missed or delayed investiture across the years beyond the characterizations quoted in media; nor do they provide a single timeline reconciling each appointment date with specific ceremony dates in official Rideau Hall scheduling logs (not found in current reporting) [1] [2] [4].
8. Bottom line for readers
Official records and longstanding reporting confirm Gretzky’s place as a Companion of the Order of Canada [2] [3], while coverage of his failure at times to attend investiture ceremonies has produced both protocol-minded criticism and defenses rooted in his stated personal preferences and prior investiture history [1] [4] [7] [5]. Readers should weigh the provable facts — his listing in Rideau Hall records and past public investiture — against commentators’ normative judgments about etiquette and symbolism, which divide opinion in the sources.