Removal From The Order of Canada - Change in Status

Change in Status

The first person "removed" from the Order was more of a transfer of status rather than a removal. In 1981, Zena Sheardown was appointed an honorary member of the Order of Canada. She was the wife of John Sheardown, a staff member at the Canadian embassy in Tehran during the Iranian Revolution. At this time, the new regime did not recognize international laws regarding diplomatic immunity and allowed a group of students to take control of the US embassy and hold its staff members hostage. Several staff were not on site at this time and found refuge with the Canadian diplomatic contingent. At great personal risk, the Sheardowns personally housed four Americans in their home for months until they could be safely removed from the country. At this point, although married to a Canadian, Zena Sheardown was a British subject having been born in Guyana. On the advice of Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Sheardown was appointed the first honorary member of the Order of Canada in 1981. By the time she was to be invested in the Order, Sheardown had become a naturalized Canadian. Shortly before her investiture, the Governor General terminated her honorary appointment, and immediately authorized a new appointment as a full member.