On Friday, actor Michael J. Fox was promoted to the companion level of the Order of Canada, the country’s top civilian award. The promotion placed him among the nation’s most distinguished honourees.

The ceremony took place at Rideau Hall, where Governor General Louise Arbour officially named Fox a companion in front of an applauding crowd.

Rideau Hall explained that the promotion recognises Fox’s “powerful global advocacy and unflinching honesty about Parkinson’s,” highlighting his work beyond the screen.

Fox first disclosed his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis in 1998. Since then he has raised funds for research and spoken openly about the daily challenges of the condition, even noting Canada’s role in early deep‑brain‑stimulation trials.

He was one of 51 individuals who were either inducted into or promoted within the Order of Canada on that Friday, joining scholars, artists and public servants.

Governor General Arbour praised Fox as a “shining example” of using talent to help others, underscoring that the Order rewards contributions to the common good as well as personal achievement.