Brian Williams is right: Give Hadfield the Order of Canada!

Last night, Canada got a big lecture from Brian Williams, the host of 30 Rockafeller Center.

 

Williams gave us an earful about how Canadians don't appreciate Chris Hadfield, Canada's favorite space cadet. Before Hadfield, nobody gave a crap about the Space Station. Now everybody wants to go.

 

The NBC host showed clips of the the Space Station commander talking to the kids about space tooth paste and how to make a sandwich in zero gravity. We saw the awesome pictures Hadfield has taken. We even heard a tune or two. I mean what can't the guy do?

 

At the end of the piece, Williams made an impassioned plea for Canadians to honor our spaceman with the tiny little pin and medal.

 

The Order of Canada.

 

What? You mean Chris Hadfield does not have the Order of Canada?

 

Why did we not know this?

 

It's not like it's hard to get one.

 

You just need to be nominated and not be a criminal.

 

You don't have to be a great person to get the Order of Canada.

 

You can be a hockey player. A musician. A politican. A broadcaster.

 

You might get it if you made a lot of money.

 

Or had a really cool recipe for a loaf of bread.

 

Seriously.

 

Conrad Black got the Order of Canada. Ditto Garth Drabinsky.

 

Of course, those dudes had to give back their medals because they couldn't get them past the metal detector at a federal penitentiary.

 

Some people get the Order because they do great things, but most of them are average people who actually get the Order of Canada just for doing a cool job.

 

Like Craig Oliver. Don Newman. Peter Mansbridge.

 

So what's the deal with Hadfield?

 

He is a Canadian, a great Goddamn Canadian. Why do we need Brian Williams to saunter by and remind us he's been overlooked?

 

Come on, Mr. G.G.

 

Hand one out.

 

Just do it.

 

I'm sure it won't be the first Order of Canada to be given to a Canadian who's out of town.