Convicted Offenders Stripped of Order of Canada Honors

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Two individuals, a convicted sex offender and a former engineering executive guilty of corruption, have been removed from the Order of Canada, highlighting serious ethical breaches in their pasts.

In a significant development concerning national honors, two prominent figures have been stripped of their appointments to the Order of Canada, the highest civilian distinction in the country. Peter Dalglish, a humanitarian known for founding the charity Street Kids International, and Jacques Lamarre, a former engineering executive, have both faced serious legal consequences that led to this decision.
Peter Dalglish, originally from London, Ontario, was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2016 for his humanitarian efforts. However, his reputation has been irrevocably tarnished following his conviction in 2019 for sexually abusing two young boys aged 11 and 14 in Nepal. This conviction came after he was arrested in 2018 at a mountain residence he had constructed in a village east of Kathmandu. Dalglish received a sentence of nine years, with concurrent terms of seven years for each count of abuse. Despite the gravity of the situation, he maintained his innocence, with his legal team claiming that the police investigation and subsequent trial were unjust.
The second individual, Jacques Lamarre, who once held the position of president and CEO of SNC-Lavalin, was made an officer of the Order of Canada in 2005. His downfall came as a result of a corruption case related to his leadership at the Montreal-based firm, which is now known as AtkinsRéalis Group. In January of this year, Quebec’s engineering order revoked his professional license and imposed a fine of $75,000 after he was found guilty of corruption last year. The ruling was based on misconduct that occurred during his tenure from 2001 to 2009, which included the payment of bribes to secure contracts in Libya, with substantial amounts allegedly directed to the family of the late dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Following these revelations, Lamarre, who had already retired by this time, publicly announced his resignation from the Order of Canada in August 2025, deeming the disciplinary council's decision as unfair.
The official termination of their appointments was confirmed in a notice published in the Canada Gazette, the federal government's official publication, with Governor General Mary Simon signing the order on April 15. This action reflects the government's stance on maintaining integrity and ethical standards associated with its highest civilian honors.
The cases of Dalglish and Lamarre not only highlight serious breaches of trust but also serve as a reminder of the responsibilities that come with positions of influence and the potential consequences of unethical behavior. The decisions to strip these individuals of their honors underscore the importance of accountability in both humanitarian and corporate sectors, reinforcing the need for vigilance against corruption and abuse.

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