Public opinion researcher Nik Nanos (left) poses for a photo with the Governor General of Canada, Simon Simon (right), at a ceremony held at Rideau Hall on December 11, 2025. (Screenshot)
By NTDTV Staff
OTTAWA — Public opinion researcher Nik Nanos and health journalist André Picard are among 62 appointments to the Order of Canada announced on Tuesday by Governor General Mary Simon at a ceremony held at Rideau Hall.
Ottawa-based researcher Nik Nanos was honoured for his contributions to market and public opinion research. He is a frequent advisor on public opinion, economics, and public policy.
“This recognition is really about service,” said the founder and chief data scientist of Nanos Research. “It’s about contributing to your community, your country, and helping give Canadians a voice.”
Picard, a veteran columnist, was recognized for more than four decades of reporting on public health, and health policy.
“It’s a tremendous honour, and a humbling one,” Picard said in an interview following the ceremony. “I’ve spent my career writing about issues that matter deeply to Canadians — their health, their families, and the system that’s meant to protect them.”
Picard said that public engagement with health issues has remained constant throughout his career. “Canadians care about their health and about Medicare,” he said. “Helping people understand the system and how it can be strengthened has been a privilege.”
In her remarks, Governor General Mary Simon Simon said that the awards recognize not only professional achievements but also the lives recipients have touched.
“Each of you contributes to fostering a feeling of pride and cohesion in our society,” she said.
“The Order of Canada and these Meritorious Service Decorations are an invitation to continue strengthening pride and solidarity across our nation,” she said.
The Order of Canada is one of the country’s highest civilian honours, recognizing individuals whose achievements and service have had a lasting impact on Canadian society.