OTTAWA -- Rockabilly musician Ronnie Hawkins will be among dozens of recipients today of the Order of Canada.
Hawkins, born and raised in Arkansas but who found musical success in Ontario, is to be named an Officer of the order.
His music has influenced many a rock musician in Canada.
Hawkins will be among 45 people receiving the awards today from Gov. Gen. David Johnston.
Some other events happening today around Parliament Hill:
- Construction industry watchers will get an idea of how their sector is faring when Statistics Canada releases the value of building permits for March. The number-crunching agency will also release a study examining whether provincial economies have undergone structural change in their business sectors since 2000;
- MPs toil and plot as they meet in their respective weekly caucus chambers;
- Campaign Life Coalition holds a news conference to kick off the 17th National March for Life, calling on the government to reject an application to import the so-called "morning after" pill, RU-486, into Canada;
- Canada's audiologists and speech-language pathologists urge the government to invest in early communication health;
- And charity spring campaign drives get into full swing as Ronald McDonald Houses launch the 21st edition of McHappy Day with the help of Olympian Cody Sorensen. Meantime, MPs from all parties and Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada volunteers kick off a campaign to raise awareness about MS and the lives of Canadians impacted by the disease.
