Ben Weider Receives Order of St. John Medal

Posted: Tuesday, August 01, 2006 On June 23, 2006, Ben Weider, President of the IFBB was proudly promoted to the rank of Commander in the Order of St. John at a private ceremony held in the Senate Chambers, which is located in the Canadian Parliament Building in Ottawa, Canada. Weider was selected for this honor due to his dynamic and enthusiastic leadership in promoting good health and disease prevention throughout Canada and for financially supporting much needed medical research through the Ben Weider Foundation. The history of the Order of St. John can be dated back to the year 1080, which makes it the oldest order of chivalry in the world. Affiliates of the Order operate in 40 countries with the International Headquarters located at St John's Gate, Clerkenwell, London. “It is an honor to receive this award and be recognized among so many hard working and charitable Canadians,” said Weider. “I sincerely thank the members of the Order of St. John for this distinction and look forward to continuing my association with them for many years to come.” Attending this stately ceremony were the Honorable Noël Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate (Canada), Honorable Peter Milliken, Speaker of the House of Commons (Canada), and the Honorable René Marin, Chancellor of the Order. Also in attendance to commemorate this special event were Weider’s wife Huguette, his sons Louis, Eric, and Mark and a large contingent of family members and friends. Weider has received numerous prominent awards including the Order of Canada, the highest award bestowed upon a Canadian citizen, a 1984 Nobel Peace Prize nomination, and most recently, he was recognized as Knight of the National Order of Quebec, the highest honor achievable for residents of Quebec. Ben Weider is the only Canadian citizen to ever receive the Order of Canada, the Order of St. John, the Knight of the National Order of Quebec, and the Legion of Honor, which is the highest award presented by the government of France. For more information related to the Order of St. John, visit their website at: http://www.orderofstjohn.org/frameset.htm