What do you get when you put names like Avril Lavigne, Connor McDavid, Deborah Cox, Chad Kroeger, Jason Priestley, and Kardinal Offishall together in a room – and add Jean Chrétien and Stephen Harper to the mix? An unforgettable Saturday night that united the best in Canadian achievement – famous faces in everything from sports, to film and activism – for a star-centred celebration (literally) to mark Canada’s ever-expanding Walk of Fame.
On December 2, the Metropolitan Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) rolled out the red carpet for the 25th annual Walk of Fame gala to honour the latest inductees. Canada’s Walk of Fame – a star-filled stretch of sidewalks on King and Simcoe Streets in the downtown core – features names of the country’s most celebrated athletes, actors, Olympians, musicians, filmmakers, humanitarians, astronauts, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and titans of science and innovation.
Hosted by Drew and Jonathan Scott of Property Brothers and Juno award-winning singer Deborah Cox (who received her own star last year), the event shined the spotlight on this years inductees: punk rock princess Avril Lavigne, hockey superstar Connor McDavid, actress Tantoo Cardinal, comedian and media personality Rick Mercer, Roots Canada founders Michael Budman and Don Green, broadcasting exec and philanthropist Gary Slaight, Degrassi co-creator Linda Schuyler, and the Honourable Rosalie Silberman Abella, who served as a justice on the Supreme Court from 2004 until 2021.
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Other notable honourees include rapper and record producer Kardinal Offishall (2023 Allan Slaight Music Impact Honouree); Indigenous activist Autumn Peltier (2023 Walk of Fame Community Hero), and Josh Alexander (RBC Emerging Artist Grand Prize winner).
It wasn’t just this year’s inductees and honourees who showed up to celebrate: other famous figures in attendance included household names like actor Jason Priestley, music video-maker Director X, musician Andy Kim, rock group Platinum Blonde, Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger, and media personality George Stroumboulopoulos. Also in attendance were beloved pop artist Fefe Dobson and country star Brett Kissel, who performed at the gala.
The guestlist also included some of the country’s most recognizable politicians past and present – everyone from former Prime Ministers Jean Chretien and Stephen Harper (who were both seen mingling on the carpet with Andy Kim), to Ontario premier Doug Ford and Toronto mayor Olivia Chow, who showed up together. In short, to call the event high-profile was an understatement.
The hometown pride
The glow and energy of Canadian pride in all of its star-studded glory was undeniable on this red carpet. Canadian travellers are familiar with the accompanying smile or excitement you’re met with when you’re elsewhere in the world and tell people you’re Canadian – and Canada’s brightest stars are no exception.
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“I feel most proud whenever I’m travelling and people either see you and know you’re Canadian or find out that you are,”
Jonathan Scott, One half of the Property Brothers
“I feel most proud whenever I’m travelling and people either see you and know you’re Canadian or find out that you are,” said Jonathan Scott (who joked “I ditched that other loser; nobody cares about that Drew guy,” after his fellow famed twin brother got sidetracked down the carpet). “Their whole personality changes and they’re excited; they remember a trip or a person – maybe visiting Alberta, or a friend or family member from Ontario. Everybody has this passion for Canada and they just want to tell you their stories. So, I feel that natural connection wherever I go,” he continues.
Brett Kissel, who brought a refreshing dose of country charm to the carpet, shared the sentiment. “Often, I’m most proud to be Canadian when I’m travelling; I love being in other countries and having other people tell stories about meeting other Canadians,” says Kissel. “It could be in Mexico, it could be in Europe, but people always have a great story to tell about Canadians and how friendly we are.”
Another resonating theme was that simply being at a high-energy celebratory event of the scope and scale at Canada’s Walk of Fame was reason to feel a warm and fuzzy sense of pride to be Canadian. “I look around at events like this, seeing other Canadians celebrate one another – and I just feel like it’s the greatest country in the world and I’m super proud going into it,” says Connor McDavid. “This is not your typical event and we had a few days off in the schedule, so it’s great to be home and see everyone.”
As for Deborah Cox, she’s most proud to see fellow Canadians succeed. “I feel proudest to be Canadian when I see the success of others from Canada,” says Cox. “I know firsthand what it takes to get where you need to go and it’s not an easy road. It’s filled with a lot of twist and turns – so I’m very proud to see people in their purpose and thriving.”
Not one to sugar-coat, George Stroumboulopoulos admitted that the country, however, doesn’t always live up to its celebrated potential. “I’m most proud to be Canadian when we show our better angels,” says Stroumboulopoulos. “I think we’re a country that’s not really living up to the things that we brag about, but in these moments that you can find us coming together, leaning into the better angel side, that’s when I really feel connected to us. I’m not always connected to the country per say, but I like when people are good to one another and can disagree but challenge one another to move us into a better direction.”
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In terms of misconceptions about Canadians, Priestley tells us that those are largely a thing of the past – at least, among the Hollywood set, they are. “All of the directors, actors, and writers who used to work in LA didn’t used to understand Canada, but then their whole industry moved here,” says Priestley. “So, now I think they have a better understanding of what this country is. I mean, it’s just like America, but nobody lives here.”
Well we wouldn’t say we’re just like America, Priestley (who will forever live as Brandon Walsh in our hearts) has a point – and not just when it comes to the film and TV worlds. Just look at musician like Drake, Justin Bieber, or Alessia Cara.
Career-defining moments and humility
Interestingly, this resonating sense of pride on the red carpet was juxtaposed with a sense of humility and humbleness when the stars were asked about their personal careers. We wanted to know whether there was a defining moment in their career – — a phone call, performance, conversation, for example — that made them realize they could truly be a huge success in their industry.
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“I think being Canadian and being rather humble, I’m still waiting for that moment to happen,” says Priestley. “I believed in my career long before 90210. One of the big things that drives people in my industry is that you have to believe in yourself and have strong convictions; I’ve had that since I was in theatre school, before I even started.” It’s safe to say it panned out for Priestley, who is most recently celebrated for his role on Private Eyes.
“I still don’t think that way,” says Strombo of notable career-defining events. “I’ve never valued my career; I don’t value the career, I just really like to do the thing. Every now and then, I’ll do something and people will like it, and I’ll be like, ‘Cool, that worked? People liked that?.’ But I also know that other stuff I did they didn’t like. What I realized a long time ago, is if I just act like me – the way I want to be – sometimes it will work and sometimes it won’t work, but I can never be mad at the result, because it’s just me. Having a talk show was really fun, but having a new music show at MuchMusic was one of the most favourite things I could possibly do, because you could introduce people to all these bands. So, it wasn’t that I felt that ‘I’d made it,’ I felt like I was making the most of my opportunity.”
Kissel brought it full circle when asked about a career-defining moment. “One of the most extraordinary moments was when Melanie Hurley, a past president of Canada’s Walk of Fame, reached out to me at the end of 2015 and told me they would like to give me the Allan Slaight Impact on Canada’s Walk of Fame,” says Kissel. “I wasn’t familiar with the award; of course I am now. When she told me that The Weeknd, Drake, Justin Bieber, and Shawn Mendes had received it before, that was a moment where I was like, ‘Wow, I’m not sure I’m worthy of an award like that.’ But, it lit a fire under me and I was determined to everything I possibly can to live up to the expectations that come with that award.”
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Cox can recall two moments that solidified she was on the right path. “One was receiving a phone call from Clive Davis after he heard my demo tape,” recalls Cox. “Another moment that stands out is when I got a call from Bocelli, who needed someone sing with him at the O2 Arena in London. I got on a plane the next day for the show that night and made it happen. It was a spectacular moment that I’ll never forget.”
As for McDavid – who, at just 26 years old, is already a hero to countless young Canadian hockey players – he has his sights set on the future. “I feel like I’ve still got a long way to go,” says McDavid. “Being drafted in the NHL is a dream come true and solidified that I could do this.” In terms of advice for young hockey players, McDavid keeps it simple. “Just have fun; it’s a lot of hard work, so you have to really enjoy it,” he says.
Our July View the Vibe cover star Fefe Dobson, who we caught briefly just as she was running into the show, said a career-defining moment was getting signed by a record label when she was just 18. “Just getting singed at all by Def Jam was a moment,” says Dobson. “I was just a kid living in Scarborough.” When asked about up-and-coming Canadian talent to watch, she’s quick to reply. ““A band from Vancouver called Ekkstacy is rad; the lead singer and writer is just phenomenal,” says Dobson. “Canada has some amazing musicians up here.”
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The next generation
While the event undoubtedly attracted long-time, veteran newsmakers, the new faces on the red carpet left us feeling optimistic about the future. Case in point; 19-year-old Autumn Peltier is using her voice to highlight the voices of other Indigenous Canadians and create meaningful change in their communities across the country.
“I am fortunate to have grown up in a household of strong women and a strong grandfather who were instrumental in my cultural teachings, language, and history of my people,” says Peltier of her inspiration to dedicate her life to activism.
“But, what initially drew me to this work; I was attending a water ceremony in a First Nations community that was not far from mine,” says Peltier. “At that time, I learned that community had been under a boil water advisory for over 20 years. I found that out by having to use the washroom and going to wash my hands afterwards and realizing that I couldn’t. For me, knowing that clean water basic human right and that nobody should have to go through that – regardless of race or colour or social class – and that there were children who didn’t know what it was like for clean water to come from their tap to brush their teach or have a shower is what inspired me to use my voice and speak up.”
We also chatted with Montreal-based pop singer Josh Alexander, who is on his way to becoming a household name. Alexander was the grand prize winner of the 11th annual Canada’s Walk of Fame RBC Emerging Musician Program.
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“This award is a stamp of approval from the Canadian music industry that I deserve to be here,” says Alexander. “I’m super grateful to be here. I’m excited. I’m performing a new song I released about a week ago called ‘Why Am I Falling for You?’ It’s a true story about heartbreak and stopping patterns with the same type of partners and is a big moment for me. I feel most proud to be Canadian when I’m at events like this that are filled with other proud Canadians. We’re all free to be the people we want to be and I think that’s amazing.”
Photos: George Pimentel
