Yellowknife (Nov 03/04) - C.B. "Shorty" Brown, a well-known Yellowknife personality and the driving force behind the Skates for the North program, received Canada's highest civilian honour at Rideau Hall in Ottawa last Saturday.

Invested into the Order of Canada by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, Brown was commended for being an enthusiastic and important promoter of physical exercise in the North.Brown arrived in the NWT as a professional hockey player nearly 50 years ago.

Over the years he has been responsible for distributing more than 8,000 pairs of skates and eight tons of hockey equipment throughout the North.

Brown is also a skilled businessman and founded Bellanca Developments 32 years ago, now the largest real-estate developer in the NWT.