Less than a week before National Aboriginal Day, Governor General David Johnston has announced the six new Order of Canada appointments.

At a June 19 ceremony at Rideau Hall to honour people who've shown leadership on aboriginal issues, Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres executive director and writer Sylvia Maracle will be made an officer of the Order of Canada.

Maracle will receive the honour for "her leadership in shaping the urban indigenous experience and her efforts to promote the well-being of indigenous peoples across Canada".

At the same event, Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie will receive his insigna as a member of the Order of Canada.

Last year, Downie and Jeff Lemire collaborated Secret Path, a graphic novel about a 12-year-old indigenous boy, Chanie (a.k.a. Charlie) Wenjack, who ran away from his residential school in 1966 and whose dead body was found on railroad tracks in Kenora, Ontario. Downie's last solo album was dedicated to Wenjack.

The other four members of the Tragically Hip (Rob Baker, Johnny Fay, Paul Langlois, and Gord Sinclair) will receive their insignia later as members of the order.

According to a statement from the Governor General, this is for "their contribution to Canadian music and for their support of various social and environmental causes".