Governor General to honour Subban for children’s hospital pledge

Montreal-Canadiens-defenceman-P.K.-Subban,-centre,-smiles-as-he-poses-for-the-cameras-following-a-press-conference-at-the-Children's-Hospital-in-Montreal,-Wednesday,-September-16,-2015,-where-he-announced-that-his-foundation-would-pledge-$10-million-to-the-hospital.-(Graham-Hughes/CP)

Montreal Canadiens defenceman P.K. Subban, centre, smiles as he poses for the cameras following a press conference at the Children's Hospital in Montreal, Wednesday, September 16, 2015, where he announced that his foundation would pledge $10-million to the hospital. (Graham Hughes/CP)

OTTAWA — Defenceman P.K. Subban will receive an honour from Gov. Gen. David Johnson to acknowledge his charitable work.

The former Montreal Canadiens star will be given a Meritorious Service Decoration (civil division) while 12 others will receive the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers in a ceremony on Wednesday in the P.K. Subban Atrium at the Montreal Children’s Hospital.

Subban was traded to Nashville last year and on Thursday will play his first game in Montreal since the deal.

On Sept. 15, 2015, Subban pledged to raise $10 million over seven years through a program called P.K.’s Helping Hand to aid families struggling financially due to a child’s illness. The hospital named its atrium for the Toronto native to mark what it called "the biggest philanthropic commitment by a sports figure in Canadian history."

Subban vowed to honour the pledge after he was traded on June 29.

The award is intended to "recognize the extraordinary people who make Canada proud. Their acts are often innovative, set an example or model for others to follow, or respond to a particular challenge faced by a community. Recipients inspire others through their motivation to find solutions to specific and pressing needs or provide an important service to their community or country."

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