Released on June 20, 2014
Order of Merit to Celebrate 30th Anniversary in 2015
The Saskatchewan Order of Merit – the province’s highest honour – is getting a new nomination deadline and a new investiture date to prepare for its 30th anniversary next year.
The deadline for both 2014 and 2015 nominations is November 1, 2014. Recipients will attend a ceremony in May 2015, which will commemorate the provincial honour’s 30th anniversary and the Order’s 30th investiture.
"It's hard to believe that 2015 will mark the 30th anniversary of the Saskatchewan Order of Merit," Lieutenant Governor Vaughn Solomon Schofield said. "However, it's easy to understand how successful this honour has been at attracting qualified nominees for nearly three decades because there are so many accomplished individuals doing such impressive things in our province."
The fields of endeavour recognized by this Order include: arts, agriculture, business and industry, community leadership, occupations or professions, public service, research, sport and recreation, along with community service.
All current and former Saskatchewan residents are eligible for nomination, with the exception of presently serving Members of Parliament, the Legislature and members of the judiciary. Nominations are accepted for individuals only. Posthumous nominations will be considered within one year of a person's death.
Information about the Saskatchewan Order of Merit and nomination forms can be found at www.ops.gov.sk.ca/som.
The Saskatchewan Order of Merit was established in 1985. To date, 200 people have received it.
The lieutenant-governor is the Chancellor of the Saskatchewan Order of Merit, which takes precedence over all other provincial honours and awards.
Previously, the nomination deadline was early spring with the investiture late in the year as winter weather set in, which often made travel difficult for recipients and those attending the ceremony.
This new nomination deadline and investiture date will now be used annually on a go-forward basis.
Nominations for 2014 already made since the last Saskatchewan Order of Merit investiture need not be resubmitted.
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For more information, contact:
Dan Palmer
Intergovernmental Affairs
Regina
Phone: 306-787-2155