Order of N.S. Would Be Province’s Highest Honour

Tourism and Culture Minister Rodney MacDonald today introduced a bill in the legislature that would create a prestigious Order of Nova Scotia to honour Nova Scotians who do great good for their province and their communities.

The Order of Nova Scotia medal would be the highest honour Nova Scotia bestows on its citizens, and it would go to no more than five people each year.

Like the Order of Canada, it would have the blessings of the Queen and recipients would have the right to use postnominal initials -- in this case the letters O.N.S.

Eight provinces already have such provincial orders.

“The Order of Nova Scotia will be prestigious,” Mr. MacDonald said. “Neither social prominence, nor wealth, nor political influence, will win anyone an O.N.S. The only path to an O.N.S. will be through merit.”

Possible candidates could include anyone who has contributed notably to Nova Scotia’s well-being. A deserving Nova Scotian could be named posthumously, within a year after death.

To avoid the possibility of political influence, no sitting member of the legislature, the House of Commons, the Senate or a municipal council would be eligible for the medal. Sitting judges also would be excluded. Further safeguards are in the makeup of the advisory council that will choose the recipients. The council will include a Supreme Court judge, a university president and a member of the Order. Some members will be appointed by cabinet, but that will be balanced by members appointed by the opposition parties.

Mr. MacDonald said Nova Scotians are a people with big hearts, who give thousands of hours of volunteer time, never asking for reward or recognition. “These community-minded Nova Scotians deserve recognition. And so do Nova Scotians who make breakthroughs in the arts, science, medicine, education and conservation.”

The Order of Nova Scotia won’t interfere in any way with any of the awards that already exist in Nova Scotia, he added.