Recipients of 2011 Order of Nova Scotia Announced

NOTE: Photos and biographies of the 2011 Order of Nova Scotia recipients are available at www.gov.ns.ca/iga/2011recipients.asp .

A Mi'kmaq rights advocate, the first African Nova Scotian Member of the Legislative Assembly, and a cartoonist, are among five Nova Scotians who will be invested into the Order of Nova Scotia during its 10th anniversary.

Premier Darrell Dexter made the announcement today, Oct. 11.

"For 10 years the Order of Nova Scotia has recognized and celebrated Nova Scotians' outstanding achievements, and this year's recipients are no exception," said Premier Dexter. "The five new recipients bring honour and prestige to the province and have contributed to a stronger, more creative Nova Scotia."

The 2011 Order of Nova Scotia recipients are:

• F. Wayne Adams, East Preston: Mr. Adams is well regarded as an entrepreneur, community leader, pioneer, politician and human rights advocate. He began his political career when he was elected to the (former) Halifax County Municipal Council in 1979. He was re-elected five times, serving as deputy warden (mayor) from 1982-1983. He entered provincial politics in 1993 to become the first African Nova Scotian member of the Legislative Assembly and cabinet minister. He introduced national groundbreaking policies in his various ministerial portfolios, including introducing Canada's first fully integrated Emergency 911 System. A founding member and former executive director of the Black Cultural Centre, Mr. Adams was instrumental in establishing the Preston Development Fund, which evolved into the highly successful provincial Black Business Initiative. He became a member of the Order of Canada in 2003.

• Sir (Judson) Graham Day, Hantsport: Sir Graham Day is internationally recognized as a business leader and one of the most influential lawyers in Canada. He has served as an advisor to several of the largest companies in Nova Scotia, and to numerous corporations in Canada and abroad. He taught at Dalhousie University, where he served two terms as chancellor. In 2010, a scholarship fund was raised in his honour to recognize his immense contribution to Nova Scotia business. He dedicated the fund to the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University to support students who want to enter family businesses or gain experience in trade and transportation or government. Sir Graham was knighted in 1989 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. He has been inducted into the Nova Scotia and Canadian Business Halls of Fame.

• Bruce MacKinnon, Halifax: "Have you seen today's MacKinnon?" opens daily conversation among many Nova Scotians. Mr. MacKinnon's insightful editorial cartoons are renowned for their humour, precision and power. He was only 14 when he was hired to draw cartoons for a local weekly. He continued to work for publications throughout high school and university and started a weekly editorial cartoon for The Chronicle Herald in 1985. He has won 15 Atlantic Journalism Awards, two National Newspaper Awards and second place in the 2004 World Press Cartoon Competition. Mr. MacKinnon has brought distinction to Nova Scotia by shining a spotlight on issues that affect the daily lives of its citizens, and by doing so with compassion and humour.

• Joseph Benjamin Marshall, Eskasoni: Mr. Marshall has dedicated his life to advocating for the rights of the Mi'kmaq. He is an Aboriginal veteran, an esteemed leader and mentor. Mr. Marshall is the executive director and a founding member of the Union of Nova Scotia Indians, a tribal council created in 1969 to provide a unified voice for the Mi'kmaq people in Nova Scotia. Since 2004, Mr. Marshall has been senior Mi'kmaq advisor to the Mi'kmaq Rights Initiative, guiding the Mi'kmaq and the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq Chiefs as they proceed through negotiations of Aboriginal and treaty rights with the province and the federal government. Mr. Marshall was recently appointed by the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq Chiefs to the Department of Natural Resources steering panel, a group created to oversee the development of a new strategy governing the province's natural resources.

• Budge Marjorie MacGregor Wilson, Halifax: A world renowned writer acclaimed for her talent, passion and creative spirit, Mrs. Wilson is a mainstay in Nova Scotia's cultural community. She has published 33 books with 30 foreign editions in 14 languages. Her Before Green Gables book is widely recognized as a ground-breaking text and her story collection The Leaving was named by the American Library Association as one of The 75 Best Children's Books of the Last 25 Years. Mrs. Wilson has been invited to give readings, talks and workshops in libraries, schools and universities across Canada. She gives of her time tirelessly and generously to support writers and to promote a love of reading and literature. She received the Order of Canada in 2004. As a cultural ambassador for Nova Scotia, Mrs. Wilson has been recognized by her peers and readers for her lifetime achievement and her contribution to the literary world.

The recipients were selected by the Order of Nova Scotia Advisory Council from 76 nominations.

The 2011 recipients will be recognized at the 10th investiture ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 30, at Province House.

The Order of Nova Scotia was established in June 2001 and is the highest honour bestowed by the province. Recipients have the right to use the initials O.N.S. after their names.