SASKATOON — Lt.-Gov. Bernadette McIntyre will preside at a ceremony in Saskatoon tonight to invest eight citizens with the Saskatchewan Order of Merit, the province’s highest honour.
Receiving the award are: Dr. Ernest Barber, Saskatoon; Janet Carriere, Prince Albert; Brent Cotter, KC, Saskatoon; Dr. Haissam Haddad, OC, Saskatoon; Ann Phillips, KC, Regina; Ellen Remai, MSC., LLD., Saskatoon; E. Robert Stromberg, KC, Saskatoon; and Senapan Thunder, Thunderchild First Nation.
2025 marks the 40th anniversary of this prestigious program.
"We come together to recognize these remarkable individuals for their hard work and dedication to making Saskatchewan a great place to live," McIntyre said. "As Chancellor of the Order, I offer my sincere congratulations to the recipients and thank them for their years of selfless dedication to our province."
The Saskatchewan Order of Merit is the highest honour the province can bestow. It was established in 1985 to celebrate excellence and achievements by Saskatchewan citizens. The award was granted recognition by the Government of Canada and provided a place in the national sequence of orders in 1991. Today's recipients join the 282 individuals who have been invested with the Order in appreciation of their significant contributions in areas such as the arts, agriculture, business and industry, community leadership, occupations or professions, public service, research and volunteer service. The Saskatchewan Order of Merit is recognized in the Canadian Honours System, and members of the Order are entitled to use the post-nominal letters SOM for life.
The nomination process involves the completion of a nomination form with three to six letters of support. Nominations are reviewed by the Saskatchewan Honours Advisory Council.
The ceremony will be broadcast live on AccessNow TV and at myaccess.ca/som beginning at 6:30 p.m. Access Communications is the exclusive broadcast sponsor of the Saskatchewan Order of Merit ceremony.
Nominations are now open for the 2026 Saskatchewan Order of Merit. Individuals are encouraged to nominate current or former long-term residents of Saskatchewan who have made significant contributions to our province. Nominations will be accepted until November 30, 2025. For more information about the Saskatchewan Order of Merit, or to find out how to nominate someone, visit: saskatchewan.ca/honoursawards.
