Saskatchewan Order of Merit

History and National Status

Established in 1985, the Saskatchewan Order of Merit is a prestigious recognition of excellence, achievement and contributions to the social, cultural and economic well being of the province and its residents. The Order recognizes individuals who have made their mark in such areas as the arts, agriculture, business and industry, community leadership, the occupations or professions, public service, research, and volunteer service. It takes precedence over all other provincial honours and awards.

In 1991 the Government of Canada granted recognition to the Saskatchewan Order of Merit and a place in the national sequence of orders, decorations and medals; immediately after national orders and before national decorations. By seniority of its establishment, it ranks after l'Ordre national du Québec and before the Order of Ontario, Order of British Columbia, Alberta Order of Excellence, Order of Prince Edward Island, Order of Manitoba, Order of New Brunswick, Order of Nova Scotia, and Order of Newfoundland and Labrador.

This means that recipients of Saskatchewan's Order of Merit are entitled to wear it on national occasions and recipients of Canada's national honours who also receive Saskatchewan honours may wear both in the sequence approved by the Governor General.

Insignia

The insignia worn by members of the Saskatchewan Order of Merit includes

• a silver and enamel medal representing a stylized western red lily bearing the Crown and Saskatchewan shield of arms,
• the provincial motto, Multis e gentibus vires (From many peoples strength), and 
• a gold and green ribbon, representing the provincial colours.

They also receive a lapel pin representing a stylized lily and bearing the Crown. Each member of the Order receives an official certificate in the form of Letters Patent, sealed with the Great Seal of the Province of Saskatchewan.

These are presented by the Lieutenant Governor at a formal investiture. Members of the Order are entitled to use the post-nominal letters S.O.M.

The Athabasca Gallery on the main floor of the Legislative Building contains the photographic portraits of the members of the Order and the citations read at their investiture.

Nomination criteria

Any Canadian citizen who is a current or former long-term resident of Saskatchewan is eligible for nomination for the Saskatchewan Order of Merit.

• Nominations cannot be accepted for elected members of Parliament or the Legislature or members of the judiciary who are still holding office.
• Organizations are not eligible, only individuals.
• Posthumous nominations are accepted within one year of the date of death.

While nominations are accepted for volunteer or community service, this is only one field of endeavour among many recognized by the Saskatchewan Order of Merit. If your nominee's activities are primarily in the area of community service as a volunteer, we recommend that you consider nominating them for the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal.

Any individual or group can submit nominations. The Saskatchewan Honours Advisory Council recommends recipients based entirely on the information submitted with the nomination.

Completing the Nomination Form

Only one nomination form is required per nominee.

Please include:

• Mailing address
• Email address
• Telephone number, as well as the nominee's.
• Summary statement - briefly explaining the reasons you are nominating this person.

Support letters

Please provide three to six letters from others in support of the nomination, explaining why your nominee is worthy of this honour. Do not exceed six letters. They must be on 8-1/2 x 11" paper, typed or clearly hand-written in dark ink.

Additional Information

You may provide material in support of your nomination. Please see below for acceptable and non-acceptable information.

Acceptable

• An expanded statement of your reasons for the nomination
• A biography of the nominee, and/or a list of his or her achievements.

Please ensure that this material is succinct and directly relevant to the nomination. All support materials must be on 8½ x 11" paper, typed, reproduced or clearly hand-written in dark ink.

Non-acceptable

• Cassettes
• Videotapes
• compact discs
• photographs
• albums or newspaper clippings (unless photocopied onto 8-1/2 x 11" paper) as they will be discarded.

Submitting a Nomination

Nominations are accepted year-round; the deadline is November 30. Nominations received after this date will be held over for consideration the following year. The person submitting the nomination must sign nomination forms.

All information provided to us is confidential and exclusively for the use of the Honours Advisory Council. We ask that you not inform the nominee of his or her nomination.

Submit signed nomination form and materials by:

• Email
• Mail
• Courier; or
• In-person

Address
Saskatchewan Honours and Awards Program
Protocol Office
300 - 3085 Albert Street
REGINA SK S4S 0B1

Contact Us
Phone: 306-787-8965
Toll free: 1-877-427-5505
Fax: 306-787-1269
Email: honours@gov.sk.ca

Acknowledgement of Nomination

You will receive an acknowledgement for your nomination in 14 days.

Nominate Now

Saskatchewan Order of Merit 2025 Recipients

Dr. Ernest "Ernie" Barber

Dr. Ernest Barber spent more than 40 years at the University of Saskatchewan as a professor, researcher, administrator, and academic strategist, leading to environmental and economic impacts that will resonate for generations. He made distinguished contributions to the Canadian agriculture industry through his research as he advocated for sustainable practices. He also developed systems that enhanced air quality and temperature control in farm buildings as well as livestock transportation, thereby improving the wellbeing of both humans and animals while minimizing environmental effects. His interdisciplinary collaboration was instrumental in the development of the world-class Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence and the Global Institute for Food Security, where he provided operational leadership in its formative years. He continues to provide strategic and operational advice to the University. His foresight led to the development of new degree and options programs while serving as the Dean of Agriculture and of Engineering, including the Indigenous Peoples Resource Management certificate program. His many awards as a teacher reflect how much he was loved by students. His leadership is best displayed through his personal mentorship of so many who describe him as a generous leader who is patient, honest, empathetic, and selfless with an undeniable focus on fairness and equity. His volunteerism is also noteworthy, not only in a professional capacity on many boards, but also within the United Church of Canada for over 30 years.

Janet Carriere

Janet Carriere has provided caring and compassionate leadership at the Prince Albert Indian and Métis Friendship Centre for nearly 25 years and continues to be a community leader. In her role as Executive Director, she was responsible for coordinating workers and activities to bring help and hope to the marginalized and disadvantaged in our community – those impacted by poverty, abuse, addictions, and homelessness. Janet is a community leader who promotes reconciliation and Indigenous cultural knowledge to help the community gain meaningful understanding, to increase awareness, and to promote acceptance within the City of Prince Albert. Janet is a tireless volunteer and is on, or has been involved with, many local and provincial committees, such as the Community Advisory Board for Homelessness, The Native Coordinating Council, Prince Albert Community Housing, Prince Albert Foodbank, Prince Albert Indigenous Coalition, Advisory Board for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, President of the Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatchewan, and the Prince Albert Police Commission. Her leadership and community commitment led to her appointment as the Chair of the Prince Albert Police Commission, a role she currently holds. Janet’s community commitment, leadership, advocacy, and willingness to help others was recognized locally when she was selected as the City of Prince Albert’s Citizen of the year 2019. Janet's commitment to helping others is an example others can strive to emulate.

The Honourable William Brent Cotter, K.C.

William Brent Cotter has had an extraordinary career as a Canadian Senator, legal academic, legal ethicist, and senior public servant, all marked by exceptional service and tremendous achievement. Brent became Dean of Law at the University of Saskatchewan amidst a period of great change. His adept leadership helped the university successfully reform curriculum, manage faculty development, achieve greater research strength, and plan and fundraise for a multi-million-dollar expansion in the college's building premises. Brent is also recognized as one of Canada's leading legal ethicists and is a founding board member of the Canadian Association of Legal Ethics. He gave his time as an Advisor to the Canadian Judicial Council and served as the Chair of the Public Complaints Commission of Saskatchewan. His time as a Deputy Minister was marked by the provision of highly competent advice to numerous Premiers and Cabinet Ministers through the areas of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs, Municipal Affairs, and Justice. For many years Brent has been a Champion of people with intellectual disabilities through Inclusion Saskatchewan. In his most recent role as a Canadian Senator, he was a great source of knowledge in Constitutional law, including the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. He represented the interests of the Province of Saskatchewan with competence and expertise. Over the years he has advised, mentored, and encouraged countless students, citizens, and fellow public servants in their pursuit of their careers and in pursuit of their own excellence.

Dr. Haissam “Sam” Haddad, O.C.

Dr. Haissam Haddad is the Professor and Head of the Department of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, Head of Medicine for the Saskatchewan Health Authority, and is the Louis Horlick Chair in Medicine. When Sam first arrived in Canada with a Syrian medical degree, he could not even get a job at a laundromat; he volunteered until they gave him the job. This cultivated a strong determination that pushed Sam forward to become a successful physician. Since becoming head of the department, his primary focus has been guiding the department in the area of clinical care, building its research agenda, and its educational opportunities. He also oversaw the transition from 12 health regions into one Saskatchewan Health Authority. He was then asked to lead the restructuring of the Clinical Trial Support Unit, an important unit to help researchers conduct clinical trials.

Sam is dedicated to his research. His output levels since 2018 alone are at levels that some researchers do not achieve in their entire career. He does not just achieve quantity, but quality as the results of his research have been applied to patient settings to improve patient care. As a research leader, Sam spearheaded a 700 per cent increase in research funding and an increase in peer-reviewed publication by 35 per cent.

He is a valued mentor for researchers. Sam truly understands the value of equality, diversity, and inclusion and promotes fresh perspectives, understanding, and tolerance in all human interactions. Sam’s leadership has moved the Department of Medicine from being a challenging place to recruit physicians to recruiting and retaining over 100 specialists in the last seven years.

Ann Phillips, K.C.

Ann Phillips has impacted Saskatchewan through her work as a lawyer, her community involvement, and as a philanthropist. Her legal area of expertise is in insurance, trademarks, and civil litigation. As a lawyer, she made major contributions to the people of Saskatchewan as a board member of the Law Foundation of Saskatchewan and for her long service on the Auto Injury Appeal Commission, where she served as chair. Ann has driven community improvement through various board appointments, including multiple arts organizations, the Regina Airport Authority Inc., and the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Her mentorship to other board members is profound, and even when she is not serving on a board, she is open to sharing her expertise to ensure organizations are set up for success to better serve the public. Donations by the Ann and Roger Phillips Foundation totalling millions of dollars have benefited arts organizations, the University of Regina, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, community and health charities, and, most notably, for the renovation and revitalization of Darke Hall.

Ellen Remai, M.S.C., LL.D.

Ellen Remai is a successful business leader, inspiring community builder and a visionary philanthropist.

Ellen and her late husband Frank founded Remai Ventures Inc. They also created the Frank and Ellen Remai Foundation in 1992, which has carried out a wide variety of philanthropic efforts, with particular focus on supporting performing and visual arts. Remai was responsible for one of the largest donations to the arts in Canadian history, having pledged over $100 million to the stunning Remai Modern art gallery in Saskatoon, including the donation of a collection of 405 Pablo Picasso linocuts. She has said “A great city deserves great art”.

In addition to her remarkable contributions to Remai Modern, she has funded a variety of organizations, including the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, Habitat for Humanity, Saskatoon Community Services Village, and scholarships for the University of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Polytechnic. Remai is a long-time supporter of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, the Persephone Theatre and the Remai Arts Centre.

Remai has received the Governor General’s Meritorious Service Cross, a University of Saskatchewan Honorary Doctor of Laws, France’s Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters, the YWCA Women of Distinction Lifetime Achievement Award, the Saskatchewan Arts Honorary Award, the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal, a Saskatchewan Polytechnic Honorary Diploma and has been inducted into the SABEX Hall of Fame.

E. Robert Stromberg, K.C.

E. Robert Stromberg contributed to the success of Robertson Stromberg LLP as senior partner and helped lead it to national success. Bob is known as a mentor to many. He is generous with his time and is easily approachable with his self-deprecating humour. He also sat on the Federal Judiciary Advisory Committee, supporting the independence of the judiciary. His leadership in the privatization of what is now Nutrien and Cameco was paramount, developing a "Saskatchewan First" business model that has led to investment generating billions of dollars for the province. He and his firm also developed the business model that allowed First Nations to invest and partner with non-First Nations with a favorable tax and ownership structure not previously used. He continued to advocate for Indigenous post-secondary education and employment as a member of the President’s Advisory Council of the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies. He also led the negotiations with Transport Canada to transfer the Saskatoon airport from the federal government to local community control, ensuring they were well positioned to promote future growth. Beyond all this, he and his wife, Sandra, are significant donors to healthcare and education. Bob freely gives his time as a board member chairing multiple initiatives, including serving for over 12 years as the Honorary Colonel of the North Saskatchewan Regiment.

Senapan Thunder

Senapan Thunder is a leader in the use of technology and education to foster the revitalization of nêhiyawêwin, the Cree language and culture. After earning her education degree in 1992, she began her career as a teacher at Thunderchild First Nation. Over years she developed curriculum as a language teacher in North Battleford, which started with elementary students and expanded to high school – finally evolving into a week-long Elders’ program. By seeking advice and guidance from her Elders, Senapan was empowered to help lead an entire school system toward integrating nêhiyaw (Cree) culture and ceremony into its program. In 2018, she stepped away from the traditional classroom after a career that spanned all grades and ages and that included service as an administrator and resource person, or “nêhiyaw language catalyst,” for the Saskatoon Catholic School Division. Her passion has not dimmed, though her methods have evolved as she now teaches Cree using technology. She uses video, television, applications, and social media to help carry multiple dialects into a lively and secure future for both youth and adults. Her tireless work with the Montreal Lake Cree Nation Language Project provided technical and language support to populate the language app and develop free resources that are available online. She continues to be a mentor to many in their personal journey to relearn their language and culture and shares nêhiyawêwin with learners in an online adult Cree group called “Cree & Tea.” Her efforts are truly a gift to the entire province of Saskatchewan.