Written by Ally Paige

The nominations are now open for the Saskatchewan Order of Merit,

The award is the highest honour Saskatchewan has to offer and is awarded for excellence in a wide variety of endeavors. 

Jason Quilliam, Chief of Protocol with the Government of Saskatchewan, said that it is a way to recognize the community of Saskatchewan and the great work of the residents. 

“It's a way for not only the Saskatchewan government, but Saskatchewan residents to recognize those folks who have just been doing a great job in a wide variety of sectors,” he said. 

Citizens that are Saskatchewan residents or long term former residents of Saskatchewan can be nominated for the award. 

The only residents of Saskatchewan that are not eligible are current members of the Legislative Assembly, current members of Parliament and current members of the judiciary. 

Quilliam also acknowledged how important it to recognize hard work during such difficult times. 

“There's some tough times out there we want to shine our lights on some of the great work that that continues to happen in our province and the Saskatchewan Order of merits,” he said. 

There is a wide variety of ways to nominate an individual, including online and through the mail.  

Once an individual has been nominated, the Government of Saskatchewan requires three to six support letters from other people who are aware of the nominees' accomplishments.  

Once the nominations are submitted, they are sorted by an independent committee Quilliam explained. 

“It's called the Saskatchewan Honors Advisory Council and they take in nominations for the Saskatchewan Order of Merit and also our Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal,” he said. “They review all those nominations and make some pretty tough choices.” 

The investiture typically takes place in Regina during spring, where the Leftenant governor of the province invest them with the medal. 

Nominations for the Saskatchewan Order of Merit are open until November 30 2022. 

You can find the nomination form here.