Order of Nova Scotia

Order of Nova Scotia
Awarded by the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
Type	National order
Eligibility	Any Canadian citizen presently or formerly resident in Nova Scotia, save for politicians and judges while in office.
Awarded for	Outstanding contributions or achievements that bring honour and prestige to themselves and to Nova Scotia.
Status	Currently constituted
Chancellor	Mayann E. Francis
Grades (w/ post-nominals)	Member (ONS)
Established	2 August 2001
Precedence
Next (higher)	Order of New Brunswick
Next (lower)	Order of Newfoundland and Labrador
Ribbon of the Order of Nova Scotia

The Order of Nova Scotia is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Instituted on 2 August 2001, when Lieutenant Governor Myra Freeman granted Royal Assent to the Order of Nova Scotia Act,^[1] the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to honour current or former Nova Scotia residents for conspicuous achievements in any field,^[2] being thus described as the highest honour amongst all others conferred by the Nova Scotia Crown.^[3]

Structure and appointment

The Order of Nova Scotia is intended to honour any current or former long time resident of Nova Scotia who has demonstrated a high level of individual excellence and achievement in any field, having "distinguished themselves in many fields of endeavour and hav[ing] brought honour and prestige to themselves and to Nova Scotia."^[4] There are no limits on how many can belong to the order, though inductions are limited to five per year; Canadian citizenship is a requirement, and those who are elected or appointed members of a governmental body are ineligible as long as they hold office.^[4]

The process of finding qualified individuals begins with submissions from the public to the Order of Nova Scotia Advisory Council, which consists of a person who serves as the chair, appointed by the premier; the Chief Justice of Nova Scotia; the Clerk of the Executive Council and an individual appointed by the clerk; the president of a university in the province; and one person appointed by each of the leaders of the parties in the House of Assembly, all of whom must be resident in Nova Scotia.^[5] This committee then meets at least once annually to make its selected recommendations to the Executive Council and works with that body in narrowing down the potential appointees to a list that will be submitted to the lieutenant governor;^[6] posthumous nominations are accepted up to one year following the nominee's death.^[7] The lieutenant governor, ex officio a Member and the Chancellor of the Order of Nova Scotia,^[2] then makes all appointments into the fellowship's single grade of membership by an Order in Council that bears the viceroyal sign-manual and the Great Seal of the province;^[8] thereafter, the new Members are entitled to use the post-nominal letters ONS.^[9]

Insignia

Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Mayann Francis wearing the insignia of the Order of Nova Scotia at upper right

Upon admission into the Order of Nova Scotia, usually in a ceremony held at Government House in Halifax, new Members are presented with the order's insignia. The main badge consists of a gold medallion in the form of a stylized epigaea repens (or mayflower) — the official provincial flower — with the obverse in white enamel with gold edging, and bearing at its centre the escutcheon of the arms of Nova Scotia, all surmounted by a St. Edward's Crown symbolizing the Canadian monarch's role as the fount of honour.^[10] The ribbon is patterned with vertical stripes in red, blue, gold, and white; men wear the medallion suspended from this ribbon at the collar, while women carry theirs on a ribbon bow at the left chest. Members also receive a lapel pin that can be worn during less formal occasions.^[4]

Inductees

The following are some notable appointees of the Order of Nova Scotia:

• Joyce Carman Barkhouse CM ONS, children's author, appointed 2007
• Carrie M. Best OC ONS, journalist, appointed 2002
• Lorne O. Clarke OC ONS, Chief Justice of Nova Scotia, appointed 2002
• David Alexander Colville PC CC ONS, painter, appointed 2003
• Sidney Patrick Crosby ONS, professional hockey player, appointed 2008^[11]
• Mayann E. Francis ONS, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, appointed 2006
• Myra Freeman CM ONS, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, appointed 2001
• Constance R. Glube OC ONS, Chief Justice of Nova Scotia, appointed 2005
• Flora Isabel MacDonald PC CC OOnt ONS, politician, appointed 2007
• Hugh Allan MacMaster CM ONS, musician, appointed 2003
• Rita MacNeil CM ONS, singer and songwriter, appointed 2005
• Morna Anne Murray CC ONS, singer and songwriter, appointed 2002
• John Patrick Savage OC ONS, Premier of Nova Scotia, appointed 2002

See also

• Canadian order of precedence (decorations and medals)
• Symbols of Nova Scotia
• State decoration

External links

• Order of Nova Scotia webpage

References

1. ^ Elizabeth II (12 March 2007). Order of Nova Scotia Act. 17. Halifax: Queen's Printer for Nova Scotia. http://www.canlii.org/eliisa/highlight.do?text=order+of+nova+scotia&language=en&searchTitle=Search+all+CanLII+Databases&path=/en/ns/laws/stat/sns-2001-c-9/latest/sns-2001-c-9.html. Retrieved 21 June 2009. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Marsh, James H., ed. "Culture > Awards > Order of Nova Scotia". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Toronto: Historica Foundation of Canada. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0009798. Retrieved 24 August 2009. 
3. ^ Elizabeth II 2007, 20
4. ^ ^{a b c} Protocol Office. "Order of Nova Scotia". Queen's Printer for Nova Scotia. http://www.gov.ns.ca/prot/order.htm. Retrieved 24 August 2009. ^{[dead link]}
5. ^ Elizabeth II 2007, 8
6. ^ Elizabeth II 2007, 11
7. ^ Elizabeth II 2007, 14.3
8. ^ Elizabeth II 2007, 18
9. ^ Elizabeth II 2007, 21.b
10. ^ Royal Canadian Mounted Police. "Honours and Recognition Programs > Canadian National Honours". Queen's Printer for Canada. http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/hon/nat-honour-honneur/index-eng.htm. Retrieved 20 May 2009. 
11. ^ "Sidney Crosby among 6 awarded Order of Nova Scotia". CBC. 9 April 2008. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2008/09/04/crosby-order.html. Retrieved 9 April 2008.