AFN National Chief honoured with Saskatchewan Order of Merit
- EFN Staff | May 25, 2018
Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Perry Bellegarde was amongst six recipients who received the Saskatchewan Order of Merit at a ceremony held at the Conexus Arts Centre on May 23rd in Regina.
Bellegarde said he was surprised to receive the award.
“I was very honoured and humbled to receive the award,” he said. “I didn’t know that anyone nominated me…it’s a big honour.”
Lieutenant Governor W. Thomas Molloy presented the medal around the recipients’ necks and talked about their work over the years – including Bellegarde.
“[He] talked about some of the things I worked on over the years,” said Bellegarde. “Getting the Treaty 4 reserve grounds back to reserve status at Fort Qu’Appelle and uniting the 34 Treaty 4 tribes and they talked about the transfer of the Indian hospital back to First Nations control.”
Lieutenant Governor Molloy also presented the five other recipients with the Saskatchewan Order of Merit.
“The Order of Merit is the province’s highest honour,” Molloy said in a media release. “Saskatchewan has remarkable citizens and looking at the accomplishments and contributions of the six individuals chosen for the Order of Merit this year, I am truly humbled. Their work has made our province a better place, and I thank them for their tremendous efforts.”
Bellegarde also worked on was the 25-year gaming agreement in Saskatchewan which helped solidify the gaming industry to build casinos such as the Dakota Dunes Whitecap and the Living Sky Casino in Swift Current. He also worked on the Veterans Compensation Package for Indigenous veterans. That and many more accomplishments have led him to receive the province’s most prestigious award.
“The organizers and the committee must have recognized how we’re trying to work together to improve this province [to] build bridges and relationships,” said Bellegarde.
For 33 years, the Saskatchewan Order of Merit has recognized people who demonstrate outstanding contributions to the province in areas such as the arts, business and industry, agriculture, community leadership and volunteer service. This year’s recipients will join 229 other citizens who have previously been invested into the Saskatchewan Order of Merit.