Three people with strong links to the University of Waterloo were among the newest appointees to the Order of Canada, including Douglas Stenton, Adjunct Professor in the Department of Anthropology. Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, announced the 125 appointees on December 29.
Douglas Stenton, who serves as heritage director in Nunavut, was named a Member of the Order of Canada. Stenton was cited "for his enduring contributions to the preservation of Canada’s northern heritage."
"Over his career Dr. Douglas Stenton has been a scholar, educator and civil servant, devoting his exceptional energies to the archaeological heritage of what is today Nunavut," writes Professor Robert Park of Waterloo's anthropology department. "He introduced several generations of young Inuit to archaeology through field schools and through employing them on salvage excavations, providing those young people with unique opportunities to learn about their own heritage and about their ancestors’ lives. And since 2007 Doug planned and personally led the Government of Nunavut's participation in the investigation of Sir John Franklin's catastrophic 1845 Northwest Passage expedition. A major part of his contribution was ensuring that land-based investigations formed part of the search, and it was a 2014 find from that land-based research that led to the discovery of Sir John Franklin's ship Erebus."
Created in 1967, the Order of Canada is one of Canada's highest civilian honours, and recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. Close to 7 000 people from all sectors of society have been invested into the Order. Appointments are made by the governor general on the recommendation of the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada.
The date of the investment ceremony has not yet been set.
Story adapted from the Daily Bulletin.