Three people were revealed Thursday as the next recipients of the Order of the Northwest Territories.
JoAnne Deneron of Fort Liard, Paul Kaeser II of Fort Smith and Mary Effie Snowshoe of Fort McPherson are scheduled to be invested on March 30 at the legislative assembly with Commissioner Margaret Thom presiding over the ceremony. The public and media are welcome to attend.
Deneron, in her third term as chairperson of the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board, was nominated for her work in community leadership. She has served with public and Indigenous governments and on numerous boards and committees.
Kaeser is being recognized for his role in business, having run the family-owned Kaeser’s Store in Fort Smith from 1980 to 2007. He supported local groups and individuals through donations, provided credit to those in need, employed numerous people and provided “excellent service and products,” according to a GNWT news release.
Snowshoe was nominated for her contributions to arts and culture. A language/culture teacher most of her life, she teaches on-the-land programs for students as young as three years old, including lessons in the Gwich’in language.
The Order of the Northwest Territories, established in 2013, recognizes individuals “who have served with the greatest distinction and excelled in any field of endeavour benefiting the people of the NWT or elsewhere. It is the highest honour awarded to NWT residents. A member of the Order can wear the insignia of the Order as a decoration and use the initials ‘O.N.W.T.’ after their name,” the GNWT stated.
The next nomination period will be from April 21 to May 19. The legislative assembly website offers additional information.