The number of Saskatchewan Merit of Order honourees will swell by 16 to 258 following Wednesday evening’s medal ceremony.

Due to no ceremony being held in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty will invest 10 people named to the province’s highest honour in 2020 and another six for 2021. The list of people invested Wednesday can be found below.

“The sixteen recipients honoured this evening have significantly impacted the well-being of Saskatchewan people,” Mirasty said. “I congratulate each of these impressive individuals and I thank them for their remarkable contributions to our province.”

Since 1985, the Saskatchewan Order of Merit has recognized citizens who demonstrate exemplary contributions to the province in areas such as the arts, business and industry, agriculture, community leadership and volunteer service. In 1991, this award was recognized by the Government of Canada in the national sequence of orders.

The 2020 Saskatchewan Order of Merit recipients are:

• Dr. Gordon Asmundson, Regina
• Rigmor Clarke, Shell Lake
• Sally Elliott, Regina (posthumous)
• Gerald Grandey, Saskatoon
• Dr. Donald Greve, Rosthern
• Dr. Lorne Hepworth, Weyburn and London, ON
• Pamela Klein, Regina
• Silvia Martini, Saskatoon
• Eloise Sitter, Saskatoon
• Dr. Walter Streelasky, Melville

The 2021 Saskatchewan Order of Merit recipients are:

• Mavis Ashbourne-Palmer, Regina
• Dr. Michael Bishop, Kamsack
• Albert Brown, Saskatoon
• Marie-Anne DayWalker-Pelletier, C.M., Balcarres
• Hart Godden, Regina
• Solomon Ratt, Regina