Order of Nunavut

The Order of Nunavut Act was passed by the Legislative Assembly in December of 2009 and came into force on January 1, 2010. The objective of the Order is to honour individuals who have provided an outstanding contribution to the cultural, social or economic well-being of Nunavut.

The Order is the highest honour of Nunavut and takes precedence over all other orders, decorations or medals conferred by the Government of Nunavut. The Order of Nunavut Advisory Council recommends individuals for investiture into the Order. The members of the Advisory Council are the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, the Senior Judge of the Nunavut Court of Justice and the President of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated.

A maximum of three individuals may be invested into the Order each year. A Canadian citizen is eligible to become a member of the Order if, at the time of investiture, he or she is a resident of Nunavut or if he or she was formerly a long-term resident of Nunavut or the area that became Nunavut on April 1, 1999.

On June 29, 2011, the first appointments to the Order of Nunavut were announced. The recipients were Jose Amaujaq Kusugak, Mark Kalluak, C.M. and the Reverend Michael Gardener, C.M.

The 2012 recipients of the Order of Nunavut were the late Kenojuak Ashevak, C.C. and Mr. Charlie Panigoniak.