Latest Recipients of the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador Recognized

October 30, 2024

The following is being distributed at the request of Her Honour the Honourable Joan Marie Aylward, O.N.L., Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador:

At a ceremony today at Government House, Her Honour the Honourable Joan Marie Aylward, O.N.L., Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, congratulated the remarkable recipients of the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador. The recipients are receiving the province’s highest honour for their demonstrated excellence and achievement in any field of endeavour benefiting in an outstanding manner Newfoundland and Labrador and its residents.

The eight recipients this year are Everard (Bud) Davidge, Clifford R. George, Liam Hickey, Saqamaw Mi’sel Muinjij Joe, C.M., Andy Jones, C.M., Patrick O’Callaghan, Guy J. Poole and Dr. Andrea M. Rose.

With this year’s recipients, there is now a select group of just 151 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians invested into the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Biographies for each recipient can be found in the backgrounder below.

Each recipient of the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador is nominated for the award and is presented with a medal bearing the shield of Newfoundland and Labrador surmounted by the Crown. Members receive a certificate signed by the Lieutenant Governor as Chancellor and sealed with the seal of the Order, as well as a miniature medal and a lapel pin. Members of the Order are entitled to use the initials O.N.L. after their names.

Do you know an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to our province? Nominate them for the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador. The deadline for 2025 nominations is November 30, 2024.

Quotes
“Recipients of the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador are truly among our best. Today it was a great pleasure to invest another exceptional group of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. Each recipient has made a significant contribution through the accomplishments and achievements shared with our province as leaders, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, artists, trail blazers and community role models. I congratulate today’s recipients, and I thank each of them for their outstanding contributions to Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Honourable Joan Marie Aylward, O.N.L
Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador

“On behalf of the Provincial Government and the entire province of Newfoundland and Labrador, I extend sincerest congratulations to the eight remarkable individuals who were invested into the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador today. It was a privilege to celebrate their accomplishments as they received the province’s highest honour. Whether it is contributing to the province’s arts and culture, volunteerism or public service, their passion and inspiration have contributed immensely to the overall well-being of their fellow Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. They truly exemplify the best of our province.”
Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador

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Order of Newfoundland and Labrador

BACKGROUNDER

Biographies

Everard (Bud) Davidge
Everard (Bud) Davidge is a musician, songwriter, storyteller, and volunteer from Bay Du Nord. His artistic and cultural contributions to Newfoundland and Labrador are unparalleled.

Mr. Davidge is one half of the traditional music duo Simani, a group he co-founded with Sim Savory in 1977. His songs, such as Music and Friends and The Mummer’s Song, have given music and words to the feelings of many. The Mummer’s Song was published as an illustrated children’s book in 1993 and received an award from the American Folklore Society in 1994.

A passionate advocate for the preservation and promotion of this province’s cultural heritage, Mr. Davidge serves as an ambassador of Newfoundland and Labrador across Canada and around the world. He recognizes the importance of passing down traditions to future generations. Mr. Davidge continues to work tirelessly to ensure the province’s unique folklore, stories and dialect are celebrated and preserved.

Throughout his career, Mr. Davidge has generously lent his talents to many benefit concerts, fundraisers, and charitable events. He uses his music as a powerful tool to bring people together and make a positive impact.

In addition to Mr. Davidge’s cultural achievements, he is a supportive mentor to young artists, an educator, and a volunteer with Memorial University’s Board of Regents. He has been heavily involved in municipal and community affairs, with groups including Lions International, Choosing Wisely NL, and regional development organizations.

Mr. Davidge received two bachelor’s degrees and an honorary Doctor of Laws from Memorial University, and a Master of Arts from the University of Toronto.

Clifford R. George
Clifford George is a renowned visual artist from Whiteway, Trinity Bay, who has maintained an active studio practice for more than 50 years and exhibited in more than 100 exhibitions since 1970. His paintings are found in public and private collections around the world.

He has travelled throughout Newfoundland and Labrador and, through his work, met and documented hundreds of communities and the people who live there. For Mr. George, the narratives of those people – the poets, songwriters, and storytellers – are as important in his paintings as the locations themselves.

Mr. George’s passion and lobbying, including his 1996 exhibition titled Chiming Times, along with the advocacy of the Friends of the Newfoundland Pony group, brought the awareness needed to protect the Newfoundland Pony as a Heritage Animal. Mr. George’s contributions have helped ensure that this iconic animal will continue to thrive in Newfoundland and Labrador for generations to come.

His passion for the arts and mentorship of young Newfoundland and Labrador artists is inspiring. Not only does his artistic output reveal the beauty and variety of this province’s landscapes and people, but his support for the community – whether for fellow artists or the local health foundation, among other causes – reflects a deep love and commitment to Newfoundland and Labrador.

Liam Hickey
Liam Hickey was born in St. John’s and started playing parasports when he was eight years old. Since then, Mr. Hickey has achieved success at the highest level of international sports in both summer and winter Paralympic Games — a rare and impressive feat.

By age 20, Mr. Hickey represented Team Canada at two Paralympic Games in two sports: wheelchair basketball at the 2016 Summer Paralympic Games in Rio (where he was the youngest member of the team), and para ice hockey at the 2018 Winter Paralympic Games in Pyeongchang, earning a silver medal. Most recently, Mr. Hickey became a world champion after Team Canada won gold at the 2024 World Para Ice Hockey Championships.

Throughout his journey, Mr. Hickey helped grow wheelchair basketball and para ice hockey at a local, national, and international level. He regularly participates in the local Wheelchair Basketball Program, introducing it to schools and mentoring young players. Mr. Hickey continues to participate with Avalon Sled Dogs, again helping to grow the sport, on and off the ice.

Mr. Hickey’s achievements have not only contributed to the pride of place for all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians but has also allowed young athletes to reach for the sky when chasing their sporting dreams, knowing that success on the international stage is possible for them, too.

A current member and assistant captain of Canada’s para ice hockey team, Mr. Hickey is working towards the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games and is a full-time student at Memorial University.

Saqamaw Mi’sel Muinjij Joe, C.M.
Chief Mi’sel Joe was born in Miawpukek into a strong Mi’kmaq family. He has played a leadership role in the community for more than 40 years, including serving as Hereditary Saquamaw of Miawpukek since 1982 and Administrative Chief for 15 two-year terms.

With a deep commitment to preserving the language, culture and traditions of Mi’kmaq people, Chief Mi’sel Joe has helped foster a better understanding of Mi’kmaq people in Newfoundland and Labrador, and Canada. He is a highly respected leader and shining light of reconciliation.

Aside from political leadership, Chief Mi’sel Joe also provides spiritual leadership to his people and has gained recognition locally, nationally, and internationally in this capacity. Chief Mi’sel Joe has presented on traditional medicines and healing practices at several International Alternative Medicine Conferences and hosted the 1996 and 2006 International Healing Conference at Conne River.

He is a recognized author of many literary works, including My Indian, Muinjij Becomes a Man, An Aboriginal Chief’s Journey, Backyard of Heaven and, most recently, Suliewey.

For Chief Mi’sel Joe’s impressive contributions to Indigenous communities and governments and impactful leadership, he has received many distinctions. In 2004, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws by Memorial University. He received the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 2012 and was awarded the Order of Canada in 2018. In 2019, Chief Mi’sel Joe was appointed Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the 5th Canadian Ranger Patrol Group, responsible for the area of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Andy Jones, C.M.
Andy Jones is an actor, comedian, writer and mental health advocate from St. John’s and a former member of the groundbreaking CODCO comedy troupe. CODCO has entertained audiences across Canada for decades and has been one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s most successful cultural exports.

With his brother Michael Jones, he co-directed The Adventures of Faustus Bidgood, the first feature length film produced entirely in this province with a cast and crew composed solely of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

Over the last four decades, the two-time Gemini Award and ACTRA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient has shared his multi-faceted talents on Canadian television and film and has toured theatres from coast to coast.

Mr. Jones and his life partner Mary-Lynn Bernard combined advocacy and art to create the one-man show Don’t Give Up on Me, Dad, an emotional and personal exploration of the death of their son, Louis, who died by suicide in 2014 after years of struggles with his mental health. This show was directed and dramaturged by Charlie Tomlinson and produced by Resource Centre for the Arts.

Mr. Jones has also written six children’s books based on traditional Newfoundland folktales. His book Jack and Mary in the Land of Thieves won the Winterset Award in 2013.

Along with his fellow CODCO troupe members, Mr. Jones was awarded an honorary doctor of letters degree by Memorial University in 2000. He was awarded the Order of Canada in 2019.

Patrick O’Callaghan
Patrick O’Callaghan is an entrepreneur and humanitarian from Ireland who has called Atlantic Canada home for more than 50 years. Mr. O’Callaghan has given generously to many local causes and tirelessly served many charitable and community service organizations. He has made a real difference in the lives of the most vulnerable members of our community.

After a successful career in hospitality, Mr. O’Callaghan built a thriving business, East Coast Catering. He hired, trained, and mentored thousands of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. In 1998, Mr. O’Callaghan established a ground-breaking business partnership with the Innu Nation, resulting in the creation of Labrador Catering, a company that provided employment for more than 200 Indigenous People primarily at the Voisey’s Bay site.

Mr. O’Callaghan’s financial support has helped develop rugby in the province to be competitive nationally and internationally. He provided ongoing support to develop Rainbow Riders and helped to ensure its continued success during operational challenges during the pandemic.

Most recently, Mr. O’Callaghan donated over $2 million to The Gathering Place in support of a permanent low-barrier emergency shelter. In recognition of his visionary leadership, the emergency shelter will be named O’Callaghan’s Haven. Mr. O’Callaghan has shown incredible generosity, humility, and unwavering commitment to improving the lives of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

Guy J. Poole
Guy Poole is an advocate and community volunteer from St. Lewis on the south coast of Labrador. He began the annual Liz’s Walk to raise funds to support diabetes research and awareness after losing his beloved wife to complications from the disease. Over the past two decades, Mr. Poole has walked thousands of kilometres across Newfoundland and Labrador to raise more than $300,000 for diabetes research.

His contribution to diabetes awareness through his annual campaign has been recognized by Diabetes Canada as one of their most successful fundraisers.

His walks have taken him across most of the roads in the Big Land to the main highways and many of the branch roads on the Island of Newfoundland.

Weather is no deterrent, and he has proven that he will not stop for rain, strong winds, or extreme temperatures and conditions.

Mr. Poole has created awareness, gathered an enormous amount of community support, raised thousands of dollars and, most importantly, inspired hope amongst those who live with this disease every day.

As an active member of NunatuKavut and vocal advocate for Indigenous rights, Mr. Poole has made significant and noteworthy contributions to his community. His partnership with the NunatuKavut Community Council was recognized by the Newfoundland and Labrador Region of the Canadian Diabetes Association with the 2016 Provincial Outstanding Partnership Award.

Dr. Andrea M. Rose
Dr. Andrea Rose is an educator, musician, and researcher from St. John’s. Her long affiliation with the music education program at Memorial University, her contributions to music festivals, in particular, Festival 500, and commitment to music at all levels, distinguishes her noteworthy contribution to Newfoundland and Labrador.

Dr. Rose has left a legacy of excellence in the undergraduate and graduate programs in music education. Many of her students have assumed influential positions in music and education professions and in the wider community. Upon retirement, she was designated Professor Emerita and Honorary Research Professor.

Dr. Rose is the co-founder and director of The Singing Network, an international collective of individuals and organizations interested in singing and song. The Singing Network generates and hosts local-international musical, educational, and scholarly events including an International Symposia on Singing and Song.

She performed as a violinist with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra (NSO) and Sinfonia for more than 30 years and conducted various music ensembles and productions. Dr. Rose now serves as Board Member of the NSO.

Dr. Rose is the recipient of many awards including the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, Memorial University’s President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching, designation of 3M National Teaching Fellow by the Canadian Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Honorary Life Member award by the Canadian Music Educators’ Association, and Holy Heart of Mary Founders’ Award for Achievement in the Arts.
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