The following is being distributed at the request of Her Honour, the Honourable Judy M. Foote P.C., O.N.L, Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador:
At a ceremony today at Government House, Her Honour, the Honourable Judy M. Foote, 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.
This year’s recipients are David A. Elms, Noreen Golfman, Dr. Kevin Noel Melvin, Rick Mercer, O.C., Dr. Patrick Parfrey, O.C., Jean Claude Roy and Andrus Voitk.
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.
With today’s recipients, there is now a select group of just 142 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians invested into the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Biographies for each person honoured at today’s ceremony 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 nominations is October 31.
Quotes
“The seven exceptional Newfoundlanders and Labradorians invested today join a prestigious group of now 142 individuals who have received the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador since the honour was first bestowed in 2004, first approved by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2003. As Chancellor of the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador, it was an honour to congratulate these exemplary members of our community for their commitment to their respective fields, and recognize the impact their dedication has in our province, country, and the world.
Honourable Judy M. Foote, P.C., 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 seven remarkable individuals who were invested into the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador today, many of whom have made invaluable contributions to recent government initiatives. It was a privilege to celebrate their accomplishments as they received the province’s highest honour. Their contributions to life in this province are numerous, spanning the arts and culture, health care and environmental conservation among others. We are grateful for your service to this province and its people.”
Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
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Reconnaissance des derniers récipiendaires de l’Ordre de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador
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Order of Newfoundland and Labrador
BACKGROUNDER
Biographies of those invested into the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador
David A. Elms
David A. Elms is a household name in the City of Corner Brook for his multiple volunteer activities. A former broadcaster, Mr. Elms is frequently asked to host many local events, but his involvement often extends beyond those duties.
Mr. Elms’ volunteerism accolades are numerous. He was a member of the organizing committee and Master of Ceremonies for the Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, which began in 2001.
From 2005 to 2020, he was host of the annual Janeway Children’s Miracle Network Telethon, and is a former board member.
For more than 30 years, his most recognizable volunteer role has been playing the mascot of the Corner Brook Winter Carnival, Leif the Lucky. In this role, Mr. Elms is considered the “spirit” of the Winter Carnival, and significantly contributes to the social, cultural, and community life of Corner Brook.
In addition, Mr. Elms and his wife, Sandra, created the annual Leifling Gala in 2005 where young people in primary/elementary school compete to become that year’s Leifling, and accompany Leif to many of the events. It has encouraged young people to be involved and become volunteers in the community.
Mr. Elms serves as an inspiration to all those around him. He is described as reliable, dedicated, and is a strong pillar of the community through his multitude of contributions spanning decades.
Noreen Golfman
For more than four decades, Noreen Golfman has been a tireless champion of cultural expression, equity, diversity, political awareness, and social justice. Her vision, voice, and fearless activism has brought transformational change for Newfoundland and Labrador.
In 1989, Ms. Golfman was a founding director of the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival. At the time, there was only one other women’s film festival in the world. Under her strong leadership for over 30 years, it has been a force in the industry, and is responsible directly for dramatic increases in the number of women, producing and directing, film and television productions in Canada.
She served on the Board of Directors of the LSPU Hall and helped lead its renovation; she has been chairing the board of the Winterset in Summer Literary Festival for the several years, and is the Vice Chair of the Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation. Her advocacy has helped build an industry that has an annual production value of approximately $100 million annually. In 2014, Ms. Golfman co-founded Business and Arts NL and presently acts as its co-chair.
Recently retired from the Department of English at Memorial University, Ms. Golfman was honoured with the distinction of Professor Emerita. She was the first woman appointed to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies from 2008-2014, and the Provost and Vice President (Academic) from 2014-2020. For more than three decades, she has been the president of Memorial University’s Cinema Series.
An Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Arts (ACTRA) member since 1992, Ms. Golfman served as a commentator, performer, and writer for CBC Radio and Television. She has received many accolades over the years, most notably the Women in Film and Television Atlantic (WIFT-AT) Wave Award in 2014, and ACTRA National Woman of the Year in 2019.
Dr. Kevin Noel Melvin
Dr. Kevin Melvin grew up as part of a fishing family on the Southern Shore of the Avalon Peninsula.
After a period of practice as a Family Doctor he trained as a General Surgeon and subsequently specialized as a Cardiac, Vascular and Thoracic Surgeon training in Toronto.
Returning to Newfoundland and Labrador in 1982, he practiced full time until mid-2021 when he retired.
During the majority of that time, he served as Chief of Cardiac Surgery at the Health Science Centre, Chief of General/Vascular Surgery at the Salvation Army Grace General Hospital until its closure, and subsequently as Chief of Vascular Surgery at St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital.
During the four decades of his practice the specialties of cardiac and vascular surgery have witnessed advances and innovations in terms of new procedures and techniques all aimed at improving patient outcomes. He initiated the implementation of these advances locally that have helped to shorten patient hospital stays and waiting lists, develop a data base to measure procedural outcomes, and actioned policies and procedures to treat the patients in a holistic manner.
To address unique local issues, he initiated programs focused on the role of nurses in advanced patient care. Specifically, Acute Care Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) now have responsibility for preoperative and postoperative periods that have both reduced the workload of the cardiac surgeon and improved the patient experience. Similarly, the development of the Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA) program has greatly improved the efficiency and outcomes of the technically demanding and sometimes prolonged operative procedures. Both the local ACNP and RNFA programs are generally considered to be the best in the country.
Difficulty with patient access to surgical specialists in vascular surgery has been addressed with the initiation of traveling vascular surgical clinics. Scheduled regional clinics now provide access to vascular surgical specialists and obviate the need for patients, in many cases, to travel to St. John’s for appropriate care. These clinics additionally utilize a mobile non-invasive vascular laboratory for onsite screening and diagnosis of vascular disease. These measures allow for expeditious access to the Provincial Non-Invasive Vascular Laboratory at St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital and any necessary diagnostic and interventional vascular procedures.
Cardiac and vascular surgery care, of necessity, involve a large number of health care professionals and a collaborative team approach is essential. In this area Dr. Melvin has excelled as a leader, colleague, and mentor.
Rick Mercer, O.C.
Rick Mercer grew up in Middle Cove, where his career began through the discovery of theatre and comedy in high school.
For more than 30 years, Mr. Mercer left his mark on the provincial, national, and international levels as a comedian, satirist, screenwriter, actor, author, and humanitarian. He is one of the most successful artists to come from Newfoundland and Labrador and he uses his profile to be a constant and passionate ambassador for our province to the world.
Mr. Mercer connected with Canadians through comedy shows, and multiple award-winning CBC series including “This Hour has 22 Minutes”, “Talking to Americans”, “Made in Canada”, and “The Rick Mercer Report.”
A five-time national bestselling author, Mr. Mercer received the 2022 Stephen Leacock Medal for his memoir “Talking to Canadians”. In addition, he has written for Time, Macleans, the National Post, and the Globe and Mail.
Mr. Mercer’s work in television has awarded him close to 30 Gemini and Canadian Screen Awards. In addition, he is the recipient of 10 honorary doctorates from institutions across Canada. In 2014, Mr. Mercer was invested as an Officer of the Order of Canada, and in 2019 he received the Governor General’s Award for Lifetime Achievement.
On his journey to chronicle, satirize and celebrate all that is irreverent and wonderful about our country, Mr. Mercer has never forgotten the place he calls home. His strong leadership, creativity, and professionalism have played an integral role in the success of Come Home Year 2022.
His work reminds us to think critically, and to remember to laugh at ourselves.
Dr. Patrick Parfrey, O.C.
Dr. Patrick Parfrey is a clinical epidemiologist and nephrologist with an international reputation for patient-related research in kidney disease and genetic disease.
Throughout his distinguished career in the field of health care, Dr. Parfrey has had a profound influence on the well-being of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. He was instrumental in building the discipline of nephrology as a clinical service and teaching program, the clinical Epidemiology Unit, and the building of the new medical school. Dr. Parfrey’s work led to the establishment of Quality of Care NL, an applied health and social systems research and evaluation program aimed at improving social and health outcomes in our province. He was also a John Lewis Paton Distinguished Professor at Memorial University.
He has published hundreds of research papers, multiple books, and contributed many book chapters. His globally recognized research has led him to attract more than $100 million to advance his work.
In November 2020, Dr. Parfrey was appointed co-chair of Health Accord NL, along with Sister Elizabeth Davis. They led a team to help make recommendations to help inform a reimagined health care system that better meets the needs of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
In 2022, Dr. Parfrey was appointed Deputy Minister of Health Transformation in the Office of the Executive Council.
Dr. Parfrey is an officer of the Order of Canada, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.
Jean Claude Roy
Jean Claude Roy is an artist who has made Newfoundland and Labrador his second home since first arriving here from France more than 55 years ago. He has made an immense contribution to our province’s rich cultural and artistic heritage by capturing in paint the changing human landscape, forever ensuring that our past is firmly rooted and celebrated in the present.
Mr. Roy has produced two books, Fluctuat Nec Mergitur (a Latin phrase meaning “floating but not sinking”), and Terra Magna, which feature paintings of every community on the island of Newfoundland, and in Labrador. Some of these communities have since disappeared but remain visible to us through his paintings, because he visited, loved, and respected both the places and the people who lived there.
Mr. Roy has been involved in several projects that have resulted in the preservation of this province’s rich culture and history. He collaborated with the French Shore Historical Society of Conche from 2004-10, and designed the creation, now known as the French Shore Tapestry.
Mr. Roy has also enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Labradorians. While travelling its length and breadth, he found occasion to teach Inuit youth at Torngat Mountains National Park resulting in a mural. Since 2013, he has been involved in fundraising efforts with the Battle Harbour Historic Trust.
Mr. Roy’s continuous generosity, through his talent and art, will have a lasting legacy focused on celebrating and preserving Newfoundland and Labrador’s rich cultural heritage.
Andrus Voitk
Exploring Newfoundland and Labrador since his retirement, Andrus Voitk rediscovered his childhood interest in natural history by developing a particular curiosity about fungi.
While President of the Humber Natural History Society, he sought out a group of like-minded enthusiasts and organized the first annual mushroom foray in 2003, which evolved into the provincial mushroom club: Foray Newfoundland and Labrador, Inc. (FNL).
Mr. Voitk spent thousands of volunteer hours building a convivial society welcoming all interested to collect, document, and archive our fungi, while also learning about them from a renowned international faculty of invited expert identifiers.
During the past 20 years, FNL has recorded almost 2,000 species of fungi native to Newfoundland and Labrador, with more consistently being added. Scientists from all over the world use the FNL collections, housed in the herbarium of Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland (Index Herbariorum Code SWGC), in their research.
When Michael Burzynski assumed direction of FNL, Mr. Voitk could turn his attention to publication. He founded and edited the FNL newsletter, “Omphalina,” described on MycoWeb.com as “the finest amateur mushrooming newsletter in North America.”
Working with leading international scientists, he began publishing peer-reviewed scientific works, describing to date 18 taxa new to science (five named after our province, its regions, or individuals).
In recognition of these contributions, two new species have been named after him by other mycologists: Gymnopilus voitkii Malloch & Thorn, and Cortinarius mariandrus Liimat. & Niskanen (the latter also honouring his wife, Maria).
A recipient of the Tuck-Walters Award from Nature Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Gary Lincoff Award from the North American Mycological Association, he and his wife were named lifetime honorary members of FNL.
In addition to numerous scientific and popular mycological publications, and the first field guide to the fungi of Newfoundland and Labrador, Andrus Voitk wrote a guide to the native wild orchids of Newfoundland and one to its bumblebees, both co-authored by his wife, the latter also coauthored by Barry Hicks. All three books were donated to the publisher, Gros Morne Co-operating Association, to help raise funds in support of its work.