Meritorious Service Medal

• Awarded on: October 17, 2017
• Invested on: September 12, 2019

John Gordon Stewart, M.S.M.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

John Stewart was instrumental in the development of the Northern Studies 10 course. This mandated graduation requirement for students in the Northwest Territories is the first curriculum of its kind to include the history and legacy of residential schools in Canada. To develop the course content, he formed the Northwest Territories Wise People’s Committee, comprised of Elders, residential school survivors, parents, politicians and curriculum writers. Through the program itself, students connect with Elders and community experts to learn about their unique northern identity.