Member of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: October 23, 1989
• Invested on: April 18, 1990

A Micmac poet, she is proud of her native heritage which she shares through her books, notably Poems of Rita Joe and Songs of Eskasoni. As an active member of the Nova Scotia Writers' Federation, and a speaker at numerous engagements, she has been a true ambassador for her people, promoting native art and culture across Canada and in the United States.