Stature was on stage New Year’s Day at the annual commissioner’s levee with the ceremony to induct the first members into the Order of Yukon.

The Order was created last year to recognize outstanding Yukoners.

The legislation decreed that Commissioner Angélique Bernard be the first inductee as Chancellor of the Order.

Bernard then presented induction medals to 10 distinguished Yukoners of integrity who have contributed to the territory in many different ways.

Before being named commissioner in March 2018, Bernard worked with the French-speaking community and Special Olympics Yukon, and served as president of the Whitehorse Women’s Soccer Association.

The other inductees are:

• Doug Bell – former commissioner, newspaper publisher and columnist;

• Ione Christensen – a lifelong Yukoner who served as commissioner, senator and the mayor of Whitehorse;

• Patricia Ellis – a writer and historian who has written books on the Yukon’s past, including The Squatters of Downtown Whitehorse;

• Judy Gingell – a respected elder with the Kwanlin Dün First Nation who has dedicated her life to asserting Indigenous rights and who is a former commissioner and former chair of what was once known as the Council for Yukon Indians;

• Percy Henry – a respected elder of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in who served as the First Nation’s chief in the past and was involved in the early negotiations of Indigenous land claims in the territory;

• Gary Hewitt – a local curler and coach who has dedicated his time to the curling community in many different ways over the last 40 years;

• Rolf Hougen – a renowned businessman and philanthropist who founded the Canadian Satellite Communications Inc. in 1980;

• Dave Joe – one of the first Indigenous lawyers in the territory who represented the interests of First Nations through the land claim negotiations and beyond;

• Sam Johnston – a Teslin Tlingit elder and former chief who was elected to the legislative assembly and became the first Indigenous speaker of a legislature in Canada; and

• Lyall Murdoch – a musician and entertainer who formed the Frantic Follies in 1970.

Commissioner Bernard presented several other awards.

• Joseph Mewett was given the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers for his involvement with the Royal Canadian Legion and Cubs and Scouts;

• Ron Tait was given a Commissioner’s Bravery Award for saving Randy Taylor from drowning in Marsh Lake;

The Commissioner’s Public Volunteer Service Award was given to:

• Leona Corniere for her work in helping families and caregivers build skills so that they can have brighter futures;

• Jacqueline MacLaren for her continuing involvement in the Committee on Abuse in Residential Schools, which she helped create;

• John Mitchell for his many aspects of volunteering for his community of Dawson City; and

• George Skookum for his involvement as player, coach and organizer of softball and hockey teams in the community of Carmacks.

Several secondary students were also presented with the Governor General’s Academic Award for achieving the highest grades in their schools.

The levee took place at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre.