A well-known First Nations journalist and filmmaker will be receiving the province’s highest civilian honour this summer.
Doug Cuthand is one of six people chosen to receive the Saskatchewan Order of Merit.
It was established in 1985 to recognize excellence, achievement, and contributions to the social, cultural and economic well-being of the province.
Cuthand is a member of the Little Pine First Nation and runs the Saskatoon-based production company Blue Hills Productions.
He says receiving the honour was not something he expected.
“The phone call came in out of the clear blue, and this guy said I had won the award,” he said. “At first, I didn’t know what it was.”
The process of finding qualified individuals begins with the call for nominations, which is put out each spring.
Cuthand has a weekly column for Saskatoon’s StarPhoenix newspaper and is also heard every week on MBC Radio.
Past recipients of the Saskatchewan Order of Merit include Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde and former FSIN Chief Roland Crowe.
(PHOTO: Doug Cuthand. Photo courtesy of Doug Cuthand, Facebook.)