Recognizing her research into black Canadian life and her position as a mentor and scholar, a Jamaican-Canadian novelist, historian, poet, and educator has been named to the Order of Nova Scotia, the province’s highest honor.
Five Nova Scotians, including Dr. Afua Cooper, were named to the order this week for their noteworthy accomplishments in a variety of disciplines, including the arts, history, charity, business, education, and public service.
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Michael Savage, the chancellor of the Order of Nova Scotia and lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia, remarked, “On behalf of the King and all Nova Scotians, I am delighted to announce the 2024 appointments to the Order of Nova Scotia. These Nova Scotians have made exemplary contributions and enhanced the social fabric and identity of Nova Scotia and Canada across diverse fields.”
Cooper, the Halifax Poet Laureate, has added to Nova Scotia’s literary environment by acting as an approachable role model for up-and-coming Nova Scotian authors from a variety of backgrounds, according to the citation.
“For more than 25 years, Cooper has dedicated herself to the research, study, teaching and celebration of black Canadian life. She has been instrumental in the creation and definition of the emerging field of black Canadian Studies. Cooper has played a central role in building upon the previous generation of scholars of black Canada, to move the subject to the centre stage of scholarship across multiple disciplines,” it noted.
“Her mentorship of faculty and students, including black and racialized students, and her leadership among African Canadian arts, community and academic organizations, has helped to establish new groups to work for positive change.”
Cooper moved to Toronto, Canada, in 1980 after being born in Westmoreland and growing up in Kingston, Jamaica.
According to the citation, Cooper’s involvement in literary arts, performance, education, and human rights has allowed him to recreate history.
“Through critical, creative practices, she has shed new light on histories of African peoples previously underrepresented in scholarship, public memory and education. Her pioneering work in history and dub poetry, arising from her Jamaican ancestry, exemplifies a life lived with the deepest integrity.”
According to the statement, she has been a vocal supporter of Black kids and the Black community as a public intellectual, dismantling obstacles in research, teaching, and knowledge creation in general. She has been hailed as an exceptional Nova Scotian and one of the field’s exemplary leaders for her work in the areas of inclusivity and anti-discrimination.
Earlier this year, Cooper was named a full professor at the University of Toronto after 13 years of teaching at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The other candidates are: Joseph Shannon, a philanthropist and entrepreneur known for his contributions to business and commerce, as well as his philanthropic generosity; Robert Sobey, a philanthropist, patron of the arts, and corporate leader known for supporting the visual arts and access to higher education; J. Michael MacDonald, a former chief justice noted for his service to the law and public service; and Allan Marble, a biomedical engineer, genealogist, and medical historian who has written several books.
At the investiture ceremony, which will take place at Government House in the spring, Savage will give the new members their insignia and appointment scroll.
Since the Order of Nova Scotia was founded in June 2001, 126 persons have been invested. The lieutenant governor appoints members to the order based on the advice of an impartial advisory committee.
Governor General Mary Simon on December 18 named 88 people to the Order of Canada, one of the nation’s highest honors. One of them, Dr. Carlton Lloyd Gyles, a Jamaican Canadian from Guelph, Ontario, was named an officer of the order. The companion and member categories are the other two.
As stated in his citation, Gyles has “made profound contributions to veterinary microbiology. An internationally recognized E. coli expert, he has published seminal studies that have led to new vaccines, improved infection control, and a safer food supply. Professor emeritus at the Ontario Veterinary College, he helped the school achieve its status as a top training center worldwide.”
Simon noted, “Members of the Order of Canada are builders of hope for a better future. Each in their own way, they broaden the realm of possibilities and inspire others to continue pushing its boundaries. Thank you for your perseverance, fearless leadership and visionary spirit, and welcome to the Order of Canada.”
Gyles is one of several Jamaicans or people of Jamaican descent who have been named to the Order of Canada in recognition of their exceptional contributions to Canada.
Among them are the late politicians Lincoln Alexander, Rosemary Brown, and Beverley Salmon; the late civil rights and union activists Bromley Armstrong and Stanley Grizzle; the late community leader Harry Gairey; the late philanthropist and business magnate G. Raymond Chang; public health advocate Lillie Johnson, who turned 102 in March; community leader Pamela Appelt, who was appointed an officer this year in June; and former journalist and diversity consultant Hamlin Grange, who was appointed in December 2022 and invested into the order on December 12 of this year.
