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Circle of Honour Employee Awards

The first annual Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs Circle of Honour Awards were announced on Monday, June 1, 2009.

The award recognizes employees at all levels across the ministry in six categories:

• Innovation
• Leadership
• Partnership
• Reaching Out
• Valuing People
• Voluntary Achievement

Congratulations to all nominees and award recipients!

2009 Award Recipients

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20 Years of Service

David Fraser
Manager, Corporate Correspondence Unit

Mollie Kermany
Senior Advisor, Aboriginal Relations & Ministry Partnerships Branch

Lisa Alphonse
Team Lead, Strategic Policy & Planning Branch

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Innovation

Kate Kalcevich and Lana Munjas,
New Media/Web Team, Communications Services Branch

Kate and Lana are recognized for redesigning the ministry website, making it accessible and easy to use, as well as visually pleasing.

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Partnership

Patricia Sawchuk
Aboriginal Relations & Ministry Partnerships Branch

Patricia is recognized for their efforts with the Northern Table initiative — "an important forum for discussions between Ontario and Northern First Nations communities."

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Reaching Out

Magda Smolewski
Senior Adviser, Aboriginal Relations & Ministry Partnerships Branch

Magda is recognized for her commitment to consistent, high-quality, reliable service. Often taking on extra work, she meets branch commitments while juggling stakeholder commitments.

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Valuing People

Lisa Alphonse
Team Lead, Strategic Policy & Planning Branch

Lisa is recognized for fostering a team spirit, open communication and sharing with others. With genuine concern and interest in her colleagues, she creates a supportive, positive and healthy work environment.

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Voluntary Achievement

Lyndon Blackbird
Program & Business Analyst, Legal Services Branch

As the president of the Native Canadian Centre, Lyndon reaches out to the Aboriginal community in Toronto every day, helping to direct the centre's programs and services.

For the past 13 years, Lyndon has given out awards to high school students in his home community of Walpole Island. He gives $1000 dollars of his own money to two students in each grade — one with the highest average and one for the most improved average.

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Deputy Minister's Award

John Van West
Research Adviser, Land Claims Research

John coordinates, manages and conducts the historical research that provides the foundation for all the land claim related work that follows — legal and policy reviews, negotiations and settlements, and implementation.

His efforts to secure and archive valuable documents related to land claims have been instrumental to the claims review process within MAA.

"John's legacy ... is the research that has provided the historical foundation for many of the claims that have been settled and will be settled in the coming years."