Officer of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: November 14, 2023
• Invested on: October 03, 2024

The Honourable Willie Adams, O.C.
Kemptville, Ontario

Willie Adams has dedicated his career to Indigenous representation at the regional, territorial and federal levels. As the first Inuit senator in Canada, he ensured Indigenous issues were reflected in Canadian legislation relating to education, language rights, infrastructure, land claims, self-governance and natural resources. Throughout his tenure, he represented the Northwest Territories and, subsequently, Nunavut, for which he helped develop the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.