Congratulations to Cynthia Lickers-Sage, Lisa Steele, Kim Tomczak, and Wanda vanderStoop! On June 21, Indigenous Peoples Day, all four were presented with the Meritorious Service Cross award by Governor General Mary Simon for the founding of the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, the largest event in the world showcasing Indigenous screen content. Held annually in Toronto since 2000, the festival fosters emerging talent through year-round programming, promotes social responsibility and ethics in filmmaking, and brings stories by Indigenous artists from Canada and across the globe to vast audiences.

The Meritorious Service Decorations (Civil Division) were established to recognize the remarkable contributions in many fields of endeavour, from advocacy initiatives and health care services to research and humanitarian efforts.

_{Photo credit: Sgt. Anis Assari, Rideau Hall © OSGG, 2023}