2018 Frank McKenna Award
(Fredericton) January 30, 2018 – The Public Policy Forum is pleased to announce that four leading Atlantic Canadians are being recognized for their outstanding contributions to public policy with the 2018 Frank McKenna Award: Dr. George Cooper, Chief Terrance Paul, Dr. Doug House and Adrienne O'Pray.
They will be honoured at PPF's annual Atlantic Dinner on Wednesday, March 21, which is preceded by PPF's Atlantic Summit at the Fredericton Convention Centre.
PPF renamed this annual award, which it has bestowed since 2013, for Frank McKenna in recognition of his exceptional leadership and service to his province, region and country. Mr. McKenna will attend the Atlantic Summit and the awards dinner.
"These honourees have dedicated themselves to the economic and social growth of their communities and the Atlantic region," said Edward Greenspon, PPF's President and CEO. "They are richly deserving of this award named for Frank McKenna, who has also long been a champion of good public policy in the region. This is our fifth Atlantic Dinner and PPF is proud to continue growing this celebration of individuals who make this such a great place to live."
About the honourees
George Cooper, Nova Scotia, C.M., C.D., Q.C. – A highly regarded lawyer and former Member of Parliament, Dr. Cooper represented Halifax in the 31st Canadian Parliament, during which time he was parliamentary secretary for the Attorney General and the Minister of Justice. He was managing partner and board chair of the law firm McInnes Cooper and later served as the 24th President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of King's College.
Chief Terrance Paul, Nova Scotia – First elected Chief in 1984, Chief Paul is a proud member of the Membertou First Nation in Unama'ki, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. He is a respected leader who has guided Membertou to becoming one of the most progressive, efficient and sustainable First Nations communities in Canada. Prior to being elected Chief, he served Membertou as Economic Development Officer and Band Manager. Under Chief Paul's leadership, Membertou has doubled its land base and increased employment by close to 80 per cent.
Dr. Doug House, Newfoundland and Labrador – A celebrated academic with extensive work in socio-economics, Dr. House is currently the Honorary Research Professor in the Department of Sociology at Memorial University of Newfoundland. He has served as Head of Sociology, Research Director of the Institute of Social and Economic Research, and President of the Atlantic Association of Sociologists and Anthropologists. His positions have included Chair of the Royal Commission on Employment and Unemployment (1985-86), and Chair of the Economic Recovery Commission (1989-96). He is the author of seven books and is currently working on a book about premiers and development policies in Newfoundland and Labrador since Confederation with Canada in 1949.
Adrienne O'Pray, New Brunswick – Ms. O'Pray is currently President and CEO of the New Brunswick Business Council. Prior to joining the Council, she was Director of Economic Development with 3+ Corporation, Moncton's primary economic development agency. She has also served as Vice-President of Ambir Solutions Corporation and Chief Operating Officer of Atlantic Lottery, among other senior roles. Over the course of her career, Ms. O'Pray has become a recognized champion of entrepreneurship and has developed expertise in leading cultural change, strategic planning, business development, operations and operational leadership.
About the Atlantic Summit and Frank McKenna Awards
The day-long summit kicks off PPF's three-year research project on Atlantic revitalization, with a special focus on immigrant retention. The program features emerging research findings, success stories from across the region, discussion among diverse stakeholders, and debate about how to develop policy that helps municipalities and businesses succeed.
The Frank McKenna Awards celebrate the public policy achievements of leading Atlantic Canadians from a variety of sectors. The dinner is the premiere event, attracting top public servants, politicians and senior business executives.
Register now to be a part of this exciting event.
ABOUT PPF
The Public Policy Forum works with all levels of government and the public service, the private sector, Indigenous groups, labour, post-secondary institutions and NGOs to improve policy outcomes for Canadians. As a non-partisan, member-based organization, we work from "inclusion to conclusion," by convening discussions on fundamental policy issues and by identifying new paths forward. For 30 years, PPF has broken down barriers among sectors, contributing to meaningful change that builds a better Canada.