2021 James McGregor Stewart Award

The James McGregor Stewart Society is pleased to announce that the winner of the 2021 award of $1000 is Hope  McInnis, a 12th grader from Glace Bay.  The seventh recipient, Hope is the youngest awardee and represents a generational shift in the notion of 'disability';  An athlete, a leader, a student, a family member, Hope is self-reliant and strives for greatness.  "She inspires me!" says one of her nonimators.

One wouldn't simply say Hope has 'overcome' her disability.  She has thrived on it.  She never stops - from her sledge hockey team to achievement in school to raising funds for the food bank, she's a going concern!  Next year, Hope is enrolling at CBU and is interested in Psychology.  Hope was chosen from a highly competitive field of candidates.

Hope follows a distinguished line of awardees.

• 2015 Sarah Dube
• 2016 Clary Stubbert
• 2017 Gerry Post
• 2018 Paul Vienneau
• 2019 Jenn Powley
• 2020 Kendall Worth

Her award honors James McGregor Stewart 1889-1955, who had polio as a youth.  Son of a Pictou lawyer, grandson of a Cape Breton minister, and a principal of Stewart, McKelvey, the downtown Halifax law firm. In his time he was Nova Scotia’s premier corporate lawyer, and he wrote the rules for many of our most successful and long-lived companies. He was president of the Canadian Bar between the wars. He is one of fewer than 500 Canadians to be awarded the Commander of the British Empire for services to the Empire in WW II.

Hope's award will be presented on June 30, Stewart's birthday.  The Award was established by friends of the Society through the Community Foundation of Nova Scotia, an organization that supports philanthropy across the province.

Contact Parker Donham for details - parker@donham.ca

2021 Nominations

The James McGregor Stewart Award recognizes outstanding contributions of individuals living with a disability.

The nomination period is now open, and nominations are accepted for residents of Nova Scotia with disabilities.

Nominees will be evaluated for determination and achievement in conquering personal or externally imposed boundaries, with emphasis on leadership, personal excellence and advocacy.

The deadline for nominations is May 15th, 2021.

Past awards were made to:

2015 Sarah Dube
2016 Clary Stubbert
2017 Gerry Post
2018 Paul Vienneau

2019 Jen Powley

2020 Kendall Worth

More information

Make a nomination

The Fifth James McGregor Stewart Award

The Speaker, the book and the Honorand

We are pleased to announce that Jen Powley is the winner of the 2019 James McGregor Stewart Award.

In a ceremony on June 27th, just shy of Stewart's 130th birthday, Powley was presented with a certificate and a cheque by Speaker Kevin Murphy.

The Award recognizes leadership, effective advocacy and outstanding personal achievement of a person with a disability. “The award honours the resolve shown by Stewart”, says Warren Reed, a co-founder of the Society. “In Jen Powley our selection committee found a person that, like Stewart, leads and excels regardless of barriers.  Jen is a force of nature”.

Jen is an author whose first book, Just Jen--Thriving Through Multiple Sclerosis, is a powerful memoir that tells Jen's story from diagnosis as a teen through the infinite and irrevocable ways her life has changed since then. The memoir won the 2018 Margaret and John Savage First Book Award, Non-Fiction;

A planner and consultant who has contributed to enhanced accessibility and sustainable transportation systems Jen is also a community leader who has co-founded a new organization, No More Warehousing. This Nova Scotia association advocates for co-housing, supports and community living for persons with severe physical disabilities.  Her leadership continues in other sectors, including support for refugees.

She has generated public awareness of the gifts that Nova Scotians with disabilities can share with their community. Jen's advocacy for supported community living for persons with severe disabilities has driven the issue to front-page status. A public meeting this winter drew a spill-over crowd, and a press conference at the Legislature received wide media attention, even at the national level.

Jen Powley's personal accomplishments are many and varied: she holds four university degrees, including two (journalism and fine arts in creative non-fiction) from the University of King's College in Halifax, NS.  She has worked for Independent Living NS, NS LEO, and the Ecology Action Centre. In study, in work and in community, Jen has always accomplished her goals with the highest level of personal excellence. 

The Award recognizes the spirit of Mr. James McGregor Stewart who overcame many barriers, despite a disability resulting from polio. First in his class at Dalhousie Law School in 1914, he was also President of the Students' Council. He was shortlisted for the Rhodes Scholarship but was not successful, due to concerns expressed about his physical condition. Nevertheless, Stewart went on to head a Halifax law firm that became the present day Stewart McKelvey. He was Chairman of Dalhousie's Board of Governors. In 2000, Canadian Lawyer magazine named him as one of Canada’s ten greatest lawyers.

The Award was established by friends of the Society through the Community Foundation of Nova Scotia, an organization that supports philanthropy across the province.

James McGregor Stewart Award 2019 open for nominations

The James McGregor Stewart Society is pleased to announce the opening of nominations for its 2019 award. The official description of the award follows. I can think of dozens of folks who deserve serious consideration, and I bet you can too. Please nominate people who have worked so hard for themselves and their community. The deadline for nominations is May
15. 

An award to recognize outstanding contributions of individuals living with a disability

The purpose of this fund is to provide an award recognizing high achievement by a Nova Scotian with a disability. It honors the accomplishments of Mr. James McGregor Stewart who overcame many barriers, despite a reliance on crutches throughout his life as a result of childhood polio. First in his class at Dalhousie Law School in 1914, he was also President of the Students’ Council. He was shortlisted for the Rhodes Scholarship but was not successful, in part due to concerns expressed about his physical disability by the Dalhousie University Senate. Nevertheless, Stewart went on to head a Halifax law firm that became the present day Stewart McKelvey. He was Chairman of Dalhousie’s Board of Governors. In 2000, Canadian Lawyer magazine named him as one of Canada’s ten greatest lawyers. This Fund was established by a friend of the James McGregor Stewart Society and donations by The Maple Tree Fund to recognize Nova Scotians living with a disability for their leadership, personal accomplishment or effective advocacy.

Eligibility

Nominations are accepted for residents of Nova Scotia with disabilities.

Selection Criteria 

Nominees will be evaluated for determination and achievement in conquering personal or externally imposed boundaries, with emphasis on leadership, personal excellence and advocacy.

Award Frequency and Value

The one-thousand dollar Award will be presented annually on June 30th, the anniversary of the birth date of James McGregor Stewart.

Past winners

2015 Sarah Dube
2016 Clary Stubbert
2017 Gerry Post
2018 Paul Vienneau

You can easily make an online nomination here

-Gus Reed

James McGregor Stewart Society
(902) 482 4017
wcreedh@gmail.com