Aaju Peter of Iqaluit to join Order of Canada

Iqaluit lawyer and clothing designer Aaju Peter was named to the Order of Canada Dec. 30. (FILE PHOTO)

Iqaluit resident Aaju Peter is Nunavut’s newest recipient of the Order of Canada.

Peter was among 66 new appointments to the Order announced Dec. 30 by Governor General David Johnston.

A lawyer and a clothing designer, Peter was named a member of the Order of Canada for social service: her volunteer work promoting and preserving Inuit culture.

Peter was born and raised in Greenland, and moved to Iqaluit in the early 1980s.

The mother of five is a graduate of Akitsiraq Law School and is well-known for her sealskin creations.

The latest group of Canadians named to the Order includes former prime minster Paul Martin and top soldier Rick Hillier.

Peter was the only Nunavut resident to be named to the Order in 2011, although Ottawa photographer Hans Blohm was also recognized for his work documenting Canada’s Far North.

The Order of Canada is the country’s highest civilian honour, which has included some 5,000 Canadians since its inception in 1967.

Recipients will receive their medals at a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa later this year.