3 Islanders selected to receive Order of P.E.I.
Jeannette Arsenault, Leo Broderick and Najmul H. Chishti to receive order
Najmul H. Chishti, Jeannette Arsenault and Leo Broderick have been selected to receive the Order of P.E.I. from a group of 46 candidates.
The 2019 recipients were announced Friday by Lt.-Gov. Antoinette Perry, according to a news release from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.
Chishti is a retired research scientist, has been community leader as the president of the Muslim Society of P.E.I. and the driving force of youth table tennis for over 32 years, the release said.
"Chishti has been instrumental in building the first mosque in Charlottetown and his committee fundraised over $800,000 for the project," the release said.
Arsenault is the co-founder and owner of Shop and Play, formerly Cavendish Figurines, which has been operating since 1989, and is still there as the manager, the news release said.
She has also mentored many of her fellow Islanders over the years by providing over 30 years of service to her community and held many positions with different organizations and most of them on a volunteer basis, the release said.
Broderick was awarded the order for his work as a passionate activist for social and environmental justice, with a deep understanding of global and local issues, the release said.
"In addition to his distinguished career as an educator, he consistently proves how ordinary citizens can have an influence to make the world a safer, fairer place," the release said.
He spent most of his professional teaching career at Colonel Gray Senior High School and worked with the P.E.I. Teachers' Federation, serving as its vice-president. He was also the first P.E.I. teacher to serve on the Canadian Teachers' Federation national executive, the release said.
Award presentation in September
The honour was first created in 1996 as a way to recognize Islanders who have shown individual excellence or outstanding leadership in their community and in their profession.
It is awarded annually following a public nomination process, with recipients being selected by an independent nine-person advisory council each year.
The insignia of the order will be presented by the lieutenant-governor at a ceremony in September at Government House in Charlottetown.