Charlottetown — Three Islanders have been chosen for the Order of Prince Edward Island for 2026, the lieutenant-governor's office announced Friday. The honourees — Dr. Scott Cameron, Eileen Chiasson-Pendergast and Dave Stewart — were selected from 38 nominations submitted this year.
"First awarded in 1996 as the Prince Edward Island Medal of Merit, the Order of Prince Edward Island recognizes Islanders who have shown individual excellence or outstanding leadership in their community or in their chosen profession,"
The award is the province’s highest civilian honour and is given to Islanders nominated by their fellow citizens. A formal ceremony to induct the 2026 recipients is scheduled for the fall at Government House in Charlottetown.
Profiles in public service and community leadership
The lieutenant-governor's news release outlines the contributions of each recipient. Dr. Scott Cameron is recognised for his long-standing role in developing emergency medical care on the Island. According to the release, he was involved in early efforts, beginning in 1978, to professionalize and improve skills within local ambulance services. He later became the first full-time emergency physician at Prince County Hospital in Summerside and served in leadership positions connected to emergency medicine.
Eileen Chiasson-Pendergast and Dave Stewart were named alongside Dr. Cameron, though the release provides less biographical detail about their specific achievements. Their selection, alongside Cameron, underscores the order’s mix of health-care, community and professional contributions.
What the Order represents
Created in 1996 as the Prince Edward Island Medal of Merit, the honour was reconstituted as the Order of Prince Edward Island to celebrate Islanders who have made exceptional contributions to their communities or professions. The office of the lieutenant-governor emphasises that nominations come from the public — neighbours, colleagues and community groups — and that the award recognises both individual excellence and leadership.
Inductees are accorded the province’s highest civilian distinction and join a growing roster of Islanders honoured over the past three decades. Recent lists of recipients have included figures from medicine, education, the arts and community service.
Practical details and local context
The selection this year came from 38 nominations. The announcement did not provide the date of the fall ceremony, nor did it elaborate on the specific citations for Chiasson-Pendergast and Stewart. Residents who wish to nominate future candidates can submit names to the lieutenant-governor’s office; details about the nomination process are normally posted on the official Government of P.E.I. website.
For Summerside and western Prince Edward Island, Dr. Cameron’s recognition notes a slice of medical history on the Island: the professionalization of ambulance services and the establishment of emergency departments with dedicated full-time staff. Those changes in the late 1970s and subsequent decades shaped access to acute care across the province.
- Number of nominations in 2026: 38
- Honourees named: Dr. Scott Cameron; Eileen Chiasson-Pendergast; Dave Stewart
- Ceremony: Scheduled this fall at Government House, Charlottetown
How Islanders have been honoured previously
Since its inception, the order has marked contributions across many fields. Past recipients have included volunteer leaders, health professionals, educators and cultural figures. The honour is intended to be inclusive of the varied ways Islanders serve their communities — through direct service, professional leadership or sustained volunteerism.
As nominations open and selections are made in coming years, the lieutenant-governor’s office continues to rely on public submissions to identify Islanders whose work has had measurable local impact.
This year's announcement is short on granular detail about two of the recipients, but it cements the importance the province places on recognising long-term service and leadership. A public ceremony at Government House will give Islanders the opportunity to learn more about the individual stories behind each name when date and programme details are released by the lieutenant-governor’s office.
— Reported from Charlottetown
