MANITOULIN—Long-time Billings township politician Austin Hunt has received official recognition as an Order of Canada recipient by Governor General Julie Payette in a ceremony held last Thursday in Ottawa.
“On behalf of the Billings Museum Board, we’re delighted that at long last Austin Hunt finally has his well-deserved Order of Canada,” said Rick Nelson, curator of the museum. “We couldn’t be happier for him.”
Mr. Nelson said that Mr. Hunt had been nominated by his local community and the Island, and is delighted Mr. Hunt “has received this well-deserved recognition.”
“I was very impressed, the ceremony was quite impressive,” stated Mr. Hunt, on Monday, after receiving the Order of Canada in the ceremony in Ottawa last week.
Mr. Hunt noted he was surprised when he was informed he had been nominated for, and was to receive, the Order of Canada. “And I am most grateful for all those who had a part in my receiving this award.”
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, invested 40 recipients into the Order of Canada: one companion, two officers and 37 members into the Order of Canada at the ceremony held at Rideau Hall.
In his citation it states, “Austin Hunt has dedicated his life to public service. He began his political career as the campaign manager and official agent of former Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, before turning his interest to provincial and municipal governance on Manitoulin Island. As mayor of Billings Township for over five decades, he became the longest-serving elected official in Canada. To this day, he continues to serve as a role model to youth who are eager to get involved in politics and governance at all levels.”
The Order of Canada is one of our country’s highest civilian honours. Its companions, officers and members take to heart the motto of the Order: Desiderantes Meliorem Patriam (“They desire a better country”).
Created in 1967, the Order of Canada recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. Close to 7,000 people from all sectors of society have been invested into the Order. Those who bear the Order’s iconic snowflake insignia have changed our nation’s measure of success and, through the sum of their accomplishments, have helped us build a better Canada.
Mayor Hunt had been nominated for the award by the Billings Museum Board, and had received a slew of supporting letters and congratulation letters from many dignitaries, colleagues and friends.
One of the congratulatory letters came from Barbara Hannah, granddaughter of former Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson.
“On behalf of the Pearson family, we would like to extend our congratulations to Austin Hunt on becoming a recipient of the Order of Canada. A great honour for a man who spent much of his life in service to his country and community, most recently as the Mayor of Billings Township, a position he held longer than any other mayor in Canada.”
“On a personal note, Aus was Mike Pearson’s right hand guy for 20 years when the former prime minister was MP for Algoma from 1948-1968,” wrote Ms. Hannah. “I was thrilled to finally meet Aussie in Kagawong these last two summers and hear his stories of working alongside my grandfather. Such respect between the two of them. Austin is truly a deserving recipient of this great honour.”
Carol Hughes, MP for Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing wrote “I am so extremely pleased that Austin is receiving the Order of Canada. He has made a real impact on his community and the region with such a long record of service that is easy to understand how this is well-deserved.”
“The Billings Museum Committee was honoured to sponsor the Order of Canada for Mr. Hunt and delighted to hear of the Governor General’s announcement,” a statement read in part. “We would like to acknowledge the awarding of the Order of Canada to Mayor Hunt was made possible after a lot of people lobbied Rideau Hall on our behalf. We would also like to thank the folks at the municipal office in Billings for their continued support throughout the nomination process. Congratulations to Mayor Hunt for this much deserved honour!”
“Austin served with former Prime Minister Lester Pearson when Pearson stayed at the Hunt family hotel in Kagawong, Ontario. Mr. Pearson needed a driver and Austin readily volunteered. He found that Austin knew how to deal with people and how to get things done in a quiet but competent manner, a useful skill in politics. Austin worked his way up from various positions in the Liberal party executive for the riding of Algoma-East. In the 1962, ‘63 and ‘65 elections he served both as Mr. Pearson’s campaign manager and as his official agent in addition to being president of the Liberal Riding Association.”
“When Mr. Pearson died in late 1972, the Pearson family recognized the closeness of the relationship by making him an honorary pallbearer,” the museum board wrote.
“Austin believes that civic engagement is more important than partisan politics. He worked tirelessly in numerous community associations to show that what counts in this country is not where you live but what you can contribute to making community life better. He took this principle forward and in his own self-effacing way remade many civic and economic associations.”
The museum letter noted Mr. Hunt’s service and efforts with many, many local and provincial associations and organizations. In local elected office, he has served continually on council from 1953. He was elected reeve in 1968 and has been re-elected continuously since that point. The position of reeve was formally retitled in 2010 and he served as mayor until the municipal election in 2018, nonetheless making him “we believe the longest serving elected official in municipal politics in the country.”
