July 31st, 2025
Commissionaires Nova Scotia (CNS) celebrated the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires’ 100th anniversary as more than a milestone. While the centennial offers a chance to honour a proud legacy of service and protection, it also opens the door to transformation. It isn’t just about looking back, it is about looking forward with purpose.
As part of its centennial celebrations, CNS partnered with Friends United, a national initiative that supports Indigenous artists and promotes cultural understanding through visual storytelling, to find an Indigenous artist from Nova Scotia for their commissioned painting.
On July 25, the centennial anniversary, CNS held an unveiling of the commissioned artwork by acclaimed Mi’kmaq artist Loretta Gould of We’koqma’q First Nation. Titled “End of the Road”, the painting reflects themes of protection, leadership, and community. The piece draws on Mi’kmaq teachings and symbolism, including the bear for courage, the sun for spiritual guidance, and flowers representing healing and connection.
“This partnership is about more than art. It’s about building meaningful relationships rooted in respect, learning, and cultural exchange,” said Dalton Wakely, Chief of People & Culture at CNS. “We are honoured to work alongside Friends United and artists like Loretta, whose work inspires dialogue and deepens our collective understanding.”
The celebration included a traditional land acknowledgement and smudging led by Elder Debbie Eisan, an Ojibway Anishinabe kwe from Batchewana First Nation.
This collaboration is one of several initiatives CNS has undertaken to mark the centennial. Earlier this summer, CNS partnered with Mi’kmaq singer-songwriter Emma Stevens and the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo to raise awareness about human trafficking. Stevens’ song “I Want to Rise” was featured in five performances, each dedicated to the cause.
CNS has been partnering with Friends United for several years now, hosting Equity, Diversity and Inclusion training at the Friends United International Convention Centre Complex, organizing groups to tour the complex among other initiatives. In addition to Gould’s newly unveiled piece, several other Indigenous artworks from the Friends United collection have newly been installed throughout CNS’ Head Office. Plans are also underway to display additional pieces at the district offices in Kentville, Truro, and Sydney.
“Partnerships like this one show what’s possible when organizations come together with shared values and a commitment to reconciliation,” added Wakely. “We hope our commissioned artwork will serve as a lasting symbol of that commitment.”
As CNS looks ahead to the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires’ next century, it does so with a renewed focus on collaboration, inclusion, and reconciliation.
Gould’s artwork is now on public display at CNS’ Head Office, where it will continue to inspire reflection, conversation, and connection among staff, visitors, and the broader community.