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By Charles Lefebvre

Medicine Hat man being honoured by province

Medicine Hat businessman and historian to be inducted to Alberta Order of Excellence today

Oct 17, 2019 | 6:57 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — A well-known Medicine Hat resident will be receiving the province’s highest civilian honour today.

Malcolm Sissons is one of eight Albertans who will be invested into the Alberta Order of Excellence.

“It’s a huge honour,” says Sissons.

The Sissons family has a long history with Medicine Hat and Redcliff.

“It goes back to my great-grandparents arriving at the same time as the railway, and being involved in the ranching community and with Indigenous peoples through their store,” Malcolm said. “More recently, since 1912, the brick manufacturing operations. All of those things have really connected me this community, and I have a huge pride and love for the community.”

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Malcolm’s family started the Redcliff Pressed Brick Company in 1912, and later bought out the Medicine Hat Brick and Tile Company and later the Premier Brick Company.

Malcolm has also been active with Medicine Hat’s heritage resources committee for the past nine years, working to preserve historic buildings and places within the city.

“I think it’s extremely important, because as each generation passes, some of those stories that aren’t written down disappear,” he said. “Through the process of researching some of these stories, I learn a lot too.”

Previous Medicine Hat recipients include Bill Yuill, Dr. Ken Sauer and James Marshall.

The ceremony will take place this afternoon at Government House in Edmonton, and Malcolm says it is humbling to be invested as a member of the Alberta Order of Excellence.

“I’m a little humbled being in such illustrious company, if you look through the past recipients of the award,” he said. “I like to think its a reflection not just on me though. I think it’s a reflection on my family, our roots in this community and also on the community as a whole.”

Other recipients this year include Robert Burrell of Sherwood Park, Bonnie DuPont of Calgary, Katie Ohe of Springbank, Ron Sakamoto of Lethbridge, Beckie Scott of Canmore, Muriel Stanley Venne of Edmonton and Frances Wright of Calgary.