Scott Armour McCrea (right) received the Sixth Annual Samuel Cunard Prize for Vision, Courage and Creativity in Halifax, NS. McCrea is pictured with John Risley, a former recipient of the Prize.
Each year since 2015 Cunard Line in conjunction with the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and the Canadian Maritime Heritage Foundation has hosted an event aboard Queen Mary 2 in Halifax, the ‘ancestral home’ of the company to honour its founder, Haligonian Samuel Cunard. The recipient who is deemed to embody Cunard’s exemplary entrepreneurial skills of ‘vision, courage and creativity’ is presented with a magnificent piece of Nova Scotian made crystal in a lavish reception and luncheon aboard the flagship.
Unfortunately, Covid resulted in the cancellation of this event in 2020 and 2021. Undaunted, Cunard and its partners persisted and, while the ship was still unable to be the venue for the event, the Sixth Annual Samuel Cunard Prize function took place in the Juno Room of the Royal Canadian Navy in Halifax – the first time it was held ashore when Nova Scotian entrepreneur Scott McRea received the award.
Fred Smithers (second from left) photographed with the Seventh Annual Samuel Cunard Prize crystal presented at Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Appearing with the award winner are John Hennigar-Shuh, President of the Canadian Maritime Heritage Foundation, Jackie Chase, North American Public Relations Director for Cunard Line and John G. Langley, K.C., Chairman of Cunard Steamship Society and Director of CMHF.
The effects of the pandemic were still being felt a year later and again, Covid restrictions prevented the Seventh Annual Samuel Cunard Prize event from being held aboard the QM2. Instead the 2022 function was hosted and held at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic In Halifax on October 1, 2023 with this year’s award going to local marine magnate Fred Smithers.
The year 2024 witnessed a retrenchment of the Covid pandemic and resumption of service and schedules of the ships of the Cunard Line. For the first time in five years the Samuel Cunard Prize event returned to the familiar and elegant Queens Room aboard Queen Mary 2. The customary reception and luncheon were held aboard the flagship in Halifax on September 25, 2024 when the Eighth Annual Samuel Cunard Prize was presented to this year’s winner, Blair McKeil.
 John G. Langley, K.C. (left) with Kim Reinhardt, Director of Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Aseem Hashmi, |
 Participants including Cunard’s Captain Hashmi and Jackie Chase on a tour of Halifax hosted by CSS Chairman and shown here in Point Pleasant Park looking over a National Historic Sites and Monuments Board plaque commemorating Halifax’s Samuel Cunard. |
 2024 Samuel Cunard Prize recipient Blair McKeil giving an acceptance speech in Queens Room aboard QM2. |
 Cunard Steamship Society Chairman and Director of Canadian Maritime Heritage Foundation presenting QM2 Captain Andrew Hall with a copy of Steam Lion- a biography of Samuel Cunard from the author. |
 John G. Langley, K.C. and son Adam Langley photographed with Jackie Chase, Director of Publicity for Cunard North America following the awards event. |