Ovid Jackson returned to Owen Sound City Council early last week.
The longtime former mayor, councillor and member of Parliament was back, not to resume a municipal political career, but to be honoured by the city for his recent appointment to the Order of Ontario.
A packed council chamber rose to give the 71-year-old Jackson a standing ovation after Mayor Ruth Lovell Stanners read aloud a list of his accomplishments.
He was named to the Order for his work on behalf of young people, those with disabilities and newcomers to Canada, but of course there was much more to his career than that.
A native of Guyana, Jackson was elected to Owen Sound council in 1974 and won a three-way race for mayor in 1982.
He left that post in 1993 after being elected to the House of Commons, and he represented the riding of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound in Ottawa until 2004.
Jackson was also a teacher at West Hill for 25 years.