Tla'amin and qathet residents receive coronation medals

Four qathet region residents were honoured with a King Charles III Coronation Medal during a special ceremony at Tla’amin Nation’s Salish Centre on March 8.

According to the Government of Canada, 30,000 medals were given out to Canadians having made a significant contribution to Canada or to a particular province, territory, region or community of Canada, or having made an outstanding achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada.

Presiding over the ceremony was North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney, who said awarding the medals was an opportunity to recognize people in the riding who are doing great things.

“For me, it’s such an honour to be able to showcase the recipients and say to them that their work really matters,” said Blaney. “That is what makes me so proud to do it.”

Blaney added that there was a nomination process for the 22 medals distributed throughout the riding.

“There are a lot of people that I would have loved to have given a medal to as well, and making the selections was a lot of hard work,” said Blaney. “It has been a tremendous, terrific reminder that we have a lot of people in our region that do really good things for their communities.”

The four recipients of the King Charles II Coronation Medal were Jane Waterman, Elsie Paul, Kenneth Stewart and Doreen Point. Paul was unable to attend the ceremony and will be presented with her medal at a later date.

Blaney’s office provided the following information about the recipients:

Jane Waterman
Waterman has worked tirelessly to provide restorative justice services to the qathet region since 2004. She was an integral player in starting the Texada Island Restorative Justice Program and has been volunteering for 20 years as a caseworker, coordinator and board chair. Her colleagues see Waterman as an unbelievable advocate for community building and justice, who leads from behind with strength, perseverance and humility.

Waterman has advocated for restorative justice services stating that: “If the youth are willing to take responsibility for their actions, restorative justice is a very good avenue to take. Restorative justice can reduce costs, and, in the end, promotes public safety by providing healing, reparation and reintegration into the community.”

The benefits to those affected in her community have been realized given her steadfast dedication to this cause.

Elsie Paul
Paul, whose traditional name is qɑʔɑχstɑles, which translates to, "a welcoming person with a wealth of knowledge, someone who shares her culture," is an elder and knowledge keeper for Tla'amin Nation. She is a residential school survivor and one of the few living people to speak the Tla'amin language fluently. She holds an honorary doctorate degree from Vancouver Island University and has co-authored a book, Written as I Remember it: Teachings From the Life of a Sliammon Elder.

In 1972, Paul took on the position of administrator in the social services department in Tla'amin, where she worked for 24 years. She was one of the founders of the Tsow-Tun-Lelum House Treatment Centre; she served as justice of the peace in victim support services and aboriginal policing; and she also taught part-time at Malaspina College.

Paul was elected to band council and served until she retired in 1999.

Kenneth Stewart
In 2016, Stewart became the commander for Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps in Powell River, where he has taught and engaged young cadets with a focus on developing the attributes of good citizenship and leadership, promoting physical fitness and stimulating an interest in the Canadian Armed Forces. He has proven his dedication in teaching young cadets about social responsibilities, cultural influences, anti-drug use, anti-bullying and positive lifestyles.

Stewart joined the sea cadets in 1979, when he was only 13 years old. The experience, he said, taught him a sense of respect, discipline and to work as a crew, problem solving and leadership. He continued his involvement with the Royal Canadian Navy with the naval reserve and continued his own learning to become a commissioned officer and hone his skills with training about youth and child development.

Doreen Point
Point, a Tla’amin elder whose traditional name is Les.Pet, is a residential school survivor. Point worked as a teacher’s aide in Powell River for 15 years. Through the mid-1980s to early 2000s, Point attended the native education centre.

Upon graduation she worked at the Social Planning and Research Council of BC. During this time, she and her husband were the first aboriginal foster parents in the province, fostered children for 20 years and adopted four of these children.

In 1999, Point was one of six women who founded the Federation of Aboriginal Foster Parents, and remained its treasurer for 20 years. As an elder, Point continues to share the benefits of her compassion and learnings with her community.

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