Four Salt Spring Island residents were among 25 in the Saanich-Gulf Islands constituency who received prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medals in a ceremony at Butchart Gardens on Feb. 27, with a fifth awarded through a different process.
Robert Bateman, Jean Gelwicks, Valdy and Ronald Wright joined some 30,000 Canadians deemed to have “made a significant contribution to Canada or their community, or who have achieved excellence abroad that brings credit to the nation,” explained an announcement from the office of MP Elizabeth May.
“This award is a symbol of gratitude for the exceptional service and contributions these individuals have made. It is well-deserved recognition of their outstanding efforts in strengthening our community,” said May.
Medal recipients are nominated by the public, reviewed by a panel of local leaders and May, and approved by the Governor General of Canada.
Filmmaker Christine Welsh, a longtime resident of Salt Spring Island, will receive a coronation medal from Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LFMO), the national Métis women’s organization.
LFMO have awarded their allocated medals to “individuals who have demonstrated tireless and ongoing efforts to advance the well-being of Métis women, two-spirited individuals and gender-diverse kin.”
Welsh said the ceremony will be held in Ottawa later this month but she is not able to travel at that time.
Winners’ brief biographies
Christine Welsh
Welsh has been the writer and/or producer of a number of films, including Women in the Shadows (1991), Keepers of the Fire (1994), Kuper Island: Return to the Healing Circle (1997), The Story of the Coast Salish Knitters (2000), Finding Dawn (2006) and Lii Michif Niiyanaan: We Are Métis (2023).
She has lectured and taught extensively, and published several articles on the historical and contemporary experiences of Métis women, and was associate professor in the department of Gender Studies at the University of Victoria until her recent retirement.
Robert Bateman
Bateman is a renowned Canadian artist and naturalist. After earning an honours geography degree from the University of Toronto, he taught high school for 20 years, including two in Nigeria. Bateman’s art has been exhibited in museums worldwide, the biggest of which was at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. He has used his work to support conservation efforts. He has received numerous honours, including Officer of the Order of Canada and the Order of B.C., and authored many best-selling books.
Jean Gelwicks
Gelwicks has had a profound impact on Salt Spring Island. She founded and chaired a community coalition called Partners Creating Pathways, building a network of pedestrian and bike trails. She was the founder and heart and soul of the Stewards in Training program, where dozens of volunteer mentors lead kindergarten to Grade 8 school students in nature-focused learning experiences. An active contributor to the Salt Spring Island Conservancy and a founding member of Transition Salt Spring, Gelwicks is a volunteer with a passionate commitment to her community.
Valdy
Valdy (a.k.a. Paul Valdemar Horsdal) is a Canadian folksinger: a singer, songwriter, guitarist and relentless touring entertainer. Born in Ottawa, Ont., Valdy has earned two Juno Awards, four gold records, a SOCAN Song of the Year Award, and has been invested as a Member of the Order of Canada. With a career span verging on six decades, he is known for captivating performances and impressive guitar playing. He remains an advocate for literacy and a supporter of Canadian Seniors’ Climate Action.
Ronald Wright
Wright is a Canadian author of history, fiction and essays published around the world in 18 languages. His Massey Lectures, A Short History of Progress, won the Libris Book of the Year Award, and like much of his work explored humanity’s past and future, civilization and sustainability. His other bestsellers include Stolen Continents, winner of the Gordon Montador Award, and Time Among the Maya.