A select number of Meadow Lake and area residents have been recognized for their commitment to their community, the province and to Canada as a whole. During a special gathering held Tuesday evening (Feb. 25) at the Evangelical Free Church in Meadow Lake, 10 individuals were presented with Coronation Medals by Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River MP Gary Vidal on behalf of His Majesty King Charles III. The Coronation Medal commemorates the coronation of King Charles III and is administered by the Chancellery of Honours at Rideau Hall.
“I want to thank you for being here tonight as we honour the King Charles III Coronation Medal recipients,” Vidal remarked while addressing those in attendance. “This is Canada’s first medal commemorating His Majesty King Charles III as the King of Canada. In May 2023, to mark the coronation of the King, the prime minister announced the Government of Canada would award 30,000 of these Coronation Medals across the country.” Vidal went on to say the King Charles III Coronation Medal is a way to recognize outstanding individuals of all ages from all walks of life who have made significant contributions to their country, province or territory, in their community or who have had an achievement abroad that brings benefit and honour to Canada. “Canada is strengthened when we collectively recognize and honour those who distinguish themselves by virtue of their talents, their generosity and their service to their community and their country,” Vidal continued. “Today, my team and I are very proud to recognize some very worthy recipients for their contributions. Great communities are built by the effort and the care of exceptional people.”
Recipients honoured at Tuesday’s presentations included: former Meadow Lake Tribal Council Dene vice-chief Lawrence McIntyre (posthumously); MLTC Cree vice-chief Richard Derocher; former MLTC tribal chief Richard Gladue; former city councillor and retired SARM regional director Tom Harrison, Insp. Ryan How of the RCMP who formerly served as detachment commander in both Meadow Lake and Loon Lake; Indigenous educator Matilda Lewis of Ministikwan Lake Cree Nation; Bill Miller who has more than 40 years of environmental protection and resource management experience as a Saskatchewan public servant; former Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation chief Ronald Mitsuing; former Flying Dust First Nation chief and current MLTC tribal chief Jeremy Norman; and long-time local volunteer Oral Zacharias. Former Dorintosh mayor and long-time business owner John Osborne was also scheduled to receive a medal Tuesday evening, but was unable to attend the ceremony.
The medal itself is circular, silver in colour and 32 millimetres in diameter, bearing, on the obverse, a crowned and robed effigy of His Majesty the King of Canada, facing right, circumscribed with the inscriptions “CHARLES III DEI GRATIA REX” and “CANADA”. On the reverse, there appears on the background a ring of frosted triangular shapes evoking the image of a string of pennants displayed for a celebration. These 13 shapes allude to Canada’s provinces and territories, and their circular arrangement conveys the idea of inclusion for all Canadians. The circle is also an important concept for many Indigenous peoples, symbolizing not only equity but also the cycles of the natural world. Over this background appears the Canadian Royal Cypher in the centre, the date of the Coronation, 6.V.2023, on the left and the words “VIVAT REX” meaning Long Live the King, on the right. A 12 millimetre ring, which holds the ribbon, passes through a small hollow ball at the top of a claw joined to the top of the medal.
The ribbon is 32 millimetres in width with a red stripe in the centre, five millimetres in width, on each side of which are white stripes, two millimetres in width, followed by dark blue stripes, 9.5 millimetres in width, and red edge stripes, two millimetres in width. The ribbon is identical to the British Coronation Medal ribbon and is inspired by the King Edward VII’s Coronation Medal ribbon from 1902, which was the first Coronation Medal suspended from a ribbon. The medal program was first announced three days before the Coronation May 3, 2023. The design of the medal and the details of the program were announced by Rideau Hall May 6, 2024, the first anniversary of the Coronation.
The inaugural ceremony also took place May 6, 2024 on which occasion the governor general presented the first medals to the lieutenant governors and territorial commissioners during a virtual event. On the same day, some lieutenant governors also held inaugural presentations in their province, which included the first military recipients. The medal is struck in nickel-silver and lacquered to prevent tarnishing. It is manufactured by the Royal Canadian Mint. Meanwhile, Vidal also held similar medal presentation ceremonies earlier this month. On Feb. 17 he was in Debden to honour Rod Fisher and Gordon Olson. He was in La Ronge Feb. 18 where he recognized Christopher Merasty, while Feb. 19 saw the MP in Denare Beach to present medals to Bruce Fidler and Carl Lentowicz. He was in Spiritwood Feb. 20 to honour Bevra Fee and Joyce Willick, while, as of press time, he was still scheduled to visit Pinehouse where he will recognize Mike Natomagan and Kimberly Smith.
“I do not know if you can imagine how difficult it was to select only 20 people from across the great riding of Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River, which I have had the privilege of serving for the last six years,” Vidal said. “If you are here today as a recipient of one of these medals, it is because you have been recognized as an outstanding individual who has made a significant contribution to your community, to Saskatchewan and to Canada as a whole. If you are here today as a family member who has supported one of the recipients, let me specifically say thank you to you. I recognize the sacrifice you have made in support of these very deserving recipients. This is for you too.”