Six Saskatchewan Aboriginal women were awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal on Friday for their work in the community.
The awards were presented by the Saskatchewan Aboriginal Women’s Circle Corporation in Saskatoon.
While some in the Idle No More movement have been calling on Aboriginal activists to refuse similar awards on behalf of the Crown, Karon Schmon who is receiving a medal for her work on behalf of Indigenous education says she is happy to accept as she has been selected by her peers.
“While I respect the decisions of individuals to do that but when I got to thinking about it myself, I have been nominated by my peers and other Aboriginal women and I accept their praise regardless of the token that commemorates it,” she says. “And so I am going to accept mine, I am going to proudly wear it, because what matters to me is how well thought of I am by those few people rather than the government or Queen.”
The other recipients are Linda Head, Judy Hughes, Julie Pitzel, Sylvia Popowich, and Laura Whiteman.