Marlene Liddle has been weaving with cedar bark since 2008, after a lengthy apprenticeship gathering and preparing the red and yellow cedar of Haida Gwaii. Descended from a long line of Haida carvers and weavers, Marlene was mentored by master weaver Christine Carty in the traditional disciplines of cedar bark Haida hats. Marlene now weaves hats in a contemporary style that incorporates both traditional techniques and modern materials.
Award Year: 2013
Sun Ridge Equipment Ltd.
Margo Kane
Internationally acclaimed Cree – Soh-Toe performing artist Margo Kane has created a dynamic theatre company called Full Circle that showcases the great stories, talents and artistic traditions of Aboriginal peoples. The Talking Stick Festival, her annual celebration in the Lower Mainland, brings a wide range of artistic forms to a diverse audience. The community outreach from this Festival is exemplary – from Workshops in School to community ticket programs and field trip programs, Margo has enabled thousands to enjoy the performing arts. Margo Kane’s creative spirit is indomitable whether as a mentor, a producer, a storyteller, an artist or a nurturer.
Marnie Simon
Chair of the Whistler Public Library, Marnie is dedicated to organizations that serve both Whistler and Pemberton. She is a Director of the Pemberton Seniors Society, past chair of the Whistler Healthcare Foundation and Chair of the Friends of the Library Pemberton. Marnie is a role model for volunteerism in the Sea to Sky corridor.
Sammy Robinson
Sammy Robinson is a Haisla carver from Kitamaat Village on the northwest BC coast. A self-taught artist, he began carving when he was 11 years old, creating wooden toys for Christmas time. He soon turned his attention to Haisla history and culture and began carving in his unique, finely-detailed style, producing pieces in wood, silver and gold. He travels the world sharing his culture and stories, but only sells his work from his carving shop in Kitamaat Village.
Ts’elxw'yeqw Tribe Management Ltd.
Susan Lane
Her nominators describe Susan Lane as a revolutionary. For over 25 years, Susan has made an extraordinary difference in the lives of infants and youth with hearing loss. A speech-language pathologist and audiologist, Susan led the BC Family Hearing Resource Society, introducing services and a facility that maximized communication and language development for children across the Province. Now the Provincial Intervention Coordinator with the BC Early Hearing Program, Susan ensures that every infant is screened for hearing in the hours or days after birth. Susan is acknowledged as visionary by families, her colleagues, and peers for her groundbreaking approaches to managing youth and infant hearing loss.
Karen Stacey
Karen Stacey has taken a tragic event and turned it into something extremely positive for the benefit of liver transplant recipients. She was diagnosed with Hepatitis C after receiving a blood transfusion in the 1970’s. She received a compensation package and what she did with the funds was truly selfless. Karen created the Happy Liver Society and purchased an apartment close to the Vancouver General Hospital to house out-of-town patients receiving liver transplants. Karen is a tireless fundraiser and awareness raiser for Hep C and liver transplants through everything from hot dog sales to signing up organ donors at local malls. Karen’s contributions will be felt in perpetuity.
Chu Cho Industries Limited Partnership
Chu Cho Industries is owned by Tsay Keh Dene Band and its development Corporation and is located in northern British Columbia. It is deeply influenced by its responsibilities as a major employer to the Ksay Keh Denepeople and the responsibilities of good economic and environmental stewardship. Chu Cho’s operations involve Heavy Equipment Construction, Earth Moving, Transportation and servicing contracts for debris management and dust mitigation. Their clients include BC Hydro and Teck. The company has successfully grown at an amazing rate, now employing up to 65 First Nations’ employees in seasonal activities.
Dr. Jeannette Armstrong
Jeanette Armstrong of the Silks – Okanagan Nation is a visionary educator who has dedicated her life to the culture, language and arts of indigenous peoples. As Founding Director of the En’owkin Centre in Penticton, Jeannette has guided the centre from its beginning as the first Aboriginal accredited creative writing program in Canada to a widely respected interdisciplinary fine arts school with cultural, ecological and leadership programs. Of particular note, is Dr. Armstrong’s promotion and development of traditional language and language teacher training courses at University of Victoria, Nicola Valley Institute and UBC Okanagan. A prolific writer, a visual artist, mentor, professor and leader, Dr. Armstrong is considered one of the great thinkers in the arts and culture of British Columbia.
