1st Polar Medals handed out in Whitehorse

The Governor General of Canada, David Johnston, handed out the new Polar Medals to the first group of recipients Wednesday in Whitehorse.

The inaugural presentation ceremony of the newly created medals was scheduled for10:30 a.m. PT at the MacBride Museum of Yukon History.

The Polar Medal has incorporated and replaced the Northern Medal, which recognized people who made contributions to theidentity and culture of Canada's North.The new medal has addedscientists, polar explorers and defenders of Canada's Northern sovereignty to the list of eligible recipients.

This year's recipients include the team thatdiscovered the underwater shipwreck of the Franklin Expeditionship HMS Erebuslast yearnear Gjoa Haven, Nunavut.

Community volunteers

The new medal still recognizes community volunteers, including Inuvik'sGerry Kisoun, whois being recognized for environmental work and coaching youth in Arctic sports.

"It is a small circle," Kisoun says of the award's recipients. "Another one was my mother, Bertha Allen, Sheila Watt Cloutier... by golly, thoseare pretty high end names, and to be standing in that circle is pretty neat really."

It also recognizesSecond Lieutenant Dorothy Tootoo, who has beensustaining the cadet program in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut.

Scientistthrilled

Another recipient is Marianne Douglas, who has been a professor at University of Alberta and University of Toronto, and now lives in Yukon.

She has more than 25 years of experience doing field work inremote regions of the Arctic often for weeks at a time.

"It's a huge surprise and a great honour to be picked out.I can think of a large group of people who are equally or more deserving of this medal," she says.

"My mind is like, 'Why me?' I'll have an enormous smile on my face. The North is an incredible place and it's been a privilege to be working here."

More medals to be awarded

Only nine Northern Medals had been distributed in ten years.

AnnabelleCloutier, withthe Governor General's office,says the new medal will be awarded more frequently to encourage people to nominate community members and keep the award in the public eye.

"We know there is a lot of work being done in allterritoriesand up to the Arctic region by many people who deserve this recognition," she said.

The10 recipients are:

• Michel Allard, Quebec City (scientist)
• Marianne Douglas, Whitehorse (scientist)
• John Geiger, Ottawa (Royal Canadian Geographic Society)
• Ryan Harris, Ottawa (archeologist)
• Louie Kamookak, Gjoa Haven, Nunavut (historian)
• Doug Stenton, Iqaluit (Nunavut director of heritage)
• ShelaghGrant, Peterborough, Ont. (Nunavuthistorian)
• Gerald Kisoun, Inuvik, N.W.T. (elder, volunteer)
• Anne Morgan, Whitehorse (health advocate)
• Dorothy Tootoo, Rankin Inlet(cadet leader)

The medalbearsan image of the St. Roch, the RCMP ship that patrolled the Arctic in the early to mid-20th century, with a portrait of the Queen on the other side.