On Wednesday, July 30, Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP Marcus Powlowski presented Brent Tookenay and Sheila McMahon with the King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of their service to the local community.
King Charles III was crowned on May 6, 2023, and 30,000 medals are being distributed to eligible individuals who have made significant contributions to Canada or to a particular province, territory, region or community of Canada, according to the Canadian Government. 4,000 of the medals have been allocated to recognize members of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Both local recipients were given citations along with their medals.
Tookenay is the CEO of Seven Generations Education Institute and MP Powlowski praised him for his work in his introduction.
“Brent, as I think everybody knows, has done a tremendous amount for education for the community at large, specifically with the indigenous community and I know I’ve heard stories about people who have started off or have somehow ended up on not the best trajectory of life but thanks to the education provided at Seven Generations have gone on to successful careers and successful lives,” Powlowski said.
In part, Tookenay’s formal citation reads: “Mr. Tookenay’s work has had a profound impact on First Nations communities across Treaty 3 territory, fostering meaningful partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous institutions and advancing reconciliation through action. His commitment to youth empowerment and regional economic development continues to shape a more inclusive and prosperous future for Northwestern Ontario. His service exemplifies the values of dedication, vision, and community that the Coronation Medal seeks to honour.”
Upon receiving the medal Tookenay thanked his family, as well as his colleagues at Seven Generations Education Institute.
“I guess what I’d like to say is, first, thank a few people. You know, obviously my family, you know it’s important. You can’t do this stuff about them, but also my second family here, at Seven Generations, you know, we spend a lot of time together and trying to do things that we can for the communities [we serve].” Tookenay said.
“It’s just been an honour to work with the 10 communities and organizations like UNFC and other organizations to really just try and do what we can to help people become successful. I’m humbled and honoured over the years that the chiefs and communities have trusted me to help me with their goals and aspirations.”
Sheila McMahon has been the Executive Director of the United Native Friendship Centre (UNFC) in Fort Frances since 1988.
“Sheila is the Director of the UNFC in Fort Frances but was previously the provincial director of United Native Friendship Centres,” Powlowski said.
“She was also very important in the transition to the new Mowat Ave facility. We knew of you thanks to Buster Young, the former Crown Attorney for the region, and he told us that you played a very important part in the reconciliation process in Fort Frances and throughout the region. In that I think you did a real service to your community, the indigenous community, but also the broader Fort Frances community and our country.”
McMahon’s formal citation reads in part: “As Executive Director of the United Native Friendship Centre (UNFC) in Fort Frances and President of the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC), Ms. McMahon has been a tireless advocate for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.
“Under her leadership, the UNFC has become a vital hub offering over 20 culturally grounded programs, including healing services, youth outreach, and a food bank that recently distributed more than 100 food bags in a single week. Her vision was key to uniting the Centre’s services under one roof at its renovated Mowat Avenue facility, improving accessibility and community cohesion…
“Guided by the Seven Grandfather Teachings, Ms. McMahon’s leadership reflects a deep commitment to cultural preservation, community empowerment, and inclusive service delivery-leaving a lasting impact on generations of families in Fort Frances and beyond.”
Following the presentation McMahon said the award belongs to many people who she has worked with over the years.
“I received a call about this award and I was kind of confused, I said ‘what’s this about?’ and I started talking about the community and about the people behind me that supported all the work and I said ‘it’s not myself, everybody deserves this award.’ They told me we can’t give everyone an award. I’ve been thinking about Buster quite a bit, and when he was the Crown Attorney here we worked so well together in justice and bringing communities to work but also he brought our amazing justice program to us, which we had for a number of years,” she said.
“I first started working with Brent when he was with the school board and our alternative school program started and we worked very hard together to make this programme work and it’s so successful.”
McMahon also thanked several other partners and the staff at UNFC for their work.
