HMB man honoured

Halfmoon Bay's J. Edward Chamberlain (known to locals as Ted) has just been named an officer in the Order of Canada.

The officer of the Order of Canada medal recognizes a lifetime of achievement and merit of a high degree, especially in service to Canada or to humanity at-large.

Chamberlain was honoured for his work in the humanities and his commitment to issues affecting First Nations people.

"The honour really has thrown me. I'm embarrassed by it, delighted by it, smiling like a Cheshire cat and sort of wondering how it all happened," Chamberlain said.

Growing up in B.C. and working along side First Nations' people, Chamberlain always had an affinity for the people and their culture, which is told through stories and songs.

After working at the University of Toronto for several years as a literary professor, Chamberlain used his love and understanding of story-telling to help others relate to various First Nations people.

"Literature is in some ways a fancy name for stories and songs, and stories and songs are at the heart of the ways in which all peoples of all sorts give themselves a sense of who they are and where they belong and what they believe," Chamberlain said. "So it's that common ground across communities that has been at the centre of my work."

He has penned many books, but perhaps his most notable on the topic of First Nations people is titled If This is Your Land, Where are Your Stories?: Finding Common Ground.

In the book he explains how stories shape all of us, connect us in some ways and divide us in others.

He has been called to various First Nations communities to offer his insight and support over the years.

"I've worked with indigenous communities for a long time in a wide range of ways beginning in a serious way with the MacKenzie Valley pipeline inquiry in the 1970s where I worked closely with Tom Berger who was the commissioner of the inquiry. Following that work with him, I worked with many other people in the North, throughout British Columbia and Alberta, in the States, Australia more recently and South Africa," Chamberlain said. "My life has been a kind of privileged life of working with a range of peoples I love and respect, peoples from a wide range of backgrounds, not only First Nations backgrounds. Every now and then I pinch myself and wonder how I could be so lucky."

Chamberlain will receive his medal sometime this fall when an Order of Canada awards ceremony can be scheduled.