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Edmontonian and Siksika First Nation member Bert Crowfoot has worn many hats but when his passion for sports and photography collided it opened up a path to Indigenous journalism that has now spanned nearly half a century.
On Wednesday, that work was recognized when Crowfoot became one of four Edmonton trailblazers to be newly appointed to the Order of Canada.
Gov. Gen. Mary Simon also appointed deaf performing artist and advocate Chris Dodd, energy and environment innovator Eddy Isaacs, and educator, writer and philanthropist Phyllis Arnold.
The appointments honour people for their extraordinary and sustained contributions to Canada guided by the underlying Latin motto “desiderantes meliorem patriam,” which translates into “they desire a better country.”
“I’ve always worked with Indigenous people. I’ve always been proud to tell our stories,” Crowfoot, who received the order’s officer designation, told CBC’s Radio Active Wednesday. “It’s just been a real pleasure.
“A lot of people have this negative image or stereotype of what the Indigenous people are like. And I’d like to tell the other stories, the stories that aren’t told in our own way.”
As the congratulations came pouring in Wednesday, some were from the women who have called Crowfoot a coach since the late 1970s, including one on Alberta’s provincial women’s softball team who he coached all the way to the 1993 Canada Summer Games.
But it was a decision in 1978 to take a year off from his studies in physical education that opened the door to work in media.
A friend asked Crowfoot to cover a basketball tournament. The next weekend it was a hockey tournament. Soon Crowfoot was working full-time at an Indigenous newspaper where he worked his way up to publisher.
In 1983, Crowfoot established the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta – an umbrella organization that includes Windspeaker.com and five radio stations devoted to telling the stories of Indigenous people and opening up the media landscape in new ways.
“Because I’m Indigenous, they trust you and they welcome you right in,” he said. “And I have also been given the opportunity to shoot a lot of stuff that a lot of non-Indigenous journalists wouldn’t ever be showing.”
The Order of Canada has three tiers. Officer is the middle designation that recognizes distinguished achievement. Only 15 of 80 people named Wednesday were appointed officers.
With only six appointments Wednesday, companion is considered the top tier. Fifty-nine Canadians were appointed members, including Dodd who is also building bridges at the local level between hearing and non-hearing people.
Dodd, who is also an accessibility advocate, founded Canada’s national theatre festival SOUND OFF for deaf performing artists.
“To be recognized and welcomed to the Order of Canada is both thrilling and incredibly humbling,” Dodd wrote in an email to CBC News.
“I am honoured to be working alongside with a wonderful community of hard-working and talented Deaf individuals and I look forward to continuing my advocacy and support for the Deaf arts.”