French River mayor to receive King Charles medal at International Women's Day event

French River mayor Gisèle Pageau will receive the King Charles III Coronation Medal Saturday at an event marking International Women's Day.

The medal is presented to individuals who have made a significant contribution to Canada or to a particular province, territory, region or community of Canada, or have made an outstanding achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada.

"I'm quite surprised and I guess in awe because there's a lot of fantastic women out there that certainly deserve the prize," Pageau said.

"And I'm quite honoured, actually."

Pageau has been the mayor of French River, a rural community of 2,800 south of Sudbury, since 2018.

She was previously the director of human rights and education for the Communications, Energy, and Paperworkers Union of Canada (now Unifor), according to a biography provided by the Sudbury East Chamber of Commerce, which is hosting the event where she'll receive the medal.  

She also mentored women through the United Nations Canadian labour team.

In addition, Pageau worked at Laurentian University as a communications and special events coordinator for university advancement.

Nickel Belt MPP to present the award

While there, she was president of the Laurentian University Staff Union where she negotiated the first provincial pay equity plan for university women.

Pageau said she believed her work on pay equity might be behind her nomination for the King Charles medal.

But Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas, who will present the medal to Pageau, also praised her leadership in the French River community.

Specifically, she commended Pageau for her successful effort to keep the OPP station in Noëlville open after news emerged in 2023 of plans to shutter it.

"I helped her put a petition together," Gelinas said.

"I would say every single resident of the French River has signed this petition."

Pageau also organized a town hall that gave people the opportunity to speak about the importance of the police station, she said. 

"Her door is always open," Gelinas said. 

"She listens to what people's needs are with a view of how can she be helpful and useful to move things forward."

Chamber executive director Jill D'Amour said Pageau has done a lot throughout her career to help other people. 

"She's very thoughtful," D'Amour said.

"She's always looking to make sure that, you now, she's able to help in anyway that she can."

Pageau will speak at Saturday's event about the need to continue  working for women's equality, she said.

"We're far from reaching equality yet," she said.

"But my message is that, you know, you can't impose change. You have to build it though, in my opinion, listening, learning, and finding common ground. So, you know, we have space for diverse voices and we have to foster collaboration, and we have to, at the end of the day ... ensure that every person feels heard and valued. And I think if we do those things we'll narrow the gap."