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Yvonne Jones, MHA for the District of Cartwright-L’Anse Au Clair, expresses
her deep sorrow for the passing of one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s most
distinguished citizens - historian, editor and artist Doris Jean Saunders.
Doris Saunders lost her battle to Alzheimer disease this week and is
remembered as one who "gave Labrador a collective memory." She was born in
Cartwright in 1941 and much of her life was dedicated to promoting the
culture of the Metis of Labrador through her art and advocacy work. The life
and times of the people of Labrador were recorded and kept alive in Them
Days magazine, which Saunders edited and shaped to ensure that all of
Labrador’s ethnic groups were represented. Her work has been recognized
through the Order of Canada and an honorary degree. She was also an artist
and her works have been included in exhibitions throughout Canada.
"Doris provided a tremendous service to the people of Newfoundland and
Labrador by preserving the rich oral and documentary history of all
Labradorian," says Jones. "She enriched our lives and our culture with her
dedication, her heart, her ability to listen and her appreciation of our
history and the need to preserve it. Because she shared her talents and her
driving force, we were better able to share the strength and culture of
Labrador with the rest of the world.
"To show our acknowledgement for this remarkable woman and the tremendous
void she now leaves us with, it is quite fitting that the flag be lowered
across Labrador as a sincere gesture of respect and appreciation.
"Doris left us a legacy we shall all treasure and remember with pride and
with respect. Current and future citizens of our province, in particular the
people of Labrador, will surely forever feel her spirit and her passion each
time they read the cultural stories and adventures captured in a Them
Days Magazine, a quarterly still published under the sky and stars of
Labrador."
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