The Icelandic Canadian - 01.03.2003, Blaðsíða 11

Vol. 57 #4
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
147
William Dempsey Valgardson
Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
by Nina Colwell
In June, 2002, the Royal Society of
Canada issued a press release:
The Royal Society of Canada,
the Canadian Academy of the
Sciences and Humanities, has
elected 58 new Fellows....
Fellowship in the Royal Society of
Canada is considered Canada’s
most prestigious academic acco-
lade to which scholars and scien-
tists aspire. These distinguished
individuals have accomplished
work of truly outstanding quali-
ty....They add enormous value to
the extraordinary resource of tal-
ent and experience that constitutes
the Society.
And so it was that on November 22,
2002, William Dempsey Valgardson, son of
Dempsey and Rae Valgardson, and
Professor of Writing at University of
Victoria, stepped out of a taxi in front of
Rideau Hall, where an aide protected him
and his new suit with an umbrella and
guided him through the door. He found
himself in a huge room lined with paintings
of former Canadian governors general,
receiving instructions from Governor
General Adrienne Clarkson’s aide-de-
camp. When their names were called they
were to move forward and stand on the
pink rose on the carpet in front of the
Governor General. The inductees filed
into the room where the guests were seat-
ed. The Governor General was announced.
Everyone rose and sang “O Canada” and
“God Save the Queen.” One by one, their
names were called; one by one the scientists
and artists moved forward to stand on the
pink rose and listen to accolades about
their lifetime of accomplishments.
“I wondered what I was doing there,”
Bill told me. “But my turn came. I’d for-
gotten my belt on my bed at home, but my
pants didn’t fall down. I didn’t trip over
my own feet. I managed to shake hands
with the Governor General, accept my
scroll, turn it over to an aide, sign the book,
and get back to my seat without mishap.”
But the Fellows of the Royal Society
had no doubt that he belonged with them
that night. As they said:
“The writings of William D.
Valgardson, Department of Writing,
University of Victoria, explore the dramas,
comedies, and dilemmas common to
humanity, providing wise and compassion-
ate insights into the lives of individuals and
communities. In workshops and lectures,
in university classrooms as well as at festi-
vals and conferences, he has for many years
been dedicated to the inspiration, educa-
tion, and support of new writers, many of
whom have acknowledged his importance
to the early stages of their development. In
both his academic work and his fiction he
has been instrumental in introducing
Canadians to the culture of Iceland and
Icelandic Canadians, making him a sought
after speaker at home and abroad.”
The University of Victoria printed a
poster outlining some of Bill’s many
accomplishments, with a picture of him
holding some of his many publications (he
wouldn’t have been able to carry them all
without the help of a wheelbarrow). The
last lines read: “Valgardson’s contribution
to the creative arts has made Canadians
laugh, cry and think. It has also introduced
us to the warmth of Iceland and Icelandic
Canadians.”
The Icelandic-Canadian community
was thrilled that their native son was being