“By lending her incredible talents to The Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Béatrice Martin has helped the Society enormously to emphasize the importance of geography,” says RCGS CEO John Geiger, who presented the medal with Dr. Wendy Cecil, Vice Chair of the RCGS Board of Governors. “Geography manifests itself in many ways, not just physical geography but cultural geography too.”

The Joseph-Elzéar Bernier Medal, established in 2014, and named for a celebrated Quebec explorer whose voyages asserted Canada’s sovereignty in the Arctic, recognizes an exemplary deed or activity that has enhanced or aided the Society in fulfilling its mandate at the international, national, provincial or headquarters level and so has advanced the understanding of Canada’s physical and human geography. All recipients of Society medals also become Honorary Fellows.

Martin’s highly anticipated new album, En cas de tempête, ce jardin sera fermé, is expected later this spring. She will perform March 16 at Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Montreal before embarking on a tour across Europe and Canada, including stops in Gatineau and Toronto.