AURORA COLLEGE CONVOCATION 2006

Criminal Justice

Leadership Certificate

Management Studies

NRTP

Office Administration

Traditional Arts Program

Recreational Leaders Program

Everyone is important, a parent looking after his or her children really well is just as important as a political leader. What you are doing is providing a good basis for the future. Healthy communities and education are very important .

Idon’t like to see anyone thinking that because you are a political leader, you are more important than a good parent, or a good teacher, because it’s how can we collectively put the resources behind society that matters.

Nellie speaks from the heart on the biggest challenges facing Inuvialuit, and the values and measures that will help to solve these challenges.

Inuvialuit, not unlike other aboriginal peoples are all struggling to maintain their identity, culture and traditional values. Throughout the land claims negotiations Inuvialuit settled on three goals that best reflected respect for the past, present and future.

These collective goals are:

(a) to preserve Inuvialuit cultural identity and values within a changing northern society;

(b) to enable Inuvialuit to be equal and meaningful participants in the northern and national economy and society: and

(c) to protect and preserve the Arctic wildlife, environment and biological productivity.

Everything that the Inuvialuit Corporate Group does can be measured against these goals. If we can meet these three goals then we can surely claim some success.

Many of our younger generation have not led a traditional lifestyle, however the traditional values are still the key to survival today - honesty, respect, caring, taking personal responsibility, becoming knowledgeable and learning how to laugh.

The difference today is that there are too many distractions. In the years past, there was just family or extended family. Families spent a lot of time together traveling in search of food. Families were absorbed with themselves as they had to learn all that their parents and elders could teach them. There was no government presence or handouts, we are so privileged to have such a history of survivors.

Beginning during the whaling days, a series of events effected great change. Epidemics cut populations to a few survivors-despite all odds Inuvialuit did survive with strength and endurance. Inuvialuit marched on.

Traditional values are interpreted in many ways, the most disappointing interpretation is when an individual carries out a lifestyle that does not respect the land and the environment, stating his god given right to do anything he wants, accountable to no one. It paints a bad picture for those who are responsible – traditional values are built from generations past, it is not conveniently made up today to justify some irresponsible action. Our elders are available to give advice, it is important to really listen. Too often elders’ opinions are sought but not heard, that is disrespect.

Inuvialuit have a lot of successes and continue to build upon them. The social impact fund to address impacts arising from the Mackenzie Gas Project will soon see moneys available to make some of the changes that have been talked and talked and talked about. The education of our youth has to be a priority – I look forward to actually getting some of the programs we very much need delivered.

Drug and alcohol programs can be finally addressed with the availability of the social impact funds.

Although we [IRC] can create many opportunities, success can only come when individuals decide it’s time for them to take advantage of the opportunities. I believe they can and they will.