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with DUANE SMITH A few moments looking down and breathing carefully seemed uncharacteristic for the usually stoic Duane Smith as he stood at the podium following his re‑election as Chair and CEO of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation in January. With 25 votes from the 42 directors of the community corporations, Smith was chosen to lead the IRC for a second term. We sat down with the Inuvialuit leader to talk about his thoughts after the election and address some recent subjects in the news.
After being re-elected, you had to take a few moments at the podium to compose yourself before speaking. Why were you so emotional? Do you really need to ask that one? It’s very humbling when your people choose you to lead them. It shows the leadership around the room and its membership have faith in you. They’re giving you their trust to continue to lead. I’m leading, but I’m doing it under the direction of the board, as well as the community corporations and its directors. That is a lot of pressure, but it shows a lot of respect in what we’ve accomplished. And it’s not just about me. It’s about the organization and the team we’ve put in place here.
In the lead-up to the election, were you at all concerned you wouldn’t be re-elected? Of course. You have to be real and realize that community leadership might want to go in a
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different direction. I think everybody in that situation tries to understand that you may not get elected. It’s something you have to accept at some point, because it’s part of reality. Fortunately, in this case, I was elected.
What is your game plan for the next three years? At the 42 Directors meeting, we provided results of our strategic plan of the last three years – what we’ve accomplished, what we’ve implemented, what is ongoing, what are new and emerging issues. We’ve asked the directors to provide input and guidance into a revised strategic plan for this next duration. We are consolidating all of that right now to develop this term’s work plan, which we will present to the board for them to formally approve. That will then be IRC’s direction and our marching orders to implement during this term. We also have to be prepared to respond to new or emerging issues that come up throughout the term.
There have been rumblings of some political issues between the IRC and the Sachs Harbour Community Corporation. What went on there and how is the relationship now? It is by overcoming those few challenges here and there that our organization has prospered so well over the last 35 years. IRC and the community corporations are a family and families work through things. This is what the IRC and Sachs Harbour are doing, and I think we are making great progress. The IRC is obligated to ensure that the funds we transfer to communities for programs and operations are accounted for and reported on appropriately. The reason we need to impose those requirements is because a failure to report and account in one community can affect not only the members of that community, but also the ability of all our communities to continue to receive funding. I am pleased to say that together with Sachs Harbour we
