Q&A with Duane Smith

Q&A 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 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 are righting that ship and getting the transparency and accountability that our funders and the law require. Once we leave our meetings and decisions are made, we must exit that room as Inuvialuit united, working together and trying to resolve any differences we may have.

How can you keep all the communities on the same page and feeling united?

That’s why we have the 42 Directors meeting and a strategic planning session. The strategic plan is taking all the concerns, issues and priorities of the communities and the community corporations into account and building that into a plan where we would address those issues to the degree that they require. Most of its development as an organization is to develop unity, understanding, strengthening of the culture and our work relationships as Inuvialuit. Some of the issues are developed locally, where there might be a community-specific priority that our staff will build into the plan. We’ve taken that to another level in certain issues, especially around community wellness, where our staff go into the communities and work with them to develop a community wellness plan that’s specific to them. Staff work with the community throughout the year to implement plans.

Nearly half of Inuvialuit live outside of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, which means they cannot vote in community corporation elections and thus have no say in governance of the IRC. Some have expressed a feeling of disenfranchisement because of this. What is your opinion on this group, who is often referred to as the Inuvialuit ‘99ers?

Well, they don’t like to be referenced in that term, and they do have issues. Some are valid. We’ve tried to provide basic information in regard to the programs, supports and benefits they are entitled to regardless of where Inuvialuit live, especially around the work we’ve done with Health Canada and the non-insured health benefits program. There are also vast amounts of educational opportunities available to any beneficiary, wherever they may reside. Our data and records show we have more than doubled that support to beneficiaries living across Canada and outside of the country.

In the IRC, is there any interest in changing how the system of governance works so that people outside the ISR can participate?

People need to read the Inuvialuit Final Agreement in relation to its structure, how it applies to Inuvialuit and how we must conduct our corporate affairs. IRC is mandated under the community corporations. The community corporations make up this organization and under the community corporation process you have to reside in the communities to be a member. This is where IRC gets its guidance, direction and governance process from. But that doesn’t mean we totally ignore and disregard beneficiaries’ issues if they’re living outside the region. They are always considered. There are many opportunities for beneficiaries to become engaged. We’re always looking for appointees to the different bodies that the Inuvialuit have representation on throughout the North and across Canada.

Just to be clear, can you change the IFA or would it turn into a huge process?

It would turn into a very huge process. We have always been very, very reluctant to open the IFA, and you need government’s support for doing that. If you do open up the IFA, the other parties could propose changes within the final agreement as well. IRC is reluctant to do that because we don’t want to see any further diminishment of what we consider our rights within the IFA and beyond.

Anything else you want to add?

Again, I want to express my gratitude to the 42 directors for giving me their support for the next term, as well as providing guidance and input into the strategic plan. They’ve given us a huge task and responsibility to implement. I look forward to representing our rights at every level possible.