Thank you speech for Kativik School Board Graduation Ceremony, June 2009

Here I thank the Kativik School Board for funding my studies at McGill University in Montreal.

Transcript:

Nunavik kinguumatsijuq nunavimmiunik sivulirnimik tigusigiarniatunik nunalimini.

This means we have to train Inuit scientists, doctors, lawyers, engineers, social workers, teachers, accountants, and artists.

Nous ne pouvons pas ignorer le rôle que tient la Commission Scolaire Kativik : guider les étudiants envers le succès afin dassurer le développement et la prospérité de Nunavik.

Jean Malaurie, a French ethnographer and geographer, and friend and colleague of Honourable Senator Charlie Watt, said that The urgent task facing the North is to forge an intelligentsia who understand the high economic and geostrategic stakes of the Arctic.

In his book, Malaurie envisions a future with a well-educated population of Northerners who are able to tackle the problems they face, both locally and globally. I share his vision.

It is absolutely essential that every Inuk who wants to study is encouraged, guided, and mentored in order that he/she may become the leaders of tomorrows Nunavik.

Jason Annahatak, in a stunningly clear and fresh article, tells us that we must give gratitude to the people before [us] who made educational funding possible. Our education is not free. [We] can be anything [we] want and go anywhere [we] choose. [We] have one very simple obligation in return for the support [we] receive. [We] have an obligation to succeed.

It is a wonderful thing to see so many success stories here in this room, and I hope to see dozens and hundreds more in the coming years, and in every domain of study. To Jasons words, I would add that KSB has an obligation to ensure that all students have the conditions to achieve success.

I found that Jasons words echoed something I read in a 1992 Makivik report on the KSB, in which an experienced Inuk educator is quoted as saying We will be successful in our schools when our children learn to take initiative for their own learning, when they can learn from many sources, and can go as far as they want to go in the world.

Je remercie la commission scolaire kativik pour le support et encouragement pendant mes études à McGill. Jencourage la commission de continuer à travailler dans son rôle important afin dassurer que nous avons une population éduqué, fort, et indépendant.

ilinnianiup asianik aqqutitsaqangitut inuit taakkuningqa pigunnasilangatuarutik.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Kativik
• School
• Board
• University
• Convocation
• Luncheon
• Thank
• You
• Speech

[sashamelissa]

Great Joey!!!

[Pauletta243]

Excellent Joey, so so proud that you are speaking for our people!

[misskittyg]

Cool! It was good speech Joe.

[Labrabob]

Good job Joey, & congratulations. Keep on going!