2010•2009•Past Events

2009

The 9th annual LaFontaine-Baldwin Symposium

Siila Watt-Cloutier delivered the 9th LaFontaine-Baldwin lecture on May 29, 2009 in Iqaluit. Watt-Cloutier, one of Canada's leading public figures, has long been a national and international voice for Northerners and the North. She is an Officer of the Order of Canada, the first recipient of Canada's Northern Medal and was nominated for the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.

An audience of approximately 500 people packed into Inukshuk High School in Iqaluit to experience the first lecture of this scope in the North. Dignitaries included Governor General Michaëlle Jean, and Institute for Canadian Citizenship co-chairs John Ralston Saul and Adrienne Clarkson.

IsumaTV, a web portal from award-winning filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk's production company Igoolik Isuma Productions, streamed the lecture to venues in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal and Alice Springs, Australia.

To watch the 2009 LaFontaine Baldwin symposium click here.

For a transcript of Siila Watt-Cloutier's speech, click here.

For a special report on the north by committee volunteers Stefan Lorimer and Maxim Jean-Louis, click here

For more information contact us at symposium@icc-icc.ca.

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"Images of the Arctic" photo contest

contest winners

The “Images of the Arctic” Photo Contest was created to celebrate the ninth annual LaFontaine Baldwin lecture. Photo submissions were reviewed by the following jury:

Zacharias Kunuk Award-winning filmmaker of Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner) and The Journals of Knud Rasmussen	Benoît Pilon Jutra award-winning and Genie-nominated filmmaker of The Necessities of Life
Edward Burtynsky Internationally renowned photographer, featured in the documentary Manufactured Landscapes	Ed Greenspon Former editor-in-chief, The Globe and Mail
Gerald McMaster Curator of Canadian Art at the Art Gallery of Ontario	Adrienne Clarkson Former Governor General of Canada and founder/co-chair of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship
John Ralston Saul Renowned essayist and novelist and co-chair of Institute for Canadian Citizenship

Here are the winning photos:

1st place - Anita Rich

My picture captures the Arctic (Nunatsiavut) because of all the nice colors such as yellow, purple and blue in the sky, and the reflection on the water. Labrador is not only known for its beautiful scenery but its also known for our way of life. We often live off of the land, as you can see by the shot captured, a boy shooting out of a gun in a speed boat.

2nd place - Uluriak Amarualik

I picked this picture because it shows the mountains, the ice and also the sky in Eureka, a meteorological research station on Ellesmere. You can see what Nunavut looks like in the spring time. It shows all the different shades of white that make up our land, from the blue-white ice to the brown-white mountains. There are not that many people that get the opportunity to see the views I get to see everyday. It's rare for some people to get to see what the land looks like around Ellesmere Island, and also around Nunavut.

The mountains show a part of Nunavut and what beautiful views Nunavut has in the Arctic. There are a lot of mountains and not one of them is the same, they are all different. It is very special because the land animals like rabbits, wolves, caribou, and also polar bears can find every thing they need to survive and as an Inuk these animals are important to my culture. Nunavut has always been special because of how tough the living conditions can be and how strong the people that live here need to be to survive.

3rd place - Bernadette Green

I think my photo captures the essence of the arctic because it shows the effects of global warming. Springtime coming earlier, warm weather and the snow melting are all signs of global warming. Five to ten years ago, April was a month of blowing snow, cold weather and lots of people going out goose hunting at least until May. Now, I don't think we'd be able to go out this year because it is melting really fast. This affects us, the Inuvialuit, because geese are a part of our diet and has been for a long time. Also, because the ice is melting, it takes away part of our culture which is going out on the land.

Inuvialuit love and appreciate the land, it is part of us, our culture and who we are. Every chance we get, we go out on the land even if it is just for a day. One day I hope everyone around the world can see that global warming is destroying our way of life and try to help us end it, which is what I think my photo shows. The essence of the arctic.

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Voices of the North

voices of the north image

During the ICC's trip to Iqaluit in May, we had the opportunity to visit Inukshuk High School and meet some students. They discussed their concerns about the North and also presented some of their poetry. Here is some of their work.

I AM ME!

By Aloka Wijesooriya

I am strong,
passionate,
lonely,
spiritual,
C-U-L-T-U-R-E-D.
I am unique just like
a bouquet of flowers.
I am special inside
and tuo.
I am BOOLLDO
BRAVE. and CONCERNED.
I am LOVED.
I will be LOVED.
I will be more like
a model
A model who believes.
Believes in love for everyone.
Everyone is to be loved by me!
I will be LOVED!
I will be BOLD!
I will be ...
I will be ...
I will be ...
I WILL BE ME!!

FRIENDSHIP

By Ryan Geikie

Fear
Doubt
Sorrow
Feeling of those yet to feel
The Warmth,
The Comfort,
The Acceptance,
Of others around
But yet so difficult
People who all share
A common feelings;
Friendship

PERFECT, THROUGH ITS FAULTS

By Ryan Geikie

It brings me heat, in the dead of winter
Its my sunshine, one a dark day
Its health, in the heart of sickness
Its tranquility, in the chaos
It's my home, found in the strange
Its safety, found through rick
It's silence in a hustling city
Perfect, through its faults
Our love

LOVE SICK

Anonymous

I'm sick of mad,
I'm sick of sad
I'm sick of missing,
The time we had.

I'm sick of sorry,
I'm sick of worry,
I'm sick of memories,
That seem Blurry.

I'm sick of Love,
(Or maybe be sorrow)
I'm waiting for,
A new tomorrow.

I'd cut my life,
Split right in two,
Just to spend,
More time with You.

I want the future,
I'm slowly dying,
I'm missing you,
My heart is crying.

I still remember,
Remember You leaving,
It's sad to hear,
My heart, now screaming.

I'll have to wait,
Write one more verse,
But hurry Love,
My heart, it hurts.

MY HEART'S SHADE

By Duncan Mackay

As I think to,
about myself
My mind a
pounding, giving
swirl.

I see him there,
the boy,
The crying child,
he holds the others
out,

Out of his room, his
pounding swirling room,
They others they try
to force him out.

Now he is strong,
the small boy, crying boy,
someday he will be numb
and let the others in.

But now, the silent boy,
the crying child just
stays, thinking crying,
mom.

Untitled

By Kathryn Kalabuk

I want to cry and I don't know why
The feelings inside are heavy,
Sickly, sluggish
Self pity
Inner hearted that I can't explain
Because I'll never fully comprehend
It's the anger
Carved into my heart
I can't remember
The reason
And my heart's so dark it melts into the background
Read me
Tell me
What am I now?
Disturbed
But that's ok, right?
Slipping
Through the cracks, I wish I could
Insignificance
I pity you
Blending in
Throw me in, let's see how this little experiment goes
The pot will boil over
No tolerance for the obvious imperfection
When I scream
I know you hear me but you'll never understand
Incoherent words
In a hasty attempt to suck you in
To my own little world
Can we be alone here?
I jump in head first
Only to see you looking down at me
An insignificant spec
Shrinking
I grab you
Cause I know
Pull you
I can see
Touch you
It's in your eyes
Feel you
Every part of you
I peel the mask from your skin
See the lies, brushed away gently
The sadness in your eyes
You let me see inside.

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2009

The 9th annual LaFontaine-Baldwin Symposium

"Images of the Arctic" photo contest

Zacharias Kunuk

Benoît Pilon

Edward Burtynsky

Ed Greenspon

Gerald McMaster

Adrienne Clarkson

John Ralston Saul

Here are the winning photos:

1st place - Anita Rich

2nd place - Uluriak Amarualik

3rd place - Bernadette Green

Voices of the North

I AM ME!

FRIENDSHIP

PERFECT, THROUGH ITS FAULTS

LOVE SICK

MY HEART'S SHADE

Untitled

Further Reading

"Paix dans l'Arctique"

"Needed: an official guardian" - excerpt from Siila Watt Cloutier's speech

"Make indigenous people stewards of the North" - excerpt from Siila Watt Cloutier's speech

"Nunavut's birthday sparks debate about future"

"À quand une université dans le Grand Nord?"