Arctic Voices Fellowships
By Louise Chatterton Luchuk
January 25, 2010
OTTAWA, ON // Arctic Voices Fellowships is a new and innovative program created by the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation. The program aims to strengthen the participation of northerners in shaping policies governing the Canadian Arctic (specifically Labrador, Northern Quebec, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, and the Yukon). At first glance, the actual depth of that goal may not be self-evident but upon listening to Nancy Karetak-Lindell, director of the program (and the first MP for Nunavut from 1997-2008), you soon gain an understanding of the importance of this new program.
"Developing policies has been difficult for us," explains Karetak-Lindell. "To date, a lot of policies that govern us were written by someone sitting in an office in Ottawa and signed off without meeting the people or seeing the place it was going to affect. In 2010, we still feel the effects of those policies. We really need to change that but everything is happening at such a fast pace and many are not familiar with what policy development is."
"From the 1800s to 2010 in a matter of 40 years"
Karetak-Lindell uses the example of her parents and their generation who, now in their late 70s, have lived through most of the changes experienced by aboriginal people. This generation grew up in igloos and didn't have Canadian currency. They didn't have control over what schools their children went to or their children's language of instruction and yet, states Karetak-Lindell, "Now we are asking them to have input into making laws when they haven't had responsibility in their own lives. If you put life in their context it's like taking some from the 1800s and putting them in 2010 in a matter of 40 years. Trying to engage people is not as simple as it sounds."
Karetak-Lindell also notes that her parents have seen so much research happening over the last 30 years; however, are the researchers genuine or going through the motions to be politically correct? If it is only the latter, people won't put the same effort into it responding to the questions. That carries over into the policy research and the hope of the Arctic Voices Fellowship is that by engaging 12 people that live in these areas - and have a genuine interest in their communities - that they will take policy development to the next level.
A snapshot of... |
Who: Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation
Mandate/Mission: The Walter & Duncan Gordon Foundation is dedicated to the development of sound and innovative public policies, founded on those values fundamental to Canadians, and designed to foster the continuing evolution of a dynamic and independent Canada.
Location: Toronto
When established: 1965
Number of staff: 7 full-time, 2 part-time
Number of volunteers: 21
Budget: $3.5 million/year
Awards won: Most recently – 2008 International Funders for Indigenous Peoples (IFIP) Award. The IFIP Award is bestowed upon a foundation or individual that has demonstrated efforts to increase philanthropic support for Indigenous Peoples around the world.
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How to have the greatest impact?
The Gordon Foundation has a particular interest in supporting projects in Canada's North. The Arctic Voices Fellowship is an expansion of the foundation's previous work to actively support the goals and objectives of the people who live in the five Northern regions. Specifically, the Gordon Foundation wanted to find a way support a pan-Northern project. They hired a consultant to find out what would work best to support people who live in these areas and engage them in policy development. After interviewing many people living in the five areas, the result was the creation of a new fellowship program modelled after the Gordon Global Fellowship and Water Fellowship programs.
Originally, named the "Northern Fellowship" program, the name was changed to Arctic Voices. "We thought 'Arctic' better described the five regions," remarks Karetak-Lindell. "We're not talking about 'North Bay' or 'Northern Manitoba' or 'Northern Saskatchewan.' It was very difficult to pick a name but we felt that 'Arctic Voices Fellowship' gave a better snapshot of who we are representing and it is the people's voices that are paramount. We want as many voices as possible."
The fellowships will provide financial, educational, mentoring, and networking support to challenge and encourage Canadians from the North, ages 25-35, to become engaged in shaping public policy. Karetak-Lindell is quick to point out that while she is actively recruiting aboriginal Northern groups (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) the program is also open to other Northerners who are non-aboriginal but born and/or raised in the North.
The program will provide funding for 12 Northern participants to give them the opportunity to research and develop public policy ideas at a time of great change in the North. Each participant will be awarded $25,000 spanning two years to help them engage in projects and to learn how to develop policies that reflect their knowledge of northern culture and values. The J.M. Kaplan Fund, a family foundation based in New York with a similar interest in the North, has provided support to help fund this initiative.
On February 1st, the call for proposals will go out. Karetak-Lindell wants the focus of the fellowship to be as broad as it can be and to see what proposals they receive. So, while she can suggest areas (e.g. language preservation, resource development, governance) the application process will not be prescriptive or define what proposals have to cover. They truly want to know what policy development youth think is needed in order to change the lives of people and community for the better.
Concludes Karetak-Lindell, "I am hoping for a new way of drawing out the knowledge that I know is out there amongst my people. How do we develop policy that really involves people and affects their every day lives and in a way that they feel included. How do we make sure their ideas, values, and ways of governing themselves are actually reflected in our communities? I think this can be instrumental in showing an example of what people can do. This will be a stepping stone towards working differently. We have our own way of doing things but we need to market them for this day's world. We have to accept we live in a new world but how do we take the best components of both worlds and be able to work in them?" As a co-learner in the journey, Karetak-Lindell anticipates that just as the group of 12 emerging leaders will grow and learn throughout the course of the Arctic Voices Fellowship, she will most certainly be learning and growing, too.
Louise Chatterton Luchuk provides research and resources for organizations that want to strategically move forward. She is a consultant and writer who combines her love of writing with research and project management experience at the regional, provincial and national levels of voluntary/nonprofit organizations. You can reach Louise at info@luchuk.com.
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