Quebec’s Laval university gets a new research position

There was a ceremony at Laval university in Quebec City Dec. 15 to officially launch the university’s new research chair on northern sustainable development. In attendance, from left to right: Paul Fortier, Laval’s vice-rector, research and creation, Louis Fortier, ArcticNet scientific director, Gilles Couture, director of environment and quality at ArcelorMittal Mines Canada, Pita Aatami, president of Makivik Corp., Jean D’Amour, MNA for Rivière-du-Loup and parliamentary assistant to minister of natural resources and wildlife, minister responsible for the Plan Nord, Denis Brière, rector of the Laval, Thierry Rodon, who holds the research chair, François Blais, dean of the department of social sciences and François Sauvé, Laval’s deputy vice-rector. (PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITE LAVAL)

Laval university in Quebec City has a new research position, called a “chair,” devoted to northern studies, this time for a researcher to study northern sustainable development.

Makivik Corp., ArcelorMittal Mines Canada and ArcticNet chipped in $1.1 million over five years to the create the position, which will be held by researcher Thierry Rodon, said a Dec. 15 Laval news release.

The research will focus on improving knowledge about the North, particularly on the future, well-being and prosperity of the people who live there, the news release said.

“It’s with enthusiasm that we participate in the creation of this chair on sustainable development in the North which will combine both scientific and traditional knowledge related to the Inuit of Nunavik,” said Pita Aatami, president of Makivik Corp., in the release.

“ArcelorMittal Mines Canada is very proud to participate in the creation of this chair, which will undoubtedly help us all work together to develop harmoniously the North, to benefit communities and protect the environment,” said Gilles Couture, ArcelorMittal’s director of environment and quality.

Rodon, an associate professor of political science at Laval and an assistant professor in the School of Public Policy and Administration at Carleton University, has written several books on Nunavut.

The news release said Rodon also participated in developing a certificate program in public service for the Government of Nunavut and was involved in the development of the proposal for Nunavik regional government.

Rodon is now leading a three-year project for the ArcticNet research network that will make recommendations on how to establish a northern university and improve Inuit access to post-secondary education.

Among the projects which could stem from Rodon’s research and Plan Nord — a college campus funded by mining companies active in Nunavik.

“The new chair in sustainable development of the North adds to 29 chairs devoted to the North under ArcticNet. The work of the chair will fill a critical sector of the network and the program will contribute to the four integrated regional studies of impacts conducted by ArcticNet,” said Louis Fortier, scientific director of ArcticNet.