Former Nunavik leaders to receive Order of Canada
Charlie Watt, Andrew Atagotaaluk among 14 appointees
Former senator Charlie Watt, left, and Andrew Atagotaaluk, a former bishop of the Diocese of the Arctic, are among 14 appointees to the Order of Canada. (File photos)
Two former Nunavik leaders will be appointed to the Order of Canada Friday, at Gov. Gen. Mary Simon’s final investiture ceremony.
Charlie Watt and Andrew Atagotaaluk are among 14 appointees, Rideau Hall announced Wednesday in a news release.
The Order of Canada is among the highest honours civilians in Canada can receive.
Watt, who lives in Kuujjuaq, founded the Northern Quebec Inuit Association and the Makivvik Corporation. He also played a key role in negotiating the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement.
He later served 34 years in the Senate, where he championed Indigenous rights and introduced Inuktitut into the chamber.
Andrew Atagotaaluk, who lives in Inukjuak, is being honoured for his work as the first Inuk diocesan bishop in the Anglican Communion.
His leadership has focused on community healing, cultural strength, youth well-being and spiritual life, across Nunavut, Nunavik and the wider Arctic, the release said.
Simon, Canada’s 30th Governor General and the first Indigenous person to hold the role, will complete her five-year term on June 8, when Louise Arbour is scheduled to be sworn in as her successor.
Congratulations to all the appointees. And im very proud of my ningauk Andrew A. Very cool !
Congratulations to all the appointees. Especially very proud of my ningauk. Andrew.
Very cool !!
Well deserved for both gentlemen!!!!
Front Page Challenge, a weekly TV show was an interesting program for news hounds. I remember as young man Charlie Watt had been invited as a guest with the news story being about the James Bay hydro project and the indigenous matters surrounding that mega project. It was only years later that I met him in person in Kuujjuaq. The show’s format was to ask questions and guess the news story, the guest (Charlie in that case) answered Y or N or maybe to the group’s questions in a disguised voice and with that they were given a few minutes to find the story. That was followed by a 10 minute or so discussion with guests into the news stories.