Former Whale Cove mayor receives award for achievements in mineral industry

David Kritterdlik, a former Whale Cove mayor and Agnico Eagle Mines wildlife adviser, is the recipient of the 2025 Skookum Jim Award for exceptional Indigenous achievements in the mineral industry.

“For his groundbreaking work in promoting Inuit values, cultural preservation and sustainable development, David Kritterdlik truly embodies the spirit of the Skookum Jim Award,” said a profile posted to the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada webpage.

Kritterdlik accepted the award, which is given out each year by the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada, on March 4 during its annual conference in Toronto.

His “key achievement” is the creation of the Kivalliq elders advisory committee that includes more than 20 elders from seven communities, Agnico Eagle Mines said in a news release March 6 celebrating Kritterdlik’s achievement.

The committee provides “invaluable guidance” to the Meliadine gold mine and Meadowbank complex on wildlife management, climate change and community development.

Kritterdlik helped incorporate Inuit traditional knowledge and principles into mining, the release said, adding it shaped Agnico Eagle’s regulatory approach.

“This award reflects the wisdom of our elders and the strength of our communities,” Kritterdlik said when receiving the award. “When we respect our traditions and work together, we build a stronger future for generations to come.”

Named after an Indigenous leader of the group that discovered the Yukon Klondike goldfields, the Skookum Jim award is presented to Indigenous leaders for achievement in the mineral industry.