Remembering Ralph Ritcey’s compassion and love

Ralph Ritcey played a large role in the establishment of the Churchill Vocational Centre. He believed that Inuit students from Nunavik and Nunavut should attend one educational center. I first met Mr. Ritcey in 1965 when he came to visit “his” students at the Churchill Vocational Centre.

As superintendent of vocational education, Mr. Ritcey encouraged and challenged Inuit youth to move ahead through education and work. He cared greatly about the future of Inuit, defended their rights and played a big part in eventually dismantling colonialism in the Arctic. Mr. Ritcey stood very tall among his fellow Canadians.

Inuit from my age group and somewhat younger, from Nunavut and Nunavik, identify Mr. Ritcey as the person who sent them to southern Canada and gave them the best education they could get. Youth went to Guelph to work at factories, to Esquimault, and Chilliwack, B.C., to become heavy equipment operators, to Penticton, B.C. to be a helicopter pilot; to Ottawa for higher education, and to Smith Falls to be a nursing assistant, to name a few locations and training opportunities.

Ralph Ritcey was responsible for the pioneering government program that brought young Inuit to the South for immersion in academic studies in public schools. I have been asked by two of the original three young Inuit in that program, Peter Ittinuar and Zebedee Nungak, who went to Ottawa in 1962 and 1963 respectively, to express sincere condolences to Mr. Ritcey’s family.

Mr. Ittinuar and Mr. Nungak both feel profound personal grief at this loss.

They say Mr. Ritcey possessed a genuine regard and respect for Inuit as a people, which was unique among Qallunaat in the civil service at the time. He did everything in his power, and more, to help all Inuit equip themselves for the great transitions that took place in the 1960s and 70s all across the Arctic, by making access to educational opportunity available to Inuit on a wide scale.

Four years ago, Thomas Kudluk and I were proud to nominate Mr. Ritcey as a Member of the Order of Canada. Mr. Ritcey’s achievement was recognized and he was awarded the medal by the Governor General, Adrienne Clarkson, in June 2001.

On behalf of your former students from Nunavut and Nunavik, and all the people of Nunavut, Thank you, Mr. Ritcey for your lifelong leadership, your compassion and love.

Peter Irniq
Commissioner of Nunavut

Editor’s note: This is an abridged version of the eulogy that Commissioner Peter Irniq gave at Ralph Ritcey’s funeral in Ottawa on Nov. 28. It has been edited to fit the available space.