Standing up for her beliefs

MIRIAM HILL

It’s a long way from Baker Lake to the recent G20 meeting in Ottawa.

It’s even farther to the line of protesters who faced riot police outside the meeting for an entire weekend.

Heather Tickie, originally from Baker Lake, lives with her husband and two sons in the nation’s capital. Last month they were on the front lines, showing their displeasure with the closed meetings being held in Ottawa’s downtown core.

The G20 group, made up of finance ministers and central bank governors from a variety of countries, was created in 1999. Its purpose is to discuss and make decisions on economic and financial policy issues to promote cooperation and to achieve stable and sustainable world growth.

Its Nov. 16-17 meeting in Ottawa was held under heightened security and saw thousands of protesters marching in the streets. Tickie and her family were among them.

“We went as a family to show the world there is a variety of people that are concerned with the trends our governments are taking,” Tickie explained in a phone interview. In the background, children are laughing and screaming.

Her 18-month-old son, Matthew, and six-year-old son, Christopher, were among the youngest protestors at the meeting, she said, but there were people there as old as 70.

“From the media you get the impression that people protesting are bad people, they cause riots,” she said. “When I was there it wasn’t like that. These were ordinary people. There were grandmothers, mothers and fathers with their own children, students who are concerned about the way our governments are shifting.” she said.

Northern connection

Although she lives in Ottawa, Tickie admits she “is still very much a part of the North,” and she’s concerned about the effect powerful corporations will have on communities in Nunavut.

“I worry about how mining and oil corporations are influencing and are increasing control of the North and my people through our governments. Inuit have always respected nature and these two entities are totally the opposite of the Inuit way,” she said, adding that these corporations often give the impression that the North has no other options for economic stability.

“The things they don’t mention is that mines and oil reserves don’t last forever — some last as little as one year and pick up stakes without any responsibility to the effects they have had on people or the environment. They take their millions and leave.”

Tickie said while these are her opinions, it’s important to examine how economic choices people are making now will affect humans, animals and the environment in the long-term.

“Instead of just following the ideas of a company that wants to use our resources in the North, Inuit can influence the economy in a positive way,” she said. “If given the chance, I am certain that Inuit, young and old, have ideas of how to create a healthy economy without creating years worth of damage to the land and the people.”

Tickie has some ideas of her own, including building a cultural centre in Nunavut where youth could learn traditional skills and perform for groups from the rest of Canada.

She also suggested creating a central retail outlet for carvers in Nunavut so they don’t have to sell to galleries that hike prices.

Lasting impressions

The protest left its mark on Tickie. At one point, she recalls, her family inadvertently moved from the “green,” or safe zone, to the “red” zone, only to be ushered back to the safer area by a helpful protester.

Even in the safe zone, walking toward the area where the march was to end, Tickie says between 100 and 200 riot police ran toward them and formed a line in anticipation of their approach.

“Christopher was a little scared of the riot police, but he felt safe around the people,” she said.

Tickie said it’s important for her sons to realize that just because someone is in a position of authority or is bigger in certain ways, it doesn’t mean he or she is making the right decisions for people in communities.

“I want them to remember that they can have a say, even if they have to appear by demonstration — as long as it’s to help improve society,” she said, after some reflection. “It’s not an easy thing to learn. I had to learn that by myself so I’m trying to teach them that now.”