Meet Our Members | Nunatsiavut.com

Heather Campbell
Toby Andersen
Jim Igloliorte
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Heather Campbell
Visual artist Heather Campbell credits her experience of growing up in a northern Labrador community with providing the imagery and influences that emerge as the main theme in her work–the connection between humanity and nature. Heather is of mixed Inuit and Scottish ancestry and grew up in Rigolet. “These combinations of cultures and the influence of the environment have shaped my art making,” she says in her artist's statement. “My work is inspired by the Inuit culture and its symbolism. Traditional mythology has had an impact on the subjects I choose and how I portray them. Growing up in an Inuit community, and spending time on the land, has given me an exhaustible source of resource materials. Not only does nature provide visual stimuli but emotional and spiritual nourishment. The land has its own life force that has sustained its inhabitants for thousands of years.”

Graduating from high school with a strong academic record, including a Governor General's Medal and other awards, Heather went on to study Fine Arts at Memorial University's Sir Wilfred Grenfell College in Corner Brook and Harlow Campus in England. She graduated in 1996 with a BFA in Fine Arts and a Minor in Art History. Since then she has completed the Cultural Industries Training Program at the Inuit Art Foundation in Ottawa. Her training has led to positions at the National Gallery of Canada and the Canadian Museum of Civilization. She is currently a Curatorial Assistant at the Inuit Art Centre of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.

While acquiring the skills and experience to work in arts administration, Heather has also been steadily building her profile as an artist. Her work has been featured in eight group and solo exhibitions. She has also freelanced as an illustrator, taken courses in graphic design, and is a contributor to Inuktitut Magazine. Her work for the magazine involves not only illustrating stories and legends but also writing articles on Labrador Inuit issues. Readers can sample the diversity of Heather Campbell's work–her art, work-in-progress, writings and memories–on her website, http://pages.ivillage.com/kikiak/

Heather also believes that those who have pursued their dreams have the responsibility to encourage others to do so. “I hope that my story will inspire other Labrador Inuit to enroll in post-secondary education,” she says. “There are so many opportunities out there for Inuit, if people will just take the chance.”

One Man’s Land Claims History:
an Interview with Toby Andersen
Toby Andersen, LIA’s Chief Land Claims Negotiator, remembers the factors that came together to bring him into the long process that has resulted in the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement. In the early 1970s, the James Bay and Northern Québec land claim was under negotiation. Toby remembers: “I could see that it was good for the Inuit of Québec, but Labrador Inuit rights in Québec were being extinguished. I wondered if other claims could extinguish our rights in Labrador. It seemed like a land claim would be the way we’d have to go if we were ever to take control over our own destiny and promote our language and culture.” The legacy of relocation also played an important role in his decision to get involved. The resettlement of the people of Hebron and Nutak had been done without their input and with promises for a better life that had never been fulfilled. It had become apparent that change and redress would only come through self-determination and the achievement of self-government.

A fisherman, Toby was encouraged by LIA leader Bill Edmunds to get involved. By 1982, he was putting his knowledge to use as a LIA negotiator on Labrador Inuit land claims in Québec, working on the fisheries file. Building his experience steadily over the years, he became LIA Chief Negotiator in 1989. “I worked like a dog as a fisherman,” he says, “but it was nothing compared to land claims.”

The difficulties of negotiation were grounded in the realities of the time. While the federal government had a land claims process in place, the provincial government had no land claims policy until 1980. Furthermore, many government members and bureaucrats did not understand that Labrador Inuit were a distinct aboriginal people, and few were aware of the circumstances of their lives. “We had two roles,” Toby says, “negotiator and teacher. We had to educate the negotiators and the bureaucracy. What worked was to bring them in and take them inland from Nain. It was a real eye-opener for them; they could visualize what we were talking about.”

Education and negotiation went hand in hand throughout the process. LIA had to lay much of the groundwork. For many years, the provincial government saw “self-government” as simply administering existing programs. Often talks stalled when LIA proposals did not fit into existing proposals. Toby remembers: “We’d leave a full day of meetings and be up half the night drafting policies.” Frustrations and set-backs were regular: “There were times when we’d walk away from the table saying, ‘this is not going anywhere.’” Discussions bogged down when the two levels of government could not agree on intergovernmental matters and sharing financial responsibilities.

Toby also remembers key turning points, including a series of discussions between William Barbour, former LIA President, and Premier Brian Tobin that “cracked open the major issues” and gave the provincial chief negotiator a mandate to negotiate meaningful self-government which, as a Newfoundland MP, Tobin had supported within the amendment to the Canadian Constitution in 1987. He also credits negotiator Harold Marshall with doing much to further the process. “There were major issues,” he says. “Once we got at them–the size of the Settlement Area, development issues, revenue-sharing–that was a turning point.” Patience was the key, and not only on the part of the negotiators: “One of the things that I remember and appreciate,” Toby says, “is that we weren’t hounded by our own people. They’d say ‘you’re doing well, continue on.’” LIA continued with the approach advocated by Inuit leaders such as Jerry Sillitt and Martin Martin: negotiation not confrontation.

Still, commitment to such a long and difficult process wasn’t easy. Long stretches away from home and family were a challenge: “If I didn’t have the wife I had, it wouldn’t have been possible.”

Toby also remembers an awful sense of responsibility. “Nobody knows he pressure we were under,” he says. “The toughest part was bringing home the final agreement. We couldn’t sign off. I’d say to myself, you are negotiating the future of your people. Is it good enough?” The day finally came when he could say yes.

Toby believes that the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement is one of the best in Canada. Some see it as a model for future agreements. Its unique features includes a comprehensive self-government structure, provisions for a commercial fishery, and provisions for beneficiaries outside the Settlement Area. He believes that the structure of self-government will create great opportunities for Labrador Inuit and is already creating hope. He notes that more young people are talking about furthering their education and training and coming home to work for Nunatsiavut. He says he encourages them to think that, “how it is going to be done is up to you. This is your future.”

As for himself, he says “I have no plans yet,” focusing steadily on getting to the effective date. “It’s been a long time, a lot of work, I suppose I’m at the point where I could retire. But I have no pension plan so I’ve got to stick around a little longer. I’m hoping there’s some role I can still play, some way I can use all the things I’ve learned.”

Meet our Member - Jim Igloliorte

Jim Igloliorte wasn’t looking for a second or even third career, but when LIDC offered him a position, he happily accepted. Effective November 23, 2004, a man with an impressive history as an educator and judge became LIDC’s St. John’s Office Manager. Working with Ellen Ford, Jim will be involved with both fisheries and the stone quarry operation, primarily in marketing.

Born in Hopedale, Jim attended the local Moravian grade school and then the Yale School in North West River. He graduated from Memorial University in 1973 with degrees in science and education and went to work as a teacher and vice-principal in Lark Harbour.

His legal career began in 1980 when the Department of Justice asked him to assume the duties of magistrate. In 1985, he earned a law degree from Dalhousie University and was appointed circuit judge for the Labrador Coast from Nain to Mary’s Harbour. The circuit expanded to include all of Labrador from 1985 – 1993. For the next three years he served Corner Brook and the Northern Peninsula, including the Burgeo and Stephenville circuits.

From the beginning, Jim worked to ensure that the justice system was applied in a way that respected the culture and traditions of Inuit and all aboriginal people. He joined LIA in 1985 and in 1996 became a member of the land claims team. While his responsibilities as a judge kept him from remaining directly involved with LIA’s land claims effort, Jim knew that he wanted to become involved with the Association again, and his recent retirement allowed him to do just that. While his current field of work is entirely new to him, Jim’s background as a judge has prepared him well, providing him with people skills and extensive experience working closely with lawyers and a range of legal documents.

With regard to economic development, Jim says LIDC is “in an excellent position to ensure that more Inuit become employed.” He feels that there is already a very positive history of employing Inuit on large projects such as Voisey’s Bay, and that there is great potential for further Inuit employment with all LIDC subsidiaries.

Jim is confident in the Transition Team now planning for the new Nunatsiavut government. He is pleased that its members are well known and trusted by Labrador Inuit and that they have the necessary “expertise and confidence in their roles.”

Jim believes that the future offers Labrador Inuit a great deal of hope. His advice to youth is to value the importance of an education – high school and beyond – and know that there are hundreds of career opportunities opening up and the future looks very promising.