2016 Indspire Award winners announced in Toronto

The 2016 winners of the Indspire Awards range from an award-winning author, to a reconciliation expert to an NHL athlete.

The 14 honorees were announced by Indspire CEO Roberta Jamieson in a sun-filled top-floor room of a downtown Toronto office building on Sept. 15.

Jamieson said the recipients of this year’s awardS—considered Canada’s top honor by and for indigenous people—are expanding minds and blazing trails for future generations.

“These award recipients … let Canadians know about the incredible and valuable contributions our people have made, are making and will make to this country in the future,” Jamieson said.

“And likely the Indspire Awards are one of the few times that Canadians get to see those wonderful stereo-busting barrier-breaking role models that our people are.”

Chief Robert Joseph from B.C.’s Gwawaaenuk First Nation won the lifetime achievement award for work that has included helping to form the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and founding Reconciliation Canada.

Joseph was emotional as Jamieson recounted the struggles he has overcome to give residential school survivors a voice, including being taken from his family at age six and beaten by his teachers until he lost much of his hearing.

“For me I see the future with a lot more hope (that) some of us never had the chance to even dream about,” he said.

“We’re not just adrift and lost; we have vision, we have resilience, and we have courage.”

Christian Kowalchuk from the Big Stone Cree Nation in Alberta is one of three youth winners and is being honored for excelling in both baseball and academics.

Kowalchuk said he wants to be a positive influence on aboriginal kids.

“I want to be an example to them that they can go out and do things that maybe they don’t think they can,” he said.

“The sky’s the limit.”

Ojibwa/Saulteaux Elder Mae Louise Campbell is being honored in the culture, heritage and spirituality category for decades of work helping other women.

She has taught and supported everyone from students to health workers to women leaving prisons and addictions.

“So much history was written by non-Aboriginals,” she said. “And now we can speak our history from our own hearts.”

Other winners include Métis author Joseph Boyden, Ulkatcho NHL goalie Carey Price and Inuk Aboriginal banking specialist Clint Davis.

The Indspire Awards gala will be held in Vancouver on Feb. 12.

Full list of winners:

Lifetime Achievement: Chief Robert Joseph – Gwawaaenuk First Nation – BC

Arts: Joseph Boyden – Métis – Ontario

Business and Commerce: Clint Davis – Inuit – Nunatsiavut

Culture, Heritage, & Spirituality: Elder Mae Louise Campbell – Ojibwa/Saulteaux – Manitoba

Culture, Heritage, & Spirituality: Chief Jim Ochiese – Foothills Ojibway First Nation – Alberta

Education: Jo-Ann Episkenew – Métis – Saskatchewan

Health: Pat Mandy – Mississaugas of the New Credit – Ontario

Law and Justice: Mark Stevenson – Métis – British Columbia

Politics: Michael Kanentankeron Mitchell – Mohawk – Ontario

Public Service: Leonard George – Tsleil-waututh Nation – British Columbia

Sports: Carey Price – Ulkatcho First Nation – British Columbia

Youth – First Nation: Christian Kowalchuk – Big Stone Cree Nation – Alberta

Youth – Inuit: Laura Arngna’naaq – Baker Lake, Nunavut

Youth – Métis: Zondra Roy – Saskatchewan