Mary Simon to become first Inuit ambassador

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A Liberal promise to appoint an Arctic ambassador was made good by Foreign Affairs Minister Andre Oullet with the announcement that long-time politico Mary Simon would take on the assignment.

Simon pioneers the position in two respects: She is the country's first ever ambassador to the circumpolar region and is the first ever Inuit to hold an ambassadorial role.

"Mary Simon will be an effective and knowledgeable voice for Canada in its dealings with other circumpolar nations," said Oullet.

Simon has spent the last 25 years as a strong advocate of Inuit rights and circumpolar issues, and the minister expects she will do well in fulfilling the foreign policy platform of the Liberal government.

The new ambassador was born in the Arctic community of Kangirsualujuak, Nunavik and had been an active player in the north. She has held numerous positions with the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, now led by president Rosemary Kuptana.

She has also held a number of positions with the Makivik Corporation, including the vice-president responsible for political development for the Inuit of Northern Quebec, and for the implementation of the James Bay and Northern Quebec agreement. Simon was elected president of Makivik in 1982 and served as president of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference from 1986 to 1992.

The only fly in the ambassadorial ointment may come, part and parcel, with the structure of the position's reporting obligations. The circumpolar ambassador will report to both Oullet and Minister of Indian affairs and Northern Development Ron Irwin, a structure that has been criticized by Kuptana as unprecedented.

The Ambassador will represent Canada at international meetings on circumpolar issues, co-ordinate federal efforts on those issues, and participate in the creation of an Arctic Council composed of Canada, the United States, Russia, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark.