The gifted Northern linguist. The saviour of peregrines. The gold medal-winning hero. Meet six movers and shakers on our "Northerner of the Year" 2022 shortlist who brought—and are bringing—the North to brave new places.
Written by Dana Bowen and Meaghan Brackenbury
Photo by James Ruddy
“It’s a feeling of belonging,” says Mary Simon, whose lifetime of advocating for the North and Northerners–and whose appointment as the first Northern and Indigenous Governor General–have earned her kudos at home and abroad. Here in the North, we’re delighted to name her our 2022 Northerner of the Year.
Written by Marie Wilson
Photo by Canadian Press/Fred Chartrand
Maureen Gruben shares the hard truths of a rapidly changing environment.
Written by Meaghan Brackenbury
Courtesy Kyra Kordoski
What do the faces of ambitious youth in Mayo, Yukon; a friendly walrus in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut; and one of Yellowknife’s most generous residents all have in common? They are the subjects of giant murals that brighten up their Northern communities.
Written by Dana Bowen and Meaghan Brackenbury
Photo by Kelli Gillard
Defined by detailed embroidery, patient stitching, vibrant beading and hand-tanned hides, Indigenous designs in the North have always been couture—and the world is just starting to catch on.
Written by Dana Bowen
Courtesy Vancouver Fashion Week/Arun Nevader
Brothers Abraham Anghik Ruben and David Ruben Piqtoukun find the soul in stone and bone, bringing epic legends and personal histories to life with brutal honesty and masterful skill.
Written by Sarah Swan
Courtesy Winnipeg Art Gallery
For almost seven decades, Asger “Red” Pedersen has played a major role in Kugluktuk’s transformation and in helping to build Inuit institutions for Inuit—even though he knew he wouldn’t be a beneficiary.
Written by Dana Bowen
Photo courtesy NWT Archives/Erik Watt/N-1990-005-0080
From expanding local culinary options to incubating businesses and sparking social change, farmers' markets in the North do it all.
Written by Meaghan Brackenbury
Photo courtesy Hannah Eden/Yellowknife Farmers' Market
For a while, U.S Army vehicles were about all you would find rumbling along Iqaluit’s gravel roads. But when the airbase closed in 1963 and residents started shipping in their own cars, they certainly made some eclectic choices.
Written by Dana Bowen
Photos courtesy David Boileau
Owning an airplane may seem like an expensive toy. But in the North, having your own plane is a way to beat the boredom, help out your neighbours, and connect with family—from the past and in the present.
Written by Dana Bowen
Photo courtesy John Faulkner
