The Nunavut Trade Show wouldn’t be complete without the Qikiqtani Business Achievement Awards.
With approximately 50 attendees at the ceremony, emcee Jen Hayward took the stage with Steve Sullivan, director of hospitality for the Qikiqtaluuk Corporation, to announce the award recipients in the Aqsarniit ballroom during the evening of Sept. 18.
“For everyone who doesn’t speak Inuktitut yet,” said Miali Coley-Sudlovenick, emphasizing the word “yet” and gesturing to her award for Business of the Year, ‘Allurvik.com’ after completing a speech in fluent Inuktitut. “That’s my business. I teach Inuktitut and also have had many opportunities now to be able to share the work that I do.”
Hayward then introduced the “individual who has achieved something out of the ordinary during the 23-24 year, and who has had a positive influence in the business community,” Canadian North’s Shelly De Caria, who earned the Business Person of the Year.
De Caria was born and raised in Kuujjuaq, Que., with Inuktitut as her second language. She became Canadian North’s first Inuk president and CEO last December.
“Shelly’s leadership is a testament to Canada North’s dedication to serve the needs of the region,” said Hayward. “Her blend of community understanding and operational expertise ensures that she is guiding the airline while staying rooted in its mission. On a personal note, Shelly is a fabulous mom… and these kids help keep her grounded and her perspective focused on what matters.”
De Caria, upon accepting her award, said, “Jen knows how nervous I am in these kinds of things, and she’s very important to me. And I’m grateful for this acknowledgement from my peers, my community and everyone here at the Nunavut Trade Show. When I first arrived at this trade show back in 2017 as a manager, I admit I was nervous and I still am. And while there were nerves, I was also driven by a clear vision of what I wanted to build — a path of success, not only for myself but for any communities as a whole.
“One of my core objectives has always been to support and uplift need in our Northern business communities often, even as I stand here as the president and CEO of one of this country’s largest airlines, I am, and we are, underestimated…
“I am incredibly proud to witness the growth and drive within the Inuit business landscape. Seeing our people and our organizations have evolved motivates me to strive harder to push for greater inclusion for another seat at the table and to ensure that our efforts for our people by our people and with our people… That said, I know there is a lot more work to do,” De Caria added.
This year, there was extra poignance to the awards celebration as it was announced, to the surprise of Nunavut Trade Award Show organizer Chris West, that he would be receiving an award in recognition of his years of dedication with his retirement on the horizon.
“There are a few of us in this community, the business community who wanted to make sure this evening didn’t go past without acknowledging Chris West as this is his last show trade show as the executive director [of the Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce],” said Hayward. “We felt it was only fitting to honour him with a Lifetime Achievement Award as well. Thankfully, the board agreed… Chris has been an incredible sounding board for when we have a challenge or even an opportunity. Chris is a great person that we can always go talk to… No one that we spoke to could say a bad word about Chris and we tried to find them. We really did. Chris is an incredible leader, an incredible friend and he’s been an incredible executive director, and his commitment to this business community is deserving of recognizing him with a Lifetime Achievement Award.”
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