---

Georges Berthe

Inuit youth sees opportunities everywhere

When George Berthe, the 1997 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards Youth Recipient, was introduced to the audience at the ceremony at Calgary's Jubilee Auditorium, his hands shot into the air in an exclamation of youthful exuberance. The sold-out audience applauded with equal enthusiasm.

But Berthe isn't just some ambitious kid, he's a young Inuit man who combines his love of enterprise with his love of his home, which is in Kuujjuaq, Que., approximately 1,600 km north of Montréal on the Ungava peninsula.

"It's just a wonderful life we live up here," he said. "It's small, we don't have a lot of facilities, but I believe you have to create your own environment."

He's only 22 and yet he's already serving as the assistant to the vice-president of the Makivik Corporation, which advances the political, economic and social interests of the Nunavik Inuit. He is the corporation's youngest employee, assisting with the corporation's environmental and wildlife responsibilities.

He was recruited by Makivik straight from high school by the chairman of the Kativik Regional Government to serve as his political assistant. At 19, he was elected as the director of the Nayumivik Landholding Corporation, the youngest person ever to successfully run for the position.

Berthe believes in working hard and focusing on accomplishing his goals.

"Nothing's given to you," he said. "All too often we're taking to many things for granted. If you want something you have to go out and get it."

Berthe isn't content to follow, either. He wants to be a leader, wants his opinion heard, no matter the consequences.

"It sometimes gets me into trouble," he said laughing.

But nothing is accomplished without risk, he added.

That willingness to take risks, to challenge himself, has thrust him into the national spotlight.

"I've been getting a lot of calls for interviews - a lot of curiosity to know about me," he said. "I guess people are going to get their initial view of me through this award. I've been asked to sit on a [television panel] about the new territory of Nunavut. I have added responsibilities."

His goals are grounded on making a better life for himself and dreams of having a family. He definitely plans to stay in Kuujjuaq for as long as possible.

"My exposure to Canada and the world has really given me a good appreciation of where I live," he said.

He didn't go to college or university right after high school, but started working instead. He found himself learning a lot through his practical experiences and he takes courses through video correspondence.

"I have a good life ahead of me," he said. I want to "go more into tourism - owning my own business, trying out new ventures [and] not just working for someone else. I want to try out my abilities in the business industry."

One of his immediate goals is to get his first polar bear to prove to himself and his people that he's a man. The rest of Canada doesn't need such evidence, but if he does get the bear in the spring like he plans, there will be few obstacles in his life that he could not overcome. Right now, though, the achievement award is a trophy he'll treasure for a long time.

"I'm pretty excited about it," he said. "I have the whole year to absorb all the excitement. I'm very proud."

But Berthe keeps his achievement in perspective with the other recipients.

"I was there for the rehearsal and the night of the ceremony and then I realized, 'holy-moley, these people are very amazing,'" he said. "They got something that they worked so hard for, and they didn't do it for the recognition - they did it for other people."