Thank you, Madam Speaker. It's not every day that politicians rise to pay tribute to people who work in the media, but today I am very pleased to express on behalf of my constituents, our gratitude for the excellent work done by an over 11 year employee of CBC in the eastern Arctic whose last working day was last Friday.
Simon Awa came to CBC radio with the excellent background of having been president of the Baffin Region Inuit Association. Over his 11 years, Simon was well-known within the CBC as someone keenly dedicated to improving the quality of Inuktitut programming and staffing. He did a great deal to improve and strengthen the role Inuit played in CBC North as operations manager for some five years, recently as chair of the Inuit Services Committee of CBC North which advises the CBC on Inuktitut issues, and in his recent return to on-air broadcasting with special responsibilities on the presentation of news in Inuktitut.
Although well respected as a very well organized manager, Simon's first love was being on air. Being very well informed of current issues of the day in the north, in Canada and internationally, Simon possessed that rare gift of being able to extemporaneously read a news story, seemingly effortlessly in Inuktitut, even though that often requires that the story be retold in a manner quite different from the way English speakers communicate. I've seen John Ningark do that too, Madam Speaker.
For example, I am told that when a tank showed up in a news story about Bosnia, Simon described it clearly and concisely as a vehicle with tracks, metal plating and a big gun on top. I know that unilingual Inuit were very grateful for his strong, clear presentations of the news, and all this done only with an English text to work from.
Simon is also well-known as a hunter, active participant in search and rescue in Iqaluit -- in fact, I've had the pleasure of being Simon's hunting companion from time to time over the years, myself.
Today is Simon's first day as executive director of the Nunavut Implementation Commission. He now, obviously, wants to shift his focus to be involved in the development of Nunavut. He's been thinking of this change for a long time. His background as a superb communicator, manager and long-time student of current events will be a definite asset in this new challenge.
Myself and my constituents thank him for his years in the CBC and wish him well in his new job. Qujannamiik.
---Applause