Recently-appointed Nunavut Senator Nancy Karetak-Lindell was born in what was then called Eskimo Point, Northwest Territories, in 1967.

SA国际影视传媒淚 had a wonderful childhood,SA国际影视传媒� she says. SA国际影视传媒淢y world was my community, my family. We had not very much contact with the outside world in those days.SA国际影视传媒�

Karetak-Lindell was fortunate to be able to stay in the local community, now called Arviat, up until Grade 8, after which she attended residential school in Yellowknife.

SA国际影视传媒淭hose days, they did not send students [from Kivalliq] home for Christmas, so we stayed in Yellowknife... [I spent] a lot of time away from home. That was the most difficult time.SA国际影视传媒�

From a small and close-knit community, the drastic change to a very regimented life SA国际影视传媒渨as absolutely different from the life I knew up until that point,SA国际影视传媒� says the senator.

Karetak-Lindell then went to high school in Ottawa, and afterwards attended Trent University for a semester before returning home.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was just too much for me, in terms of time spent away from home, my parents, my family... once I could go home and live [there] year-round, it was like going home and getting to know your family all over again.SA国际影视传媒�

Working in the community for various organizations in addition to marrying and raising a family of four boys, Karetak-Lindell first became a community volunteer in the local hockey league, which all members of the family played in.

SA国际影视传媒淢y husband and I realized there just wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 any support for children to play sports, so we started a volunteer association to fundraise and help... I also became a member of the education council, doing all these things that involved our children SA国际影视传媒� trying to make our community a better place to live in, making sure all our children had the opportunities other children have, especially [in] the south. We canSA国际影视传媒檛 ever have all the options, but we try... so we did a lot of community volunteering.SA国际影视传媒�

This led to her career in politics, when Karetak-Lindell was subsequently elected to the hamlet council for two terms, then secretary treasurer of the Kivalliq Inuit Association. She was also appointed to various regional education boards, including what would become Nunavut Arctic College.

Education is a recurring theme in the senatorSA国际影视传媒檚 career.

SA国际影视传媒淓ducation is the key foundation that allows a person to choose what they want to do... [it] gives you that broad horizon, and a life beyond your community and your known world. What you choose to do for the rest of your life is really dependent, I think, on your education. For me, education... is also the knowledge youSA国际影视传媒檙e gaining from your people... any knowledge that can help you become a self-sufficient thinker and doer.

SA国际影视传媒淔or me, it was to try to continue to make my community, region, country or territory a better place to live in SA国际影视传媒� for all, not just a select few.SA国际影视传媒�

For Karetak-Lindell, the broader education she gained through travel as a member of Parliament and her involvement with the Inuit Circumpolar Council SA国际影视传媒渆xpanded [my] horizon.SA国际影视传媒�

Meeting her international counterparts, so many of whom were women, SA国际影视传媒測ou realize that you become a role model for other women, mainly Inuit women, who havenSA国际影视传媒檛 really seen Inuit in key positions. Today there are so many, but in some ways not enough. So we have to keep opening those doors for young Inuit women, and young Northern women to pursue these positions where they can be part of the change SA国际影视传媒� pursue these positions where they can be the policymakers for our region, our territory. We need to see policies that take care of our people and take their needs into consideration... we are best in the position to make the policies work for us SA国际影视传媒� become the lawyers, become the MLAs, become the members of Parliament, become the senators. Young women can see that they can be in those positions. Become the change, and make it culturally relevant. Make it Northern. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a different world up North, and we have to make sure that those differences are understood and recognized.

SA国际影视传媒淔or women to be involved, we have to keep pursuing all these opportunities, to be part of the advocacy groups, to be a person that is opening doors for younger women. We really didnSA国际影视传媒檛 have that growing up. Most of the positions in our communities were held by people who werenSA国际影视传媒檛 from our communities, and that has gradually changed.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e seen Inuit nurses, doctors, teachers. There are so many fields that are now being held by Inuit, which is absolutely different than the world I grew up in... ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 such a difference when women are part of the decision-making, the policy directions, being part of a group that makes important decisions... if more women are part of the decision-making, I think we would all live in a better world.SA国际影视传媒�

International Women's Day is marked on March 8.