Fred Carmichael is a decorated citizen already, inducted into the Order of Canada, a recipient of the QueenSA国际影视传媒檚 Golden and Diamond Jubilee medals and holding an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Saskatchewan.

But being inducted into the Order of the NWT last week was something special among his awards because of the connection to his father and his home.

SA国际影视传媒淲hile ISA国际影视传媒檓 very happy about it and honoured to have something like that, I always think of the many, many people throughout the country who are as deserving as I am,SA国际影视传媒� he said from his Inuvik home.

His father, Frank Carmichael Sr., was one of the first elected members to the Northwest Territories Council in 1951. At the time, the council comprised eight members, three being elected and five appointed.

Carmichael remembers his fatherSA国际影视传媒檚 trips to Ottawa for biannual meetings. It took a day to get to Norman Wells, then a day by plane to Edmonton and three days by train to the nationSA国际影视传媒檚 capital, weather permitting.

SA国际影视传媒淚t wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 easy but that was the start of real, true elected representation within the Northwest Territories,SA国际影视传媒� said Carmichael, who is also the first Indigenous person from CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 Arctic region to obtain a commercial pilotSA国际影视传媒檚 license.

HeSA国际影视传媒檚 proud to have watched that representation and power grow for the territory and its people.

SA国际影视传媒�(The Order of the NWT) was special because itSA国际影视传媒檚 my territory and ISA国际影视传媒檝e flown this country for over 60 years and am very close with the people,SA国际影视传媒� said Carmichael. SA国际影视传媒淭he other thing that was special for me was the fact that we have a lot of aboriginal members in the legislative assembly today.SA国际影视传媒�

CarmichaelSA国际影视传媒檚 parents instilled on him the importance of working, hunting and trapping, as that was their livelihood.

SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 the way people were brought up, not just me,SA国际影视传媒� said Carmichael.

He said there is good in the history of residential schools and churches too, as Carmichael grew up well-grounded in values or discipline and respect.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat was pretty general with people up here,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hey were great at teaching you to always care for your elders. You help one another, you share. We were a sharing culture. And everybody lived well.SA国际影视传媒�

Back then, there was no welfare, only rations from the handed out to the most destitute.

Carmichael remembers when there was great shame associated with accepting those rations. Instead, families and the community would chip in to try to help someone having a hard time.

SA国际影视传媒淟ater on they came around and had social services or whatever it is,SA国际影视传媒� said Carmichael. SA国际影视传媒淚 remember them going around telling people it was their right. I think they meant well but it kind of sent the wrong message. Nonetheless, we have it today and itSA国际影视传媒檚 worse than ever.SA国际影视传媒�

Like everything, the economy changes, he continued. Carmichael remembers when industry first began working up north.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey walked wherever they wanted with their equipment and they just took right over,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Now, land claims and a stronger government mean the people in the NWT have much greater say in what projects can take place and where.

SA国际影视传媒淭oday, without any trapping to speak of, and we have no industry to speak of anymoreSA国际影视传媒� things are in a pretty tough state here,SA国际影视传媒� said Carmichael. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e totally dependent on what happens in the economy. God knows right now we need some industry up here, badly.SA国际影视传媒�

Any opportunities on that front wonSA国际影视传媒檛 be available without a full Mackenzie Valley highway, he said.

SA国际影视传媒淲e need a highway right now, because in order to move forward we have to do like (how) the rest of Canada was developed SA国际影视传媒� have road access and be able to make it easier for industry to come in and do exploration,SA国际影视传媒� said Carmichael.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e so far down the road thereSA国际影视传媒檚 no turning back. We have to go that route, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 all there is to it. The beauty is we do have some control and say as the people today, as to what takes place or where you can put a pipeline for example.SA国际影视传媒�

Without an economic base, the people become very depressed, he said.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 nothing for a lot of the younger people to do right now, they see no future and (that) tends to lead to more, you might say, violence and alcohol and that sort of thing, which is sad to see,SA国际影视传媒� said Carmichael.

SA国际影视传媒淲e need desperately to create some economic base for the country here to stem some of this stuff thatSA国际影视传媒檚 going on today. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e not alone. You look at the whole world. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 getting to be a very violent world out there.SA国际影视传媒�