Hon. Willie Adams:

Honourable senators, thank you for your kind words. Your comments were wonderful and clear. My family was mentioned earlier throughout the speeches. I would like to introduce some other important people in the gallery — the Commissioner of Nunavut, Ms. Ann Hanson; and Mr. Paul Quassa, who was one of the signatories of the Nunavut Land Claim Agreement in 1993.

Growing up in Nunavik 75 years ago, the Senate of Canada was not an institution I knew anything about. Keeping my family — my mother and my two sisters — together was my main concern, and I took various jobs in the community to do this.

To find a better life for myself, I put my name forward with families from Inukjuak and Pond Inlet in 1953 to travel to Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord as part of the Inuit relocation. However, once in Churchill, where the boat was forced to stay for six weeks, I discovered that I would not be allowed to travel to the High Arctic as I was a single man and they only wanted families.

Therefore, I stayed in Churchill, became an electrician and eventually moved my young family to Rankin Inlet. It was just a new community at that time and because I was interested in the future of the community, I became a member of the Hamlet Council. I guess that was my first step to the Senate.

I have a picture in my office, taken in Ottawa, in which Mr. Chretién, the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, met with people who had traveled to Ottawa to discuss a land claim agreement. As the group had no money, Mr. Chretién proposed a motion in the House of Commons that money be set aside to assist the group in their negotiations.

I remember very well in the beginning of our land claims negotiations, especially Indian and Northern Affairs. Like I said earlier, it was in the 1970s when things really started going. We did not have our ITK office in Ottawa. It was in Edmonton. The office ended up relocating here, I think for about 30 years. I do not really remember. I do not remember how many people have worked with ITK. One example is Paul Quassa, who is sitting in the gallery. His name was already mentioned. At the time the Nunavut land claims agreement was signed Mr. Thomas Siddon was the minister of Indian Affairs, and I would like to express my appreciation to him, and to Ms. Cournoyea, who was the Government Leader for the Northwest Territories.

I said earlier they have negotiated for nearly 30 years, and at the time, as a group, we had no money. Mr. Jean Chrétien proposed a motion in the House of Commons, as he was the Minister of Indian Affairs. He told me the amount of money he was talking about, because during the land claims negotiations, First Nations, Inuit and Metis did not have the money allocated. Mr. Chrétien said we should talk about this, and if we were to borrow money to return it after the land claims, and that is what we did. Jean Chrétien's idea was that at the time. As I said earlier, $30 million was paid back to the Government of Canada from $580 million transferred to the new territory of Nunavut. The $580 million was given to Nunavut for the land claims negotiations. So they returned the $30 million of the $580 million that they borrowed for negotiations.

This amount of money totalled $30 million which was paid back to the Government of Canada from the $580 million transferred to the new Territory of Nunavut. It was the recognition necessary to start the long journey to self-government.

In the 1960s, three or four people from the Northwest Territories were elected and the remaining seven or eight were appointed by the Prime Minister and were from Indian and Northern Affairs in Ottawa. This was because people in the North were not familiar with the federal legislative process.

From 1970 to 1974, I was a member of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly where I first met my colleague Senator Sibbeston. Stuart Hodgson was the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories and we used to call him the King or umingmak — which means muskox — of the territories.

My father was originally from Newfoundland and after living in Montreal went to work for the Hudson's Bay Company. A comment earlier about him was mistaken. My father and Charlie's mother knew each other. We used to ask them where my father was. At the time, the Hudson's Bay Company workers would bring White people to work in the communities at the store called Hudson's Bay Company. Those were the only White people who came to our communities. I just wanted to correct my colleague about my family history. The government in Ottawa will have a correct history of my family. The attraction was in working for Hudson's Bay Company in those days. For about five years, he lived in the Inuit community and worked there. Sometimes these days children have to leave the communities for educational purposes. My granddaughter, Stephanie, had gone to Cambridge, Ontario, for a school trip. A relative of my father saw her. My father knew about me but he never mentioned me. That is a little bit about my family.

I am sure Nick knows the history. It seems that the King or umingmak name was a good description because it gave him the drive to work harder.

At the time in Yellowknife, the airlines did not operate as efficiently as they do today. Many times, we had to travel by land or sometimes the White people would arrive by Lear jet. We used to think the commissioner was like a prime minister, or even more. Then there was a deputy commissioner, John Parker, and they both did a wonderful job working with community councils on housing, water, waste delivery and health care. These jobs are important jobs that they strived for.

Discussions were undertaken at this time to have elected members from the four regions in the territory — the Mackenzie Delta, Baffin, High Arctic and Keewatin regions. When I was a member, I was the only representative from the Eastern Arctic speaking on behalf of seven communities. There are now seven representatives in the Nunavut Legislative Assembly representing the Keewatin area.

I also wish to thank Wally Firth. He was elected as the first Aboriginal MP for the Northwest Territories. Peter Ittinuar replaced him later. After Nunavut was created, Jack Anawak was a representative in the House of Commons. I would also like to extend my thanks to him and to Paul Quassa, Tommy Saluk, who was also a Conservative member of Parliament for the Inuit; and Nancy Karetek-Lindell.

We are happy that Minister Aglukkaq is a Member of Parliament. I am sure she is more than capable.

In the 1970s, I represented Rankin Inlet. Today, territorial representation has improved a lot. Today we have two representatives in Rankin Inlet. I am happy that this system has improved. We did not even have TV, radio or technology at the time.

In 1977, the NWT Legislative Assembly was sitting in Rankin Inlet, and what Senator St. Germain was saying was true. Warren Allmand was a federal minister then, and he came to listen to the legislative assembly.

He said he was staying at the hotel and that he would like to see me after the meeting. When I went, he said that Prime Minister Trudeau would like to appoint an Inuk person to the Senate. First I asked, what is the Senate? What do they do? How will I represent them, being all the way from Nunavut, or Northwest Territories, knowing everything is operated in Ottawa?

Like I said earlier, my salary at the time was small at the Legislative Assembly. For example, I was making $13,000 a year. Once I was elected, it went down to $7,000, so it went the other way around. It was like I was demoted.

Of course, I was curious about the Senate and what the senators did while sitting in the Senate. That is why I was asking questions. We did not even have a name or title when we were first appointed to Parliament. These days they use an Inuktitut term that means "senators' chamber." That is why we have the official name of the Senate here. A lot of people ask me about it.

At the time, I was asking, "What is my annual salary and how long would I be serving in the Senate?" "I am not asking you how old you are," I was told, "but you will quit when you reach 75." Once he said that: "What kind of money will I make?" "You will make around $60,000 a year." That is the kind of money I ended up making, which was quite a bit more than what I was used to making when I served as a legislative member in Yellowknife.

On April 5, 1977, I was sworn in as member of the Senate along with Senator Royce Frith, Senator Peter Bosa, and Senator Bud Olson. Claire Barnabe, who is in the gallery today, was present when I was sworn in and she represented my family as they could not make the long trip. Thank you, Claire.

Like I said earlier, moving from my home community of Rankin Inlet to Ottawa, back and forth, was not easy. I left my young family behind for longer periods of time. I missed quite a few milestones as they grew up but travel to Rankin Inlet in those days took two days from Ottawa through Winnipeg to Rankin Inlet and two days return to Ottawa.

I ended up moving here to Ottawa because it was too difficult for me to fly back and forth in a short period of time.

I have been a senator since 1977. I met many wonderful people who have left this place already. In 1977 when I arrived, senators shared offices with other senators and I shared an office on the sixth floor with my dear friend, the late Dan Riley. Then I moved to room 160-S, where my office is now. My first seatmate in the chamber was Senator Hartland Molson.

Like I said, Senator Riley was my good friend. Some of you knew him and some of you did not. He became my good friend and colleague and we had our offices on the fourth floor. There were three of us in that office. Senator Molson served a lifetime here. I think many of you knew him. He was here during the GST debate. He told me that he wore ear plugs because it became too noisy here.

Senator Dan Riley had quite a sense of humour. When Canada celebrated its centennial in 1967, a group of us were in Whale Cove celebrating the centennial. We built an igloo outside the village.

We then went into town to take part in the festivities. Someone forgot to blow out the candles and when we returned in the morning, there was nothing left but a bit of cardboard and cans from the cases. Senator Riley and Senator Bosa never let me forget that incident and always asked me if I was able to collect insurance on the igloo fire.

Since then, whenever we went out to eat together, he asked that same question: "Did you collect insurance on the igloo fire?" I always told him that I never had a chance because I was too busy.

I have my family here. My grandchildren and my children are in the gallery. As Inuit, when a child is born, it is Inuit custom to name them after someone who has died. We named one of my grandchildren after an important person. My great-granddaughter Riley, who is six years old, was named after Dan Riley. My grandsons, Clarke and Elliott, who are in the gallery today, were named after former Prime Minister Joe Clarke and former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau. I know Senator Murray will be pleased to hear this.

I have had many friends. Senator Paul Lucier was one of them. When I was first appointed, he said, "Willie, when you become a senator, I hope you will have a good working relationship with your new colleagues." I always remember his words. A man named Guy Williams, from Vancouver, took me to the Senate chamber. I have always remembered those people.

Honourable senators, I want to mention those important people who played a big role in my work and in my life, for example, Senator Bill Petten, Senator Lorne Bonnell, Senator Derek Lewis, Senator Ray Perrault, Senator Herb Sparrow, and many more. I have many colleagues whom I consider to be my friends. They were all gentlemen and women who cared deeply about this wonderful institution. I have watched them all leave and now it is my time to depart this distinguished place too.

In 1984 among Senators appointed were Senators Joyce Fairbairn, Dan Hays, Len Marchand and my seat mate, Charlie Watt, who shares the same dreams I do for the Inuit of Nunavut and the Inuit of Nunavik. Len has retired but we still keep in touch. I know I have missed many names but you have all had an enormous impact on my life here.

You can tell it is time for me to go as Harry Hays was a member when I was sworn in and his son, Dan, who was appointed in 1984 retired in 2007.

Senator Jacques Hébert was always interested in the North. He wanted to travel to one of the communities to find out for himself to what life was like there. He asked me which community would be the best to visit. A few years before he retired he took his grandson to Igloolik.

Senator Jacques Hébert once asked me, "How do people survive in the Arctic?" He wanted to travel to one of the communities to find out for himself to what life was like there. He asked me to tell him which community would be the best to visit.

Senator Marchand, along with one of his grandchildren, was looking for a Catholic minister he knew so that he could have a place to stay while he was there. Since he thought the place was too expensive and too small, he asked me where else he could possibly stay.

I told him, "What about living in an igloo? You wanted to find out for yourself what it is like to be up North. Here is a good chance."

He asked me, "Can you build an igloo for me?"

"Yes," I told him that I could easily build an igloo for him.

He asked automatically, "Who would build the igloo?"

I said, "Go to the hamlet office in any community. I am sure they know who could build an igloo where you can sleep."

The next question that popped out was, "What kind of a blanket is available, or do you have any warm blankets?"

I responded, "Well, we do have caribou skins for your mattress and blankets for both you and your grandchild." I am sure some honourable senators know Senator Marchand. In the chamber, he was involved in dealing with finances. When he came back to Ottawa he said, "How do you people survive in the Arctic?" He took the thermometer so he could test the igloo and see how cold it was. He told me, "It was minus 42 degrees."

I told him that in the morning the temperature was only minus 32 degrees. I am sure his memoirs, probably in French only, speak of his long service here in the chamber.

Before we conclude, I want to thank all my colleagues here, especially my earlier colleagues from the past. I would like to express my appreciation to all of you, my friends, Bill, and my colleagues, especially in dealing with issues relating to the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans. Senator Rompkey mentioned earlier about our last trip to Nunavut. I want to express my appreciation to honourable senators, my colleagues, in believing in the issues I have brought up.

Upon my arrival in the Senate, I became a member of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications, the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, and the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans.

The Energy Committee studied many issues, most of which had an impact on the North. Climate change will always be of utmost importance to people living in the Arctic, as we see the changes to our environment on a daily basis.

During my time with the Fisheries Committee, fishing in the North became a major source of income for fishermen from all over due to the depletion of stocks on the East Coast. It has been and will continue to be my hope that Inuit will become the major stakeholders in the resource. There is high unemployment in Nunavut and the jobs created would provide much needed income for the communities.

After the Fisheries Committee's latest trip to Nunavut, it recommended the development of a commercial fishery. It has been rewarding to see the Fisheries Committee, under the direction of Senator Rompkey, take such a keen interest in Nunavut since its creation in 1999.

I want to mention all who assisted me while I served on in this committee. I neglected to mention earlier that I became the chairman of the Fisheries Committee. I worked with former Senator Marshall. I cannot mention everyone's name, but he stands out.

When we were dealing with infrastructure issues, there was always a problem with dollars, and that shifted according to the kind of government in power, especially when dealing with fisheries and oceans and new land claims settlements, among many other issues. I know there will be infrastructure in Nunavut. I travelled with Senator Comeau on a Canadian Coast Guard ship, the Louis St-Laurent, a few years ago. Senator Comeau and I spent a few days on that ship, which also had guest scientists from Russia, China, United States and Japan who were studying the permanent ice and the changes that were occurring. It was an amazing trip, and I know he enjoyed it as I did. I would also like to express appreciation to Senator Comeau for being my friend and colleague. Our trip was wonderful. We were very welcome and met with the captain. We celebrated together, ate together and drank together.

In the last year and a half, three committees travelled to Nunavut to hear witnesses on special studies. I guess the Arctic is the place to be these days. The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry studied rural poverty, and the witnesses expressed concerns about the lack of affordable housing and poverty in Nunavut, especially for women who may be raising children on their own, or may be the sole wage earners of their families.

The Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament went to study the prospective use of Inuktitut and other Aboriginal languages in the Senate.

I also want to mention Senator Robichaud. I will tell you a funny story. Senator Robichaud was at a gathering where we were celebrating. People kept asking me to dance. I told them to ask Senator Robichaud. I want to thank him for being willing to dance at that time and take my place. He was a very good dancer.

I have watched the territory of Nunavut evolve from a dream to a reality with a strong and promising future. It is only natural that Nunavut has its own government in which we can follow Inuit culture to manage our affairs to ensure a future for our children and grandchildren. We must cherish and nurture them in their own culture.

I have met many wonderful people during my travel throughout the North, many who have the same concerns and dreams I have. We have much to be proud of, especially our heritage, culture and language, all of which we must ensure is passed on to our children and grandchildren.

One of my hopes is that Inuit children remain in school and receive an education to enable them to qualify for jobs within the Nunavut government and other organizations.

Our leaders and many different leaders — government leaders, Inuit leaders and Nunavut leaders — sometimes we do not always come up with the solutions we are looking for. However, Charlie Watt and I know what the problems are, and sometimes it takes a long time to get what you are asking for. That is how the system works.

There is one seat in the Senate for Nunavut; that is the system we follow. Although I was appointed as a Liberal, in Nunavut or in the Inuit communities or Inuit Nunaat; there are no parties. Sometimes it is difficult when the operating government is not the government we want. That is a reality of life. We do not have party politics in Nunavut.

I thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to speak and to say goodbye to you all. Although I will not be sitting here, I will be seeing you. Although I cannot speak in this chamber, I will be speaking on behalf of Inuit Nuunat — Inuit of Canada.

Thank you to all the staff that I have had the pleasure of working with during my time in the Senate, from Chamber officers, Committee staff, security and services. We are blessed to have such committed people who make our lives so much easier. It has always been a pleasure to walk through the doors to spend time with my second family.

I thank honourable senators, my family in the gallery and all my friends, children, grandchildren, my wife, and my wife's family, who are sitting up there. Please stand up.

[Applause]

Finally, I should not forget Anne Ryan. I know honourable senators have secretaries but she has been my secretary for 29 years. She is wonderful. I would very much like to thank you, Anne, and your family, for your hard work over the years.

I want to thank my children for allowing me to spend the last 32 years in this place. I know I missed many events as you were growing up but you were always in my heart. I thank you for your understanding and patience over the years. My children and my grandchildren are wonderful. Perhaps this week I will be with them.

I do not know if honourable senators understand what I am trying to say in my speech but I thank you very much.

Before I leave, I very much want to thank all of you. I would not have left this place peacefully at my age of 75 if I did not have good colleagues, staff and family.

I grew up not knowing my father, just my extended family in Kuujjuak. I always thought my father came from Scotland as he worked for the Hudson Bay Company and they called him Whitey. About ten years ago my granddaughter, Stephanie, was on a student exchange in Cambridge, Ontario and she told people her Grandpa was Senator Adams and a relative of my father heard this and realized that Nelson Adams was my father. He had worked for the Hudson Bay Company in the Lake River post and from there he went to Wakeham Bay, Kimmurit, Lake Harbour and Coral Harbour and moved back to Newfoundland to become a member of the Merchant Navy when the war broke out.

I want to thank Mary who has supported me and been at my side for so many years. She has been my guiding light.

In closing, I thought I would never use my own language in the Senate chamber. I am very happy that you approve of me speaking Inuktitut, and from now on we will be speaking Inuktitut. This will be a great help for Inuit in all Nunavut if we can use our own language. We are all Canadians, and although we have different languages, we should have the right to speak that.

It has been my heartfelt honour to have represented the designation of Northwest Territories from April 5, 1977 until March 31, 1999 and Nunavut until June 2, 2009.

Thank you.

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