What's Your Story

Watch two strangers—one from the North, the other stationed there—share each other's story

In 'Crossreads: Service,' a young trooper in the Canadian Army and an Inuit elder share how they both came to a life of service.

'I want to help people... to work together, to be a team. This is very important.'

One women from the North, one stationed there. Watch these two strangers share the other's story

7 years ago
Duration 2:48
In 'Crossreads: Service,' a young trooper in the Canadian Army and an Inuit elder share how they both came to a life of service.

Naomi Allianaq was born in Hall Beach, Nunavut. Alex-Ann Lachance is from Valcartier, Que.

In the video above, both explore service to their family, community and country — Allianaq reading Lachance's story translated into Inuktitut and Lachance reading Allianaq's in French.

Allianaq hopes her grandchildren will graduate (none of her six children did), but also hopes to teach them how to live on the land, to stay warm and survive in the wild. 

My son had to learn to hunt, in addition to being a good fisherman. It's my responsibility to teach him.- Naomi Allianaq

She shares her traditional knowledge with her family and also works as a Canadian Ranger. "I want to help people," says Allianaq. "To work together — to be a team. This is very important."

Lachance enrolled in the armoured corps of the Canadian Armed Forces at the age of 20 and is posted to the 12th Canadian Armoured Regiment. "I've never had any family members in the military," she says. "I decided to go feet first into this new adventure." 

Watch as Allianaq and Lachance — strangers to each other — share the other's story, revealing what they have in common despite seemingly disparate experiences.