Deline leader to receive U of A's 'highest honour'

The University of Alberta is recognizing the life's work of an inspirational aboriginal leader from Deline, N.W.T.

Danny Gaudet, Deline's chief negotiator, will be one of 13 people receiving honorary degrees from the university this spring. 

"As our community's highest honour, a University of Alberta honorary degree recognizes a unique combination of talent, dedication and leadership," said university chancellor Ralph Young.  

The degree is recognizing Gaudet for working "tirelessly" for his community. 

His work includes negotiating the Deline Final Self-Government Agreement, which passed in the Northwest Territories legislature earlier this year and will go before parliament. The bill will amalgamate certain aspects of municipal, territorial and First Nation governments, making Deline, pop. 559, the N.W.T.'s first self-governing community. 

Gaudet has been working on negotiations for many years. 

"We have seen so many families destroyed by alcohol and violence and a lot of that is related to inactivity in the community," he said. 

"I think working on self government was a way to look at bring all the resources together with a clear direction and vision from the needs of the community."

Gaudet also developed local adult education programs, chaired a group that sought recommendations for injuries caused by the Port Radium Mine located nearby on Great Bear Lake and created hockey training programs. 

He says he couldn't have done all that without help from elders, family and his community.

Gaudet will receive his honorary doctor of laws degree on June 4.