Hon. Dennis Glen Patterson: Honourable senators, I rise today during National Indigenous History Month to honour Jose Amaujaq Kusugak, originally from Repulse Bay, now Naujaat, who settled in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, in 1960 and is one of three Indigenous leaders honoured by Canada Post this month with a postage stamp bearing his image and his name in English and Inuktut. Two other Indigenous leaders similarly honoured by Canada Post this month are Harry Daniels, who lobbied to have Métis and non-status Indians recognized in section 35 of Canada’s repatriated Constitution, and Chief Marie-Anne Day Walker-Pelletier, who led the Okanese First Nation in Saskatchewan for almost 40 years.

The Jose Kusugak stamp was unveiled in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, this week by Canada Post with Jose’s family and namesakes present. His widow, Nellie Kusugak, an educator and former commissioner of Nunavut, spoke at the event as well, noting that Jose’s mother had urged him to serve Inuit — a cause to which he devoted his life. He made his mark in many ways, from being a teacher of Inuktut language and history at the University of Saskatchewan Language Centre and later at the Churchill Vocational Centre in Manitoba. His work with the Inuit Cultural Institute in the 1970s led to the creation of the dual writing system widely used in Nunavut today, a mix of syllabics, in which his name appears on the new Canada Post stamp, and Roman orthography. Also, he had a notable career in broadcasting working for CBC North, where he enthralled listeners, and the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation.

He was president of the national Inuit organization Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. And as president of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated in the late 1990s, he played a pivotal role in the implementation of Nunavut, including persuading the federal government to sole source a contract for the building of a new legislature in Nunavut’s capital, and offices and housing in 10 decentralized communities, which resulted in the creation of Nunavut Construction Corporation, an Inuit-owned, Inuit-led corporation which is now a leader in construction throughout Nunavut.

In a tribute written about Jose by the husband of Governor General Mary Simon, Whit Fraser, Jose was described as Nunavut’s “cheerful muse.” He was quoted as saying:

Every situation has a funny side to it. We owe it to our soul and spirit to laugh and see the sunny side of life.

Jose was a loyal Canadian and an Inuk champion who was well known in Nunavut and in national first ministers’ meetings for describing Inuit as “First Canadians, Canadians First.” Thank you.