Ann Meekitjuk Hanson
Encyclopedia
Ann Meekitjuk Hanson (born May 22, 1946) was the Commissioner of Nunavut. She served from April 21, 2005 until April 10, 2010. Hanson, like all Inuit
born between the 1940s and the 1970s, was labelled with a disc number
by the Government of Canada
, which, in her case was E7-121.
She spent the first 11 years of her life speaking only Inuktitut
and living in Qakutut and Kimmirut
. She attended schools in Iqaluit, Baker Lake
(Qamanituaq), and Toronto
, where she was known as Annie Cotterill. She studied community development at Saint Francis Xavier University, geography at the University of Windsor
and received a diploma with honors in journalism from Nunavut Arctic College
.
Hanson's career has been diverse. She has been a civil servant, broadcaster, journalist and author. She has used her skills in Inuktitut throughout her career. Joining the federal government in 1964, she served as a secretary and interpreter/translator in the office of Northwest Territories
MP Eugène Rhéaume
.
She joined the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
as a receptionist, later becoming an announcer and producer in Inuktitut broadcasting. Hanson was the first editor of the Iqaluit community newspaper Inukshuk, which later became Nunatsiaq News
. She is the author of Show Me, a book written in Inuktitut and English.
In addition to her work in journalism, Hanson also served with the government of the Northwest Territories
as a community development worker, counsellor and deputy commissioner.
Hanson has spent considerable time as a volunteer, helping to start a number of organizations in Iqaluit. These organizations include the Juvenile Court Committee, the Elders Group, the Inuit Cultural Group, and the Quinuajuaq Society.
Hanson lives in Iqaluit with her husband, Robert Hanson. They have five grown daughters.
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
born between the 1940s and the 1970s, was labelled with a disc number
Disc number
Disc numbers or ujamiit in the Inuit language were used by the Government of Canada in lieu of surnames for the Inuit and were similar to dog-tags. The discs were small, made of leather, had a string attached and were supposed to be worn around the neck....
by the Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
, which, in her case was E7-121.
She spent the first 11 years of her life speaking only Inuktitut
Inuktitut
Inuktitut or Eastern Canadian Inuktitut, Eastern Canadian Inuit language is the name of some of the Inuit languages spoken in Canada...
and living in Qakutut and Kimmirut
Kimmirut, Nunavut
Kimmirut is a community in the Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is located on the shore of Hudson Strait on Baffin Island's Meta Incognita Peninsula. Kimmirut means "heel", and refers to a rocky outcrop in the inlet.It was at one time a Hudson's Bay Company trading post, and a Royal...
. She attended schools in Iqaluit, Baker Lake
Baker Lake, Nunavut
Baker Lake , is a hamlet in the Kivalliq Region, in Nunavut on mainland Canada. Located inland from Hudson Bay, it is near the nation's geographical centre, and is notable for being the Canadian Arctic's sole inland community...
(Qamanituaq), and Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, where she was known as Annie Cotterill. She studied community development at Saint Francis Xavier University, geography at the University of Windsor
University of Windsor
The University of Windsor is a public comprehensive and research university in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's southernmost university. It has a student population of approximately 15,000 full-time and part-time undergraduate students and over 1000 graduate students...
and received a diploma with honors in journalism from Nunavut Arctic College
Nunavut Arctic College
Nunavut Arctic College is a Crown corporation that is funded by the Government of Nunavut and has several campuses and centres spread out throughout Nunavut, Canada.-History:...
.
Hanson's career has been diverse. She has been a civil servant, broadcaster, journalist and author. She has used her skills in Inuktitut throughout her career. Joining the federal government in 1964, she served as a secretary and interpreter/translator in the office of Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories (electoral district)
Northwest Territories was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1962 to 1979. It was composed of the territory of the Northwest Territories.This riding was created in 1962 from Mackenzie River riding...
MP Eugène Rhéaume
Eugène Rhéaume
Eugène "Gene" Rhéaume was a politician, insurance agent and social worker from Northwest Territories, Canada....
.
She joined the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
as a receptionist, later becoming an announcer and producer in Inuktitut broadcasting. Hanson was the first editor of the Iqaluit community newspaper Inukshuk, which later became Nunatsiaq News
Nunatsiaq News
Nunatsiaq News is a Canadian weekly newspaper based in Iqaluit, Nunavut serving Nunavut and the Nunavik region of northern Quebec and has been in operation since 1973. The paper, published every Friday by Nortext Publishing Corporation of Iqaluit and Ottawa, bears a retail price of $1.00...
. She is the author of Show Me, a book written in Inuktitut and English.
In addition to her work in journalism, Hanson also served with the government of the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
as a community development worker, counsellor and deputy commissioner.
Hanson has spent considerable time as a volunteer, helping to start a number of organizations in Iqaluit. These organizations include the Juvenile Court Committee, the Elders Group, the Inuit Cultural Group, and the Quinuajuaq Society.
Hanson lives in Iqaluit with her husband, Robert Hanson. They have five grown daughters.