Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

NNSL (Feb 08/99) - Six months into her reign as the inaugural Miss Teen Canada International, Nicole Gagnon said that while her fellow Yellowknifers aren't particularly star-struck, she has earned their respect.

In her final semester at St. Patrick high school, the 17-year-old described her reign as majestic. She's just cut a demo CD, is negotiating a promotional spot with SAAN department store, is eyeing law schools and considering taking in a Kentucky Derby.

Yklife: So, how have the first five months been?

Gagnon: It's been fun and exciting and I've got to do lots of different things, like travelling.

Yklife: Is the travelling part of your duties?

Gagnon: Yes, tourism is. The Grey Cup in Winnipeg was my first official duty, but since I've been back I've been working more with the NWT and Yellowknife. There's supposed to be more, right? (she checks with her mother, Jeannie) I'll be going to the Miss Teen and pageants in Newfoundland and New Brunswick and will visit hospitals there.

Yklife: What schools did you visit in Winnipeg and what did you speak about?

Gagnon: Strathcona elementary and Isaac Newton junior high. I talked about the pageant and the Northwest Territories. They ask what we do, and everybody still expects that we live in igloos.

Yklife: Have you been well received as the Miss Teen Canada from the NWT?

Gagnon: I didn't really expect as many people to be as excited, because in Yellowknife everybody knew about it and it was no big deal, but in Winnipeg just the fact that I was from the NWT was amazing to everybody... I really liked the Miss Teen NWT title (which she won in spring 1998 but had to give up after taking the Miss Teen Canada International title in August) because everyone just thinks the NWT is so neat. For me, it would be exotic to meet Miss Teen New Zealand.

Yklife: What's been the most interesting aspect of your reign so far?

Gagnon: Meeting all kinds of interesting and famous people. In Winnipeg I got to meet many important people like John Ingraham from the Ingraham Trail family -- I ate with them all the time.

Yklife: Has the experience changed you?

Gagnon: Lots of people are paying more attention to what I'm doing now than who I was before. But I'm not going to go around trying to impress people because I never got this title impressing anybody, I got this title based on who I was.

Yklife: Your mother has to chaperon you to many events. Do you feel you have to be careful of your image?

Gagnon: I'll watch certain things I do and certain things I say, but like any normal teenager, things slip.

Yklife: And how have people reacted to you in general?

Gagnon: I'm getting more respect from adults, because they know that I know where I'm going in life. Though adults might think I'm all perfect and innocent, that's what they assume. But I'm just normal.

Yklife: Is it tough balancing your duties and school?

Gagnon: My mom does most of my work for me, because she pushes. I won't give everything because I don't understand the way to get everywhere, so she is more of my pusher-person. I want my singing career but I also want to be a lawyer, but I have no self-discipline so I don't know where it's going to go.

Yklife: What is it about law that attracts you?

Gagnon: I'm an arguer, and this is exciting... I know I could do it, it's just all those years of school.

Yklife: Will you be competing in more pageants in the meantime?

Gagnon: Well, the Miss Teen Canada International is more natural than most pageants, it's about who you are, it's not what you look like or how thin you are, and the organizers don't want to send me to a pageant where it's based on beauty. There was one, a Miss Teen International or Miss Teen World, but it was a beauty pageant. It had nothing to do with the goals of Miss Teen Canada International, and it would have been pointless for me to go -- if you win you don't go to hospitals or do any charity work, you're just a beauty queen. I still eat at McDonald's every day.

Yklife: How was the Mississauga pageant judged?

Gagnon: On fitness, scholastic, French, an interview, your portfolio of everything you'd done and public speaking.

Yklife: Will all pageants go in the direction that the Canadian one has?

Gagnon: I think it will take time, but it's going to happen, because all these current beauty queens are getting harassed and attacked.

Yklife: Are you considering going on to compete in the senior Miss Canada International competition?

Gagnon: If you want to go onto the Miss Canada, you have to make up your mind to either do school or do the pageant. Because I'm under 19 there's a lot of things I can't take part in, but the Miss (Canada International) takes a lot of time. I'd love to do it again, it's fun, but it does take a lot of work.

Yklife: So what are the toughest parts of this title?

Gagnon: I'll be very honest: wearing the sash everywhere. It's not that I'm embarrassed, but when I was in Winnipeg a few girls were catty and made remarks. And you have to give up all your time, so instead of going out with your friends one night, you have to do something for the pageant, and that's tough.

Yklife: You sang a LeAnn Rimes song at the pageant, what are you singing on this CD?

Gagnon: Shania Twain, more Rimes, Reba McEntire and other new country songs. I always listened to it as I was growing up, but my older brother, Jerry, really wants me to do pop or rock, and I'd like to eventually try that, but just for him.

Yklife: Do you sing any original music?

Gagnon: My uncle and his friends have written some songs, and I'm going to start with my own music and hopefully next year I'll get the grant (to record another disc).

Yklife: How have your sisters reacted to your success? Are they inspired?

Gagnon: My sister Beckie is 14 and a jock. She is not into this and thinks I'm too prissy. She plans on making it to the WNBA (the proposed Women's National Basketball Association). We're opposites, she's blonde, tall and has blue eyes and is shy, but I'll go up to anyone.

Yklife: So wasn't she at least jealous of your trip to the Grey Cup?

Gagnon: None of this bothers her, because she thinks that, in time, she's going to make it.

Yklife: And what's next on your list of duties?

Gagnon: There's a Children's Wish Foundation dinner coming up, and the swearing in of Canadian citizens. I have to give an official speech, a federal speech, but Kim (Miss NWT Kim Rossignol) is coaching me.

Yklife: So you never get nervous making speeches?

Gagnon: No, but I think my mom does, because she's the one who has to worry about me screwing up.

Yklife: And what about the summer?

Gagnon: There's a new competition called the Teen Miss Canada 2000 pageant, and if I carry that title I might go to Kentucky to compete. It's more of a talent competition than a pageant because there're agents there, and you can get noticed and may have a chance to pursue a career.

Yklife: How has this experience changed you?

Gagnon: It opened my eyes to a lot of different kinds of people, and I think it's helped me a lot because I was like an average teen and might be catty toward someone... but I'm not like that anymore. I'm more tolerant, but I'm also still me.

Yklife: What are you going to miss when your reign ends in August?

Gagnon: In the next few pageants, the girls are going to have a lot of things that I didn't because I'm starting it off, and they'll get to do more things, so in that way I'll miss it. But most of all I think I'm just going to miss meeting all the people and the travelling. I'm excited to see who's going to get it next year.