Long-time lawyer leaves
Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services
Iqaluit (Oct 30/00) - Pamela Clarke has a pretty tough job, especially when one takes her location into account.
A Crown attorney for the department of justice, it is Clarke's role to prosecute people charged with crimes. A tough task at the best of times, Clarke practices her trade mostly in Iqaluit, a community of about 6,000 people. That she said, has made it hard to get close to her neighbours.
"You don't get to mingle with people a lot because of what you do for a living," said Clarke.
"A lot of people know who you are."
Working as a Crown attorney on and off in Iqaluit since 1989, Clarke moved here permanently almost two years ago.
She said it became easier to fit into the community once she was a permanent resident.
"The barrier is always there, but now that I've lived here, it helps people get over what you do. People realize what you do for a living is not who you are," she said.
Clarke also said she had never run into a Northerner that she'd prosecuted and had an unpleasant experience with, but she said the same didn't hold true for her work in southern Canada.
"I've had a couple of unpleasant run-ins in the south, but it's quite the opposite here. You get to see the human face of people."
Despite her fondness for the rolling mountains and the endless tundra that make up much of Nunavut's landscape, Clarke said she was about to bid Nunavut farewell in order to accept a promotion.
Come next February, she will work as the regional director of the department of justice in Saskatoon. Clarke currently works as Nunavut's regional director.
"I try really hard not to think about it," said Clarke, sad to be leaving the territory.
Faced with commanding a staff of 90 employees -- compared to the 12 she now oversees -- Clarke said she'd be busy learning how to manage managers. The new job also meant she'd be unable to practice law in the courtroom.
"I won't be doing court any more," she said. "One of the things I like about being a lawyer is being in court."
