Iqaluit (May 15/06) - If you see Peter Irniq these days, you can call him doctor.

The former Nunavut Commissioner and MLA is adding an honourary doctorate of civil law to his list of accomplishments.

On May 15, he will be in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, where Acadia University will grant him the honour.

Accompanying him will be his wife Maria, Nunavut Senator Willie Adams and a former colleague, Arnold McCallum, among others.

Irniq, along with McCallum, were two of the members of the first fully elected NWT Legislative Assembly in 1975.

Acadia University receives about 15-20 nominations a year for honourary doctorate recipients, said Scott Roberts, senior director of communications and public affairs at Acadia.

Irniq, who was born on the land in the Kivalliq region in 1947, first found out he was getting the doctorate two months ago.

He has been working on his speech since then.

He will be speaking to a graduating class of 350 students, and has chosen to speak about the impact of climate change and global warming.

"I never thought someone who was born in a snow house would be receiving a high honour like this," said Irniq.

Acadia University, and the political science department in particular, is very interested in the impact of technology on communities and changing lifestyles due to that impact, said Roberts, explaining why Irniq was chosen.

Nominees are not only distinguished in their field, but go above and beyond in their dedication to that field, something that Irniq has demonstrated.

"He's really shown dedication to his community, and his people, with not only passion but compassion," said Roberts.

Irniq has also shown how important it is that while embracing the future, they don't ignore their past, said Roberts.

The trip to Acadia was made a few days in advance of the convocation, so that repairs can be made to a five-metre inuksuk Irniq completed three years ago on the university campus.

Despite the fact that he has made hundreds of speeches before, Irniq said he is still nervous.

You never know what people are going to think about your speech, he said.

"I will just try to make the most of my speech, and hopefully I will make a difference in young people's lives."

Irniq is also an accomplished drum dancer and Inuit cultural teacher. He has also held positions as director of Tunngavik Federation of Nunavut, Speaker of the Keewatin Council, executive director of the Inuit Cultural Institute, and superintendent of Renewable Resources (said to be the first Inuk to hold this position).