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LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - A Fort Simpson resident has joined distinguished company by being named a Trudeau Mentor.

Chuck Blyth, the superintendent of Nahanni National Park Reserve, is one of 10 2009 mentors. Other recipients this year include former deputy prime minister Anne McLellan and former lieutenant governor of Ontario, James Bartleman. The Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation runs the Trudeau Mentorship program.

Chuck Blyth, left, of Fort Simpson has been named one of 10 2009 Trudeau Mentors. Blyth met with Jason Morris-Jung, the student he'll be mentoring, during a retreat in St. John's Nfld. - photo courtesy of the Trudeau Foundation

The foundation, based out of Montreal, promotes research in the humanities and social sciences. Every year the foundation names up to 10 mentors and links them for 18 months with a doctoral student who's been awarded a Trudeau scholarship.

"It's a great concept," said Pierre-Gerlier Forest, the foundation's president.

The main idea behind the program is to link students with distinguished Canadians who possess real life experience in public policy and decision-making.

The students can then see how the research they're producing could be applied to resolve important social issues, said Forest.

It's important that students gain early access to policy and decision-makers so they can share and learn from them, he said.

In the program, mentors and students aren't matched by their professions.

"We try to match them with people who share the same passion for the problem or the social issue they are working on," Forest said.

Blyth was nominated because of his engagement in youth and environmental issues.

"He's known and has a strong reputation for collaborative approaches," Forest said, adding that he's a also a convincing communicator.

"We're very excited to have him on board," said Forest.

Blyth said he was proud to be chosen as a mentor and that he agrees with the program's goals.

"I think it's good for research to make positive changes in social policy," he said.

Often research doesn't result in changes and the program is trying to address that, said Blyth. He's also excited about the research his assigned student is doing.

Blyth has been linked with Jason Morris-Jung, a Ph.D. student at the University of California, Berkeley. Morris-Jung is in Hanoi, Vietnam studying how people there are consulted with respect to environmental matters like the creation of national parks and environmental assessments.

Because of his experience with consultation and co-operative management with First Nations, Blyth said he'll be able to give Morris-Jung a perspective of what's happening in Canada in this area.

This research topic is important because more information is needed on how governments should talk and consult with people when doing environmental assessments for projects like national parks, said Blyth.

In addition to giving Morris-Jung ideas for his research, Blyth feels the relationship will be mutually beneficial.

"I think I'm going to learn from him," said Blyth.