NUNAVUT
Any day now, the 2015 recipient of the $5,000 Laura Ulluriaq Gauthier Scholarship, administered by the Qulliq Energy Corporation, will be announced.

Recipients of the Laura Ulluriaq Gauthier $5,000 Scholarship 2015: to be announced 2014: Nadia Sammurtok of Rankin Inlet, graduate of Nunavut Arctic College's Nunavut teacher education program and bachelor of education recipient. Works full-time at Nakasuk School in Rankin Inlet. 2013: Ronald Oolooyuk of Rankin Inlet, engineering access program at the University of Manitoba. Graduating in 2017. 2012: Orla Osborne of Iqaluit. Graduate of biology minor in ocean science at the University of Victoria. 2011: Marie Belleau of Iqaluit. Graduate from Laval and Ottawa Universities. Works as a lawyer for Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. 2010: Dianne Iyago of Baker Lake. Graduate of the nursing program at Nunavut Arctic College. 2009: Genevieve Killulark of Baker Lake. Bachelor of arts in psychology/education. 2008: Joanne Kailek of Taloyoak. Graduate of Nunavut Arctic College in human resources. 2007: Kenny Algona of Kugluktuk. Graduated from Grande Prairie Regional College. 2006: Joanie Padluq of Resolute Bay. Currently engineer-in-training with the Qulliq Energy Corporation. 2005: Krista Zawadski of Rankin Inlet. Master of art/anthropology at the University of Victoria.

When speaking of the scholarship in the legislative assembly in June, the minister responsible for the energy corporation, Keith Peterson, said, "Laura Ulluriaq Gauthier was a visionary who recognized the importance of a locally managed electrical utility for Nunavut. Although Ms. Gauthier could not witness the fulfillment of her vision with the creation of QEC, this scholarship honours her foresight, her achievements, and her sense of community."

Gauthier died 15 years ago of a brain aneurysm in her sleep at the age of 30.

Her brother, Stephan Kilabuk, an RCMP constable with the federal operations section in Iqaluit, called her his "angel on Earth" when she was alive.

"My moral compass," he said.

'Great human being'

"She was just a great human being, inside and out. She was very selfless. She was a person that always had time for people. Yet, at the same time, she was able to get things done, pull people in and empower them to do the things they wanted to do. That seems to be the biggest thing that I noticed. Not just professionally, but also on a personal level. When you talked to her, you felt like a better person."

The Kilabuk family, via Laura and Stephan's mother, originates from Pangnirtung.

Laura attended high school in Fort Smith, which is where she met her husband with whom she would have three children. She attended university in Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec.

Her focus was political science and indigenous politics, said Kilabuk, although her time in Quebec was to brush up on her French.

After university, Gauthier joined the staff of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. in Rankin Inlet. That was in 1993, around the time the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement was signed. Laura, with the help of friends, helped introduce volleyball in the community and there is a Laura Gauthier Volleyball Tournament held each year in her honour.

Rankin Inlet was also where Laura encountered a mentor figure "who showed her the ropes," the late Jose Kusugak.

"It kind of exploded from there. She went from NTI there to the NTI office here (in Iqaluit). Then she worked for Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs (with the Government of Nunavut)."

Kilabuk said people saw her potential, "especially her superiors."

"She was such a great person to work with, easy, smart, very focused on Nunavut, and being able to contribute positively to the growth of it."

Her brother believes that Laura's crowning glory was the establishment of the Qulliq Energy Corporation and making it specific to Nunavut.

"She was a big part of that. It takes a team to do something like that, but she was definitely one of those people that could draw a team together," Kilabuk said, adding "she would have been a fantastic leader." He doesn't discount there might have been a possible future in politics for his sister, although her greatest strength was behind the scenes.

Kilabuk has been on the selection panel for the scholarship for several years. So far, 10 promising Nunavut students pursuing their post-secondary education have benefitted from the scholarship named in Laura's honour. All have felt the impact of the person she was.

"It's awesome when you look at it that way. Her name lives on. I'm happy that people remember her in that way. I'm just so happy to be part of the panel each year. I can almost feel her presence when I'm reading those applications," Kilabuk said.

There is a set of criteria, including a personal essay that touches on volunteer and leadership contributions, academic performance, career goals and role model qualities.

As of press time, the 2015 recipient had been chosen but the name not yet made public.

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