Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services
Inuvik (Jun 18/01) - Once surrounded by alcoholism and despair, Clayton Gordon prides himself on being a role model.
The 34-year-old man from Aklavik was named as the chair of the board of directors for the Aboriginal Peoples' Television Network last month, which is now going into its second season.
Gordon has played a significant political role on boards in the delta region and in the south without being away from home for very long periods.
"The one thing I have always emphasized is that if at some point in time I can come back home to help others I would," he said in a recent interview.
He chairs the Aklavik Community Corporation, its subsidiary the Aklavik Business Corporation and treasurer of the executive of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. He also runs his own consulting firm and acts as Aklavik's fire chief.
As he tallied those accomplishments he recalled out that throughout his years growing up he saw drugs and alcohol claim friends.
"It was very tough growing up," he said, referring to the alcoholism his adoptive parents.
"Even though they had weaknesses they were able to nurture me and give me continuous encouragement."
Gordon moved in with his aunt and uncle Edith and Fred Bourke and found the structure and focus he needed.
At 13 he moved out and "was pretty well independent," he said, "working odd jobs and being a teenager."
He stayed at the infamous Grollier Hall while finishing high school in Inuvik but "none of that stuff happened to me," he said referring to documented abuse that went on there.
Gordon seemed pleased that after a difficult beginning he now has a supportive family -- a wife and three children in Aklavik -- and a position with a national network that give him a sense of accomplishments.
He sees himself a philosopher of sorts.
"That's what my uncle would call me," he said and began to pass on a message to the younger generation.
"Never limit yourself," he said. "Always aspire to be the best that you can and never put yourself above anyone else and accomplishing your dreams will bring you that much more joy."
Gordon said it was a dream come true for him when his fax machine spat out a letter from Television Northern Canada, which he was a board member of for seven years.
"I remember seeing the TVNC letterhead and in big bold writing, 'CRTC approves licence'," Gordon said.
That was the was the end of TVNC but the beginning of APTN.
"It still kind of chokes me up."
As Gordon explained these things he was in Inuvik, waiting to board a plane and travel to the Rocky Mountains for the Banff International Film Festival.
The network shaves 15 cents off every cable subscriber as revenue along with advertising. The second phase of running APTN will consist of marketing and marketing research, advertising and finding other sources of revenue.
Gordon said lately he is gone from home months at a time but sees the mandate of APTN worth it.
"We have to look at other means of generating revenue and assisting other aboriginal producers," he said. "It seems as if the unification of all aboriginal people is developing now from coast to coast to coast."
In Gordon's advice to the kids of his community he added that, "if a small town boy can play in the big leagues anything can happen."
Gordon is now involved in surveying aboriginal people from across Canada to determine how the network is measuring up with its primary market. He will then be involved in evaluating APTN's first year by the end of August.
"In order to provide a valued service to the aboriginal people of Canada it is important they have a voice in our direction," he said.
