Dez Loreen
Northern News Services
Published Monday, August 11, 2008

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Inuvialuit elder Billy Day was remembered for his decades of work and dedication to the Inuvialuit people at a service recently.

Day passed away at the age of 78 on July 26, and his funeral was held at the end of last month.

Longtime friend Edward 'Hoppy' Elanik said Day was a good friend who was always ready to assist you if you needed help.

"He was such a nice man, always working for others," said Elanik.

Elanik remembers seeing Day help others who couldn't be on the land trapping anymore.

"He helped people settle into town from on the land," said Elanik.

If you needed help with a trapline, Day was the one who could help.

"He was a good man," said Elanik.

Day spent much of his life working with aboriginal leadership to become involved with the political happenings in the region.

Inuvialuit Regional Corp (IRC) chief executive officer Nellie Cournoyea said Day's interest and hard work for the people of the North.

Day has set the bar extremely high for future development and growth in the region, she added.

"Even as a young man, Billy was always contributed to the well-being of the Inuvialuit," she said, adding that Day was active in Inuvialuit communities well before the land claim was settled in 1984.

"He was a hard worker, he was one of the people who wanted things done right," she said.

"He always wanted to make sure we were on the right path."

Cournoyea said that Day was always giving to others and offering assistance.

"He never wanted anything for himself, it was always for others," she said.

She recalled the times when Day would take in others who needed a place to sleep.

"When everyone was going home for the day, he would bring them to his house if they had nowhere to go," Cournoyea said.

"He was always a very dedicated person."

Cournoyea recounted growing up on the land and the kind of effect Day had on her life.

"We didn't trap in the same areas, but I remember that he wouldn't get much time to trap because he was always reading," she said.

"In the end, I was always calling him Professor Day'' because he loved to read so much."

She said that because Day kept himself educated and knowledgeable, he was a great asset in land claim negotiations.

Even in his later years, Day would stay active with the IRC and its partners.

"He would call me up and say he heard some things and wanted to get clarification," she said.

He remained active in several capacities with the organization right up until the end.

In 2006, Day's efforts earned him a an Aboriginal Achievement Award from his peers.