SOMBA K'E/YELLOKNIFE
Gail Cyr has come a long way during her 40 years in Yellowknife.

Gail Cyr relaxes on the porch of her home in Yellowknife. Cyr is set to retire Oct. 17 after four decades of public service. She was feted by friends, family and co-workers at a soiree celebration late last month at the Joint Task Force North mess hall. - John McFadden/NNSL photo

She began as a waitress at the Gold Range Tavern and finishes as a special advisor to the minister responsible for women, Premier Bob McLeod.

In between, she has been a city councillor and a tireless advocate for people from all walks of life, but specifically aboriginal women.

Cyr is finally going to take a well deserved break when she retires from the GNWT on Oct. 17.

She was one of seven brothers and sisters growing up in Winnipeg. All of them, including her, were put into foster care -- in her case, at birth -- spending time in several foster homes.

She recalled a particularly emotional episode when she arrived at her final foster home.

"I was in bad shape because of my previous foster parents. Due to the brutality there, I temporarily lost my speech and was left with with is now called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder," she said. "My new foster mom argued with school authorities, contending that I had not suffered from alcohol deformities, now known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. She told them I was smart, but hurt badly.

"I overheard this conversation and decided I would show them I am smart."

Another event that deeply affected her and made her realize that being an aboriginal woman in Canada was not easy came when she was 17 years old.

Cyr was walking in broad daylight in downtown Winnipeg when a non-aboriginal man propositioned her for sex and called her a derogatory name.

"I gave him the finger and the next thing I knew, I was being pulled to the ground by my waist length hair," she said. "It was then that I started to realize how aboriginal women were marginalized by society and how that could lead to stereotypes and often violence."

Move to Yellowknife

It was about five years after that traumatic incident that Cyr moved to Yellowknife.

"I came here in 1974 while I was in my early 20s from Winnipeg because my friend was here. My first job in town was at the Gold Range in 1974. I had to dress in hot pants and high heels," she said. "Sexism was a lot more rampant in those days. My weapon was my tray of drinks. If a man touched me, I'd just tell him that the next time he tried that he'd be wearing the tray of drinks. That seemed to work."

Cyr wasn't working at the Gold Range for long.

By 1975, she had became the first executive director of the NWT Native Court Workers Program, where she helped aboriginal people navigate the often complicated judicial, tribunal and regulatory court process.

She said because of that work, there are still people to this day who refer to her as their lawyer.

While very busy helping aboriginals through the court system, Cyr did double duty, also working for the Indian Brotherhood, now known as the Dene Nation.

"I did a bit of everything, including lots of work on helping to achieve Dene landclaim and self-government agreements. But there were also some more menial tasks, including booking flights for meetings," said Cyr.

Municipal politics

Cyr went on the work for the NWT Native Women' Association in the early to mid-1980's before entering municipal politics and becoming an alderman -- now referred to as a councillor -- finishing second out of 18 candidates when she first ran in 1984.

Cyr served five consecutive terms on council and spent time as acting mayor.

"I had many highlights, but probably the one that sticks out the most is being involved in the city's 50th anniversary," she said. "The low point was the explosion at Giant Mine."

After a decade as a councillor, Cyr ran for mayor but lost to David Lovell, who served as mayor until 2000.

She then went to work as chief municipal electoral officer and eventually joining the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs.

"My time in municipal politics and law came in handy as I was able to share my expertise in the drafting of bylaws and other legislation," she said.

Cyr took over her current role as special advisor to the GNWT's minister for women in 2007. There, she sat on several coalitions, task forces and committees, including the Coalition Against Family Violence and the justice committee review of missing and murdered aboriginal females.

The final minister for women she worked under was Premier Bob McLeod.

"She's an incredible person who worked very hard for both the GNWT and the City of Yellowknife," he said. "She's contributed a lot to the territory both politically and culturally. She's always been well liked. She's always been a leader."

Celebration of her career

Cyr was feted at the mess hall at Joint Task Force North on Sept. 21 as her retirement approached. Dozens of friends and family came out for the event. Friends and family travelled from as far away as Los Angeles and Iceland. Providing the musical entertainment at the party was Yellowknife's own Welder's Daughter.

Lead singer Karen Novak said she really got to know Cyr when she joined the band on stage to sing about a decade ago.

"I'm always quite amazed with Gail and the amount of accomplishments she has. Her big smile and her warm personality always lights up the room," Novak said.

Cyr received the Diamond Jubilee Award in 2012 and an Indspire Award in 2013 for her years of public service.

With retirement coming soon, Cyr said she intends to spend more time with family and do some travelling.

"I leave with no regrets," she said. "I've been told a made a difference and I believe I have."