HALIFAX
As the only Northern representative at Global Vision's youth economic roundtable in Halifax from Nov. 20 to 22, Katie Devereaux's attendance drew interest from other attendees.

Katie Devereaux of Iqaluit, the only representative from the North, joins Global Vision director Amy Giroux for a photo at the Global Vision economic roundtable in Halifax, which was held Nov. 20 to 22. - photo courtesy of Katie Devereaux

"People were interested in what I had to say about the Northern economy and what's going on right now," said the 17-year-old Inuksuk High School student, who attended after learning of the opportunity at the Arctic Youth Summit, held Oct. 30 to Nov. 2 in Iqaluit.

"I loved the experience," Devereaux said of the Iqaluit event. "And I had applied for funding and looked for sponsorship and gotten in contact with Amy from Global Vision and two or three weeks later I was able to go to Halifax."

Sponsorship from NCC Development and the Elks Lodge enabled her to represent Nunavut and

the North at the event.

"A lot of questions that arose were, 'How are you guys growing infrastructure-wise, and with the economy,'" she said.

Devereaux is familiar with the territory's infrastructure growth since her father Eiryn, an assistant deputy minister with the Department of Community and Government Services, is involved with projects across Nunavut.

"They were a little shocked at the infrastructure growth here. I said we are developing as a territory and can't compare to Nova Scotia, Ontario or anything like that. But we are developing. We need the resources, and I think we are being provided with them right now."

Devereaux, a young entrepreneur who runs the Iqaluit Dance Academy with her sisters, is already applying what she learned at the event.

"We had a lot of presentations from young entrepreneurs," she said. "So it was really cool to get their perspective and ask questions, so I'll definitely be bringing that back and we have started applying it to the dance academy."

For Global Vision director Amy Giroux, this is an ideal outcome for a group that wants to be of benefit to Nunavut youth.

"Since 2010, when we had some money to be truly national, from coast-to-coast-to-coast, that was our first time to offer kids from the North our leadership, our entrepreneurship programs," Giroux said.

"From that time, they've really touched my heart. I've seen the growth in the kids who have participated in our programs, to give them the confidence to be the voice, and to be engaged in their communities."

And Devereaux's hoping for more opportunities with Global Vision, particularly the next level of engagement which takes youth abroad as part of an international trade mission. She's hoping to go to Asia in August with the group.

"You take the skills you've learned and apply them in a co-op experience in real life," she said. "It's an experience I would love to have."

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