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From policing Arviat to protecting the prime minister

George Henrie aims to increase Inuit participation in RCMP
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Cpl. George Henrie said he saw both ends of the spectrum as an Inuk RCMP officer – those who would call him a traitor, and those whose stress was relieved when an Inuk showed up at their door. Photo courtesy of George Henrie ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᒃ ᔪᐊᔾᔨ Hᐊᓐᓄᕆ ᑕᑯᓯᒪᔪᕉᖅ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓅᑉᓗᓂ ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᐅᓯᒪᓂᖅ −ᐊᑭᕋᖅᑐᖅᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᕐᓂᓂ ᐳᖅᑕᓕᙳᖅᓯᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᐃᒪᐅᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᑦ ᐃᖢᐊᖅᓯᕚᓪᓕᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓄᖕᒥᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᕌᖓᒥᒃ ᐳᖅᑕᓕᖕᒥᒃ ᖃᐃᖁᔨᓯᒪᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ.

ᐱᕈᖅᓴᓚᐅᖅᖢᓂ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ ᒥᐊᓂᖅᓯᔨᙳᖅᖢᓂ ᑲᓇᑕᐅᑉ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᕐᔪᐊᖓᓄᑦ, ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᒃ ᔪᐊᔾᔨ Hᐊᓐᓄᕆ ᐃᓕᑦᑎᓯᒪᓪᓚᕆᒃᑐᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᐅᓂᒃᑯᑦ.

ᒫᓐᓇᓕ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᓂᐊᓕᖅᑕᖓ ᐱᑕᖃᒃᑲᓐᓂᓕᖁᑉᓗᒍ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᒥ ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᙳᖅᑐᓂᒃ.

“ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒋᓯᒪᔭᕋ ᐱᓕᕆᑉᓗᖓ ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᐅᓂᒃᑯᑦ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ Hᐊᓐᓄᓕ, ᒫᓐᓇᓵᖑᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅᑖᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᒥ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᒃᑖᒃᑲᓐᓂᖁᑉᓗᒍ.

ᓴᓇᑖᖑᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ 2002-ᒥ, ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᙳᖅᓴᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑳᖅᖢᓂ,ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᐅᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ, ᓴᓪᓕᓂ, ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓂ, ᐊᕐᕕᐊᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ 12-ᓂᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᕚᒥ, ᓄᓇᕗᒧᑦ ᐅᑎᓕᓚᐅᖅᖢᓂ 2020-ᒥ.

ᐊᑐᕚᒥ, Hᐊᓐᓄᓕ ᖁᓕᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᑦ ᐅᖓᑖᓂ ᒥᐊᓂᖅᓯᔨᐅᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᑐᕚᒥ ᑲᓇᑕᐅᑉ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᕐᔪᐊᖓᓂ, ᒥᐊᓂᖅᓯᔨᐅᑉᓗᓂ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂᒃ ᓯᑎᕙᓐ Hᐊᕐᐳᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᔭᔅᑕᓐ ᑐᕈᑐᒥ ᖃᑕᙳᑎᖏᓐᓂᒡᓗ, ᐊᖁᑎᒋᔭᐅᑉᓗᓂᓗ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒥᐊᓂᖅᓯᔨᓂᒃ ᐸᕐᓇᐃᔨᒋᔭᐅᑉᓗᓂ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕐᓂᐊᓕᕌᖓᑕ.

ᓄᓇᕗᒧᑦ ᐅᑎᖅᖢᓂ, ᐱᒋᐊᕈᑎᒋᓚᐅᖅᑕᖓ ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᓐᓂᒃ ᐸᕐᓇᐃᔨᒋᔭᐅᑉᓗᓂ ᐱᕋᔭᒃᑐᖃᕐᔪᐊᕌᖓᑦ ᑲᒪᔨᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᔨᑖᕋᓱᖕᓂᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᔪᓂᒃ ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑎᖃᖅᑳᕐᓇᓂ, ᖁᑦᑎᖕᓂᖅᓴᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅᑖᕆᓯᒪᔭᖓ ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎᒋᔭᐅᑉᓗᓂ.

“ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐱᕕᒃᓴᖅᑖᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᕋ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᓐᓇᖁᑉᓗᖓ ᓴᓇᔨᑖᖅᑐᓕᕆᔨᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᔨᒃᑖᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᓐᓇᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᒻᒪᖄ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᓐᓇᕈᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᙳᖅᓴᔪᒪᔪᓂᒃ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ Hᐊᓐᓄᕆ. “ᐊᒥᒐᖅᓯᓯᒪᒐᑉᑕ, ᑭᖑᓪᓕᖅᐹᖅ ᐃᓄᒃ ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᙳᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ 2003-ᒥ ᑕᐃᑉᓱᒪᓂᑐᖃᐅᓕᕐᒪᑦ.”

ᐃᓱᒪᔪᕐᓗ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᙳᖅᓴᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑕᐅᙱᓐᓂᖅᓴᐅᖕᒪᑕ ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᙳᖅᓴᕋᓱᖕᓂᐊᕐᓗᓂ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖏᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ, ᐅᑉᓗᒥᒧᑦ ᐋᖅᑭᒋᐊᖅᑕᐃᓯᒪᓕᖅᑐᖅ ᑐᕌᖓᓂᖅᓴᐅᖁᑉᓗᒍ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒧᑦ, ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᖅᓯᒪᔭᖅᐳᑦ ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᒃ ᑕᐃᕕᑎ ᐊᒡᓘᒃᑲᖅ.

ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᓕᕆᓂᖅ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᓱᓕ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ, ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ.

“ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓄᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᒃᑎᑕᐅᓇᓱᒃᑐᖅ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᒃᑯᑦ, ᓈᒻᒫᓂᒍᓐᓇᙱᑦᑐᖅ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ ᐱᕈᖅᓴᖅᓯᒪᔪᓄᑦ ᒥᑭᔪᓂᒃ, ᐅᖓᓯᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ ᖃᑉᓗᓈᑎᑐᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᕈᖅᓴᖅᓯᒪᙱᑦᑐᓄᑦ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ Hᐊᓐᓄᓕ.

ᐊᒻᒪᓗᑦᑕᐅᖅ, ᐅᑭᐅᓂᒃ ᖁᓕᓂᒃ ᖄᖏᓵᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᖃᑎᒌᒍᑎᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᕆᑕᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓖᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᒋᔭᐅᕌᓂᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᔪᓐᓃᕐᒪᑕ, ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᔭᐅᖅᑑᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᖃᕋᔭᕐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᖕᓂᒃ.

“ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᓕᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑕᐅᔪᒪᒐᓗᐊᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᑎᒥᐅᔪᒥᒃ ᑲᑕᒃᑎᖅᑕᐅᒐᔪᒃᑐᒥᒃ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ Hᐊᓐᓄᓕ. “ᐃᓱᒪᔪᖓᓕ ᓴᓇᔭᒃᓴᖅᓯᐅᖅᑎᓂᒃ ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑕᐅᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᖓ, ᐃᖅᑲᐃᑎᑦᑎᓂᐊᖅᑐᖓ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃᐳᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃᓴᑦᑎᐊᕚᓘᓂᖓᓄᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐄ ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᙳᕈᓐᓇᖅᑐᓯ.”

ᓈᒻᒪᙱᑦᑐᖃᓲᖅ ᓇᓕᐊᖕᓂᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᑎᒥᖁᑎᒋᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᖕᓂᒃ, ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂᓗ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᓯᒪᔭᖓᒍᑦ ᐃᓅᖃᑎᖃᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᓄᑖᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ, ᐊᓯᒥᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᑦᑎᓯᒪᑉᓗᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒋᔭᖃᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐱᕚᓪᓕᖅᓯᒪᓂᕐᒥᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᓯᒪᔭᒃᑯᑦ.

“ᑎᒥᖁᑎᒋᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᓴᓇᕝᕕᒋᓯᒪᔭᕋ ᓇᓂᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᓄᓇᑖᖅᓯᒪᔪᓐᓇᖅᖢᖓ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᑭᓕᖅᑐᐃᓲᑦ ᓅᑦᑕᕆᐊᖃᕌᖓᒪ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ Hᐊᓐᓄᓕ. “ᓴᓇᑉᓗᖓ ᓴᐳᓐᓂᐊᖅᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᓯᒪᓂᕋ ᐱᐅᔪᒻᒪᕆᐊᓗᒃ. ᐅᑎᖅᑐᒃᓴᓕᐊᑦ ᓴᓇᔪᓐᓃᕈᒪᓕᕐᓂᕈᒪ ᐱᐅᔪᓪᓚᕆᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ. ᐱᕚᓪᓕᕈᑎᒃᓴᑦ ᓄᓇᖃᕐᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᐱᐅᔫᔪᑦ. ᐃᒡᓗᓕᕆᓂᖅ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᒐᔪᖕᒪᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒥ, ᑕᒡᕙ ᐃᒡᓗᑖᖅᑎᑦᑎᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᑦ. ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᐅᓪᓚᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᓯᓚᑖᓄᑦ, Hᐊᓚᑏᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᓂ ᖃᖓᑕᔾᔪᑎᑖᕐᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᒪᕐᕉᖕᓂᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᑉ ᐃᓗᐊᓂ. ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᖃᙱᑦᑐᖓ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᖕᓂᒃ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᑦᑐᖅᑖᖅᑎᑦᑎᕙᒃᑐᓂᒃ.”

ᐊᔭᐅᖅᑐᐃᔪᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᐃᔪᖅ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᐱᔫᒥᒍᓱᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᐅᔪᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑦᑎᐊᖅᓯᒪᙱᒃᑲᓗᐊᕈᑎᒃ.

“ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᖢᖓ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᒃᑲ ᖁᑦᑎᖕᓂᖅᐹᖑᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᙱᑦᑐᑦ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ Hᐊᓐᓄᓕ. “ᐊᒃᓱᕈᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕋᓱᒃᖢᖓ, ᐱᓗᐊᖅᑐᒥ ᐅᖃᓕᒫᕆᐅᖅᓴᓂᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑎᑎᕋᕆᐅᖅᓴᓂᒃᑯᑦ.”

ᑕᐃᒪᐃᒻᒪᑦ, ᐅᒃᐱᕈᓱᓚᐅᙱᑦᑐᖅ ᓴᓇᔭᒃᓴᖅᑖᑦᑎᐊᕋᔭᕐᒪᖔᕐᒥ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᕐᔪᐊᖅᖢᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᔪᒪᒻᒪᕆᒃᖢᓂᓗ, ᑐᕌᒐᕆᔪᒪᔭᕐᒥᓄᑦ ᑎᑭᓯᒪᔪᖅ.

“ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᓯᔾᔩᔪᒪᒃᐸᑕ ᓄᓇᕗᒥ, ᐱᒋᐊᕈᑎᖃᕆᐊᓖᑦ ᐃᓗᒃᑯᑦ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ Hᐊᓐᓄᓕ. “ᐊᓯᔾᔨᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᑎᑦ ᐃᒡᕕᑦ ᐃᓅᑉᓗᑎᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᓕᕆᓗᑎᑦ ᑎᒥᐅᔪᒥ ᐊᔭᐅᖅᑐᐃᖃᑦᑕᕐᓗᑎᑦ ᐊᓯᔾᔩᔪᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ.”

ᐃᓅᑉᓗᓂ ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᐅᑉᓗᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒥ ᐃᖕᒥᓂᒃ ᐅᔾᔨᕆᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ ᕿᕕᐊᖓᔭᐅᓐᓇᕐᒪᑦ, ᑕᐃᑉᑯᓄᙵ ᖁᕕᐊᒋᔭᖃᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓅᖃᑎᒥᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᔪᒥᒃ ᑕᑯᑉᓗᑎᒃ ᐅᖃᓗᒃᑐᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᔪᒪᔪᓂᒃ, ᐃᓱᒪᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᓄᓪᓗ ᐃᓅᖃᑎᒥᓂᒃ ᐃᒃᐱᒍᓱᙱᓐᓂᖅᓴᐅᓇᓱᒋᔭᐅᑉᓗᓂ.

“ᑕᒪᕐᒥᒃ ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᖃᐅᔨᓯᒪᔭᒃᑲ ᐅᖁᒪᐃᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᕙᖓ ᐃᓱᒪᓕᐅᕈᑎᒋᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᑕᒃᑲ ᐊᒃᑐᖅᑕᐅᔾᔪᑎᒋᓂᐊᕐᒪᖔᑉᑭᑦ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ, ᓈᒻᒪᒃᑐᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᑦᑐᒃᑯᑦ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ Hᐊᓐᓄᓕ.

ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᑐᕈᒪᖕᒥᔭᖓ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓖᑦ ᒥᒃᓵᓄᑦ, ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑕᐅᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥᐅᑕᑦ ᓄᓇᒥᓃᙱᖦᖢᑎᒃ ᓴᓇᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᑦ.

“ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑐᑭᓯᐅᒪᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᑰᖅᑐᑦ ᑕᐃᑉᑯᐊ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒧᑦ ᓴᓇᔭᖅᑐᓲᑦ ᑕᒫᓃᑦᑐᒪᖕᒪᑕ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ Hᐊᓐᓄᓕ.

Hᐊᓐᓄᓕ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᐃᔪᖅ ᐊᔭᐅᖅᑐᐃᔪᖅ ᑭᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᒥᒃ ᐱᔫᒥᒍᓱᒃᑐᒥᒃ ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑕᐅᔪᒪᓇᔭᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒥ ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᖕᓂᒃ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐊᐱᖅᑯᑎᖃᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᒋᐊᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᑭᐊᖅᑭᕕᖕᒥ Vdiv_recruiting@rcmp-grc.gc.ca ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐅᖃᓗᒍᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᕗᙵ 867-975-4404.

From growing up in Rankin Inlet to being a personal bodyguard for two prime ministers, Cpl. George Henrie has amassed a lifetime’s worth of experience in law enforcement.

Next on his to-do list is getting more Inuit participation in the Nunavut force.

“I’ve had a very positive experience in the RCMP,” said Henrie, who has recently taken over the Nunavut RCMP Recruiting Unit.

He was hired out of Rankin Inlet in 2002, and after attending the police academy, he worked for the RCMP in Rankin Inlet, Coral Harbour, Iqaluit, Arviat and then 12 years in Ottawa, before returning to Nunavut in 2020.

In Ottawa, Henrie spent more than a decade on the Prime Minister’s protection detail, serving as a bodyguard for both Stephen Harper and Justin Trudeau and their families, as well as a driver and security planner for events.

Coming back to Nunavut, he began in the Federal Serious Organized Crime Unit before joining the recruiting unit, which he’s recently been promoted to lead.

“It was an opportunity for me to help the unit try to recruit more Inuit and also maybe to help Inuit who are interested in joining the RCMP,” said Henrie. “I think there’s been somewhat of a gap, because the last Inuit person who joined the RCMP was back in 2003.”

He attributes part of that lack of participation to the challenges of the RCMP entrance exam, which has since been updated to be more relevant to the North, thanks to work by Const. David Aglukarq.

However, language remains a challenge for Inuit, he said.

“It is a one-size-fits-all approach across the country, and in my opinion, that doesn’t necessarily work for people who’ve grown up in small, isolated communities where English is not their prevalent language,” said Henrie.

As well, the last decade has seen a lot of negative talk in the media about the police, influencing the public’s perception of the role.

“It makes it harder for people to want to join an organization where they’re always painted in a negative aspect,” said Henrie. “I think me coming in to the unit, I’m going to remind people that no, this isn’t a bad organization, and yes, you can do it.”

There are issues in any organization or department, he added, but the experience he’s had meeting new people, learning from others and enjoying the benefits of the role have been more than worth it.

“It’s an organization where I have the option to live anywhere in the country and they pay for me to move,” said Henrie. “The job security is amazing. The pension I’ll be receiving when I do decide to retire will be a great pension. The benefits living up in the North are very good. Housing is a major topic in Nunavut, and this is one agency where housing is provided. Also travelling outside of Nunavut, you get two paid vacations. I don’t know any other organizations that do that.”

He encourages people interested in the career to pursue it, even if they aren’t great in school.

“I wasn’t an A student,” said Henrie. “I did struggle in school, especially when it came to reading and writing.”

Because of that, he didn’t believe he’d be able to get such a good career, but with hard work and dedication, he achieved his goals.

“If people want change in Nunavut, it has to start within,” said Henrie. “You need to change as an individual and work for an organization to help inspire change.”

Being an Inuk RCMP officer in Nunavut showed him both extremes of public perception, from those relieved to see someone of their background show up when they call for assistance, to those who thought he was a traitor to his people.

“Both experiences weigh on me, and it’s for me to decide whether I’m going to let that affect me personally, positively or negatively,” said Henrie.

He also wants to use his role to educate people on the RCMP, including about out-of-towners stationed in the communities.

“I think what people need to understand is the people that do come up here to work want to be here,” said Henrie.

Henrie encourages anyone interested in joining the Nunavut RCMP or with questions to contact Vdiv_recruiting@rcmp-grc.gc.ca or 867-975-4404.