Those with aviation dreams in the Kivalliq capital just got a tremendous opportunity to pursue them, as the Atik Mason Indigenous Pilot Pathway program is opening in Rankin Inlet and seeking its first students.
“It’s a fully-funded opportunity for Indigenous community members to learn and fly and build a career as professional pilots,” explained Lisa McGivery, manager of Exchange Income Corporation, an acquisition-oriented company focused on aerospace, aviation and manufacturing.
“We’re really, really excited to have that program expand up there and give opportunity to more people to join the program and learn how to fly,” she said.
The pathway program started in Thompson, Man., in 2022 as a response to the Truth and Reconciliation calls to action. This year, the program will be celebrating its first graduating class, with four students moving on to become line pilots and one becoming an instructor.
McGivery said the company wanted to focus on Northern communities and seeing as Calm Air is one of its subsidiaries, Rankin Inlet made sense.
“It gives a lot of the students the opportunity to fly in and out of their home communities, and that’s something that we’ve seen really good success with our initial Thompson class,” said McGivery. “A lot of the students were really excited to become a pilot and be able to fly into their home communities.”
Starting May, 12 students in Rankin Inlet will embark on the seasonal program, beginning with ground school lessons, including flight theory, aerodynamics, weather and aviation laws. They then move on to learning to fly and getting up into the air.
The aim after the first season is that students will be finished their recreational pilot’s license, and then in the following year, students can return to get their private pilot licence and onwards from there. Students who make it through both years will then have the option to transition to Moncton Flight College to pursue a commercial pilot licence and further training.
The only requirements to apply are a high-school diploma, be 18 or older, be in good physical health, have government identification and a Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. card.
“You don’t necessarily have to have any flight training,” said McGivery. “That’s kind of the beauty of the program. It gives the opportunity to people who may have always wanted to be a pilot and never had the opportunity to do so.”
She’s hoping to get as many applications as possible, saying that students will be selected every year for as long as the program is running – and currently, there’s no end date for it.
“I think this program is incredibly important for our Indigenous communities,” said McGivery. “I’m really excited to say that we’re now seeing people get to the point of graduating, and it’s really exciting to watch them excel through the program and graduate and move forward with becoming a line pilot.”
The program is named after Timothy Atik ‘Tik’ Mason, an Indigenous pilot at Perimeter Aviation whose experience inspired the project. Mason is also a Juno award-winning musician who is one of Manitoba’s few commercially licensed indigenous pilots.
Interested applicants can learn more at indigenouspilotpathway.ca.
ᑎᖕᒥᓲᖅᑎᙳᕈᒪᔪᓄᑦ ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥᑦ ᐱᕕᖃᖅᑎᑕᐅᓂᐊᓕᖅᑐᑦ ᑎᖕᒥᓲᙳᖅᑎᙳᖅᓴᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐊᑎᒃ ᒪᐃᓴᓐ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᖄᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᑎᖕᒥᓲᖅᑎᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑐᕌᖓᔪᖅ ᐅᒃᑯᐃᕐᓂᐊᕐᒪᑦ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᕿᓂᖅᑐᑦ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᖑᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓂᒃ.
“ᑕᒪᓗᒃᑖᕐᒧᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖃᖅᑎᑕᐅᑉᓗᓂ ᐱᕕᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᖅ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᖄᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᖓᑕᔪᖕᓇᖅᓯᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᒧᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᓐᓂᖅᑖᕈᖕᓇᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᑎᖕᒥᓲᖅᑎᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᓖᓴ ᒪᒡᒋᕗᕆ, ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᔨ ᑭᐳᒃᑕᐅᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓕᐊᖅ ᑯᐊᐳᕇᓴᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ, ᐱᑖᖅᑐᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᒻᐸᓂᐅᔪᖅ ᑕᐅᑐᒐᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓕᕆᓂᕐᓂᒃ, ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᔭᐅᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ.
“ᐊᒃᓱᐊᓗᒃ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒍᓱᒃᑐᒍᑦ ᑐᕌᖓᔪᖅ ᐊᖏᒡᓕᒋᐊᖅᑎᓐᓂᐊᕐᓗᒍ ᑕᒃᐹᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᒥᓲᓂᖅᓴᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᐱᕕᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᓗᑕ ᐃᓚᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᑐᕌᖓᔪᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᔪᖕᓇᖅᓯᓂᕐᒥᒃ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ.
ᐊᑉᖁᑎᖃᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑐᕌᖓᔪᖅ ᐱᒋᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑖᒻᓴᓐ, ᒫᓂᑑᐸᒥᑦ 2022-ᒥᑦ ᑭᐅᑉᓗᒋᑦ ᓱᓕᓂᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐋᖅᕿᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᖅ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᖁᔨᓂᖏᑦ. ᐅᑭᐅᖅ, ᑐᕌᖓᔪᖅ ᖁᕕᐊᓲᑎᖃᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᖑᔪᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓂᒃ ᐱᐊᓂᒃᑐᓂᒃ, ᓯᑕᒪᐃᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑏᑦ ᑎᖕᒥᓲᖅᑎᙳᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᑉᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᔨᙳᕐᓗᓂ.
ᒪᒡᒋᕗᕆ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᑲᒻᐸᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᑕᐅᑐᒐᖃᕈᒪᔪᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒦᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑳᒻᒥᐊᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᖃᑕᐅᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᖅ ᓈᒻᒪᒃᑑᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᕝᕕᐅᓗᓂ.
“ᐊᒥᓱᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐱᕕᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᑦ ᑎᖕᒥᓲᖅᑎᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖓᓐᓂᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᓕᖓᓐᓂᐅᖏᑦᑐᖅ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᒪᑐᒥᙵᑦ ᑕᑯᓯᒪᔪᒍᑦ ᐱᐊᓂᑦᑎᐊᖅᓯᒪᓂᖓᑕ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᕕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᒥᑦ ᑖᒻᓴᓐᒥᑦ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᒪᒡᒋᕗᕆ. “
ᐱᒋᐊᕐᓗᓂ ᓄᕐᕋᐃᑦ-ᒥᑦ, 12 ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑏᑦ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᑉ ᐃᓚᖓᓂᑦ ᑐᕌᖓᔪᒧᐊᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ, ᐱᒋᐊᖅᖃᐅᑕᐅᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᓗᑎᒃ, ᐃᓚᐅᓂᐊᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ, ᖃᖓᑕᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᙱᑦᑑᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ, ᓯᓚᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᓂᒃ. ᑭᖑᓂᐊᒍᑦ ᑎᖕᒥᓲᕐᒥᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᓕᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑎᖕᒥᓲᕐᒥᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᑎᑦᑎᖃᑦᑕᕐᓗᑎᒃ.
ᑐᕌᒐᐅᔪᖅ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᖅ ᐅᑭᐅᑉ ᐃᓚᖓᓂᑦ ᐱᐊᓂᒃᐸᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑏᑦ ᐱᐊᓂᖕᓂᐊᖅᑕᖓᑦ ᖁᕕᐊᒋᔭᖃᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑎᖕᒥᓲᖅᑎᓄᑦ ᓚᐃᓴᓐᓯᑖᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑭᖑᓂᐊᒍᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᕐᒥᑦ ᖃᐃᔪᒥᑦ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑏᑦ ᐅᑎᕈᖕᓇᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᑎᖕᓲᖅᑎᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓚᐃᓴᓐᓯᑖᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓯᕗᒻᒧᒃᐸᓪᓕᐊᓕᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᑕᐃᑲᙵᑦ. ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑏᑦ ᐱᐊᓂᒃᑐᑦ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂᑦ ᒪᕐᕉᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᓂᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓂᕈᐊᕈᖕᓇᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᒪᖕᒃᑕᓐᒥᑦ ᑎᖕᒥᓲᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᖕᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᕈᒪᒍᑎᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓕᕆᔨᓄᑦ ᑎᖕᒥᓲᖅᑎᙳᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᔪᕈᖕᓃᖅᓴᖅᑕᐅᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ.
ᐱᔭᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᑐᐊᑦ ᐆᒃᑐᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᓂ ᐅᑯᐊᖑᔪᑦ ᖁᑦᑎᖕᓂᖅᓴᒥᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕌᓂᒃᓯᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᖃᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖓ, 18-ᓂᒃ ᐅᖓᑖᓄᓪᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖃᕐᓗᓂ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑎᒥᒃᑯᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᒪᓂᖓ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᑦᑎᐊᕐᓗᓂ, ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓂᑦ ᑭᓇᐅᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᒃᑯᑕᖃᕐᓗᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᑐᙵᕕᒃᑯᓐᓂᑦ ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑕᐅᔾᔪᑎᖃᕐᓗᓂ.
“ᑎᖕᒥᓲᖅᑎᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᔪᕈᖕᓃᖅᓴᖅᓯᒪᓗᑎᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᙱᑦᑐᖅ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᒪᒡᒋᕗᕆ. “ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᔭᖓ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᑐᕌᖓᔪᒧᑦ. ᐱᕕᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᖅ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᑎᖕᒥᓲᖅᑎᐅᔪᒪᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᕕᖃᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᙱᖦᖢᑎᒃ ᑎᖕᒥᓲᖅᑎᙳᖅᓴᓂᕐᒥᒃ.”
ᐊᒥᓱᓂᒃ ᐆᒃᑐᖅᑐᖃᖁᑉᓗᓂᐅᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᐃᔪᖅ, ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑏᑦ ᓂᕈᐊᖅᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᑕᒫᑦ ᑐᕌᖓᔪᖅ ᐊᐅᓛᑐᐊᖅᐸᑦ - ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᖅ, ᑕᒪᑐᒧᖓ ᐅᑉᓗᕐᒥᑦ ᐃᓱᓕᕝᕕᒃᑕᖃᙱᑦᑐᖅ.
“ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᕋ ᑐᕌᖓᔪᖅ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᖕᒪᑦ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᖄᖅᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓄᑦ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᒪᒡᒋᕗᕆ. “ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒍᓱᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᖓ ᐅᖃᕈᖕᓇᕋᒪ ᑕᑯᕙᓪᓕᐊᓕᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕌᓂᒃᓴᔪᓂᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᑕᐅᑐᒃᖢᒋᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᓐᓂᖅᑖᕐᓂᖏᑦ ᑐᕌᖓᔪᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕌᓂᒡᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓯᕗᒻᒧᒡᓗᑎᒃ ᑎᖕᒥᓲᖅᑎᙳᒃᓴᓂᕐᒧᑦ.”
ᑐᕌᖓᔪᖅ ᐊᑦᑎᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᑎᒧᑎ ᐊᑎᒃ ‘ᑎᒃ’ ᒪᐃᓴᓐ-ᒥᑦ, ᓄᓇᖃᖅᖄᖅᑐᖅ ᑎᖕᒥᓲᖅᑎᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐳᕆᒥᑐ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᓯᒪᓂᖓ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕐᒥᑦ. ᒪᐃᓴᓐ ᔫᓄ-ᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᓯᒪᖕᒥᔪᖅ ᑎᑕᒃᑎᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᒫᓂᑑᐸᒥᑦ ᐊᒥᓲᖏᑦᑐᓄᑦ ᓚᐃᓴᖃᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᖄᖅᑐᑦ ᑎᖕᒥᓲᖅᑎᓄᑦ.
ᐆᒃᑐᕈᒪᔪᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᖕᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᕙᓂ indigenouspilotpathway.ca.
