Tune in to either APTN, APTN lumi, CBC TV or CBC Gem on June 18 to catch this year’s special broadcast of the 2023 Indspire Awards.
Indspire announced the recipients of the 2023 Indspire Awards on May 10. Twelve outstanding Indigenous achievers from a diverse list of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities were honoured during a gala on May 11 in Edmonton. Their accomplishments will be celebrated during a special broadcast on Sunday, June 18 on APTN, APTN lumi, CBC TV and CBC Gem, and heard on CBC Radio One and CBC Listen.
“We have many reasons to celebrate during this year’s Indspire Awards ceremony,” said President and CEO Mike DeGagné, in a May 10 release. “The 30th anniversary is a meaningful opportunity to honour this year’s laureates along with the 408 Indigenous leaders who have received awards in the past; it also stands as a testament to the friends, family, loved ones and co-workers who have assisted them in their important work. We are pleased and proud to recognize the contributions made by so many people, creating generations of Indigenous achievement coast to coast to coast.”
The Indspire Awards reach a significant milestone this year as 2023 marks 30 years of honouring First Nations, Inuit, and Métis individuals who demonstrate outstanding achievement across Turtle Island and beyond. To commemorate this special anniversary, this year’s gala event will include an evening reception, dinner, and post-reception where stories and accomplishments of Laureates present and past will be shared with guests.
The Indspire Awards represent the highest honour the Indigenous community bestows upon its own people, recognizing Indigenous professionals and youth who demonstrate outstanding career achievement on a national level in a variety of fields, including: the arts; business and commerce; culture, heritage and spirituality; education; health; law and justice; public service; sports; and lifetime achievement. Three Youth Award winners are also being honoured for their accomplishments, serving as role models to other First Nations, Inuit, and Métis youth in their communities and across Canada.
The recipients of the 2023 Indspire Awards are:
Youth Recipient Reanna Merasty Barren Lands First Nation, Man.
Youth Recipient Willow Allen Inuvik, NT
Youth Recipient Ruby Bruce Manitoba Métis Federation, Man.
Arts Sandra Laronde Temagami First Nation, Ont.
Business & Commerce Kylik Kisoun Taylor Inuvik, NT
Culture, Heritage, & Spirituality Jennine Krauchi Manitoba Métis Federation, Man.
Education Lori Campbell Montreal Lake Cree Nation, Sask.
Health Dr. Christopher Mushquash Pays Plat First Nation, Ont.
Law & Justice Madame Justice Ardith Wal’petko We’dalx Walkem Cook’s Ferry Indian Band, Nlaka’pamux Nation, B.C.
Public Service Shirley Cuillierrier Member of Kahnesatake Mohawk Nation, Qec.
Sports Joe Dion Buffalo Samson Cree Nation, Alta.
Lifetime Achievement Albert D. Marshall Eskasoni First Nation, N.S.
For more information about each of the recipients, visit Indspire’s website.
“APTN is thrilled to celebrate three decades of Indspire’s important work with the 30th anniversary broadcast of the Indspire Awards,” said APTN CEO Monika Ille in a May 10 release. “Each year, the Indspire Awards give us a new opportunity to show our gratitude to the Indigenous leaders who are at the forefront of positive change in their communities. These changemakers remind us that we have the responsibility to grow, to do right by our communities and to become the authors of our own stories.”
Each recipient will be presented with a gold pin featuring a Canadian diamond unearthed from the Diavik mine in the Northwest Territories and supplied by Rio Tinto.
“As the Awards mark their 30th anniversary, we’re honoured to celebrate this important milestone with our partners at Indspire and APTN, recognizing three decades of Indigenous leadership,” said Barbara Williams, executive vice-president, CBC. “On June 18, we look forward to sharing the impressive accomplishments of this year’s Laureates with audiences across the country, shining a spotlight on the positive impacts they’ve made in their communities and far beyond.”
The awards ceremony will be broadcast during National Indigenous History Month.
