When asked why I want to run for MLA and more specifically what do I have to offer, I think of my six years spent working as an instructor with the Native Women’s Association of the NWT. It was here that I learned first-hand how a lack of investment in housing, mental health, childcare, food security, addictions, and intimate partner violence, has very real consequences. That behind every statistic is a person.
I grew up in Kapuskasing, Ontario, a small town located 850km northwest of Toronto. As a child I developed a love of northern communities with time spent playing sports, snowmobiling, breaking things, building things, and scheming with friends. It was also here that I became aware of the vulnerabilities of a resource-based economy. My father, Craig Tracy, after working in the local paper mill since the age of 18, was ‘downsized’ in his mid-50s with a wife and four children to support.
After completing high school I travelled to St. Catharines, Ontario to complete a Bachelor of Science Degree. Following graduation, I worked as a field technician with the Ministry of Natural Resources in Northern Ontario. After several years I returned to university to complete a graduate degree followed by employment with the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario. Here I collaborated on a research project that involved decommissioning abandoned Arctic radar sites built during the cold war known as the DEW Line. It was through this work that I was introduced to the Canadian Arctic with my first field placement being Tuktoyaktuk, NWT. After working several summers in the far north I returned to school to become a teacher. After graduation I spent a year teaching in Fort Albany, Ontario, a fly-in First Nations Reserve located on the James Bay Coast. Fort Albany was the former home of St. Anne’s Residential School. Despite completing three university degrees, I could not recall ever learning about the residential school system. Seventeen, of my 19 adult learners in Fort Albany were residential school survivors. Over the next nine months I heard first-hand about the atrocities of the residential school system and it became undeniably clear that reconciliation would require a herculean effort nation-wide that would take generations to realize – if ever.
Teaching jobs were scarce in Ontario at the time and my wife and I, both having a taste of life in the north, were keen to leave the freeze-thaw winters of Southeastern Ontario and decided to relocate to Yellowknife. Within a few weeks of arriving we were certain we had made the right choice. From the sports scene and endless outdoor recreation possibilities to the cultural diversity and vibrant arts scene, we truly felt we found the perfect Canadian city. In fact, within a couple of months, it felt like we had lived here for decades. As an added bonus, shortly after arriving, I was offered teaching positions at three different institutions: Aurora College, K’àlemì Dene School, and The Native Women’s Association. I decided to accept a position with the Native Women’s Association, which turned out to be a fabulous decision!
More recently my time has been split between parenting our three children (aged, 9, 12 & 13) and working part-time. Recent employment has included teaching at St Pat’s High School, managing the Habitat for Humanity Restore, and running my own small business – Northern Reach Community Consulting – which is primarily focused on providing support to the housing and education sectors across the north.
Since 2007 I have been involved with various organizations, including the Yellowknife Smart Growth Committee, Ecology North, Yellowknife Minor Hockey Association, Yellowknife Curling Club, Arctic Winter Games, Habitat for Humanity as well as coaching high school sports.
In my free time I enjoy carpentry, sports, music, camping, and spending time with my family. I can usually be found at the landfill, the Rat Lake Rink, around a campfire laughing at my own jokes, or listening to music in my backyard. Below are a few more pictures that hopefully tell you more about my hobbies and interests.
If you have questions, suggestions, or concerns, I would love to hear from you. I am always open to new ideas. Click here for my contact information.
Thank you!
