Indspire Awards


The Indspire Awards, until 2012 the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards, are annual awards presented by Indspire in Canada. The awards are intended to celebrate and encourage excellence in the Aboriginal community in Canada.

About

The awards were first established in 1993, and presented in 1994, in conjunction with the United Nations-declared International Decade of the World's Indigenous People. The awards are intended to celebrate and encourage excellence in the Indigenous community. Awards may be presented in a variety of categories, depending on the particular achievements of Aboriginal people in the nominating period—14 awards are presented each year including one for Lifetime Achievement and three special Youth Awards, one each for First Nations, Inuit and Métis, that comes with a cash prize of $10,000 and 10 career categories with not all individual career categories necessarily presented annually. To be eligible an individual must be of either First Nations, Inuit, or Métis heritage. Additionally they must demonstrate outstanding career achievement, and be a permanent Canadian resident or be Canadian born. The awards are broadcast annually on the Global Television Network and the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. Since 1985 Indspire through its Education Program has awarded more than $87 million in scholarships and bursaries to more than 25,00 First Nations, Inuit and Métis students nationwide.

Award categories

The award categories are:
  • Arts
  • Business and Commerce
  • Culture, Heritage and Spirituality
  • Education
  • Environment and Natural Resources
  • Health
  • Law and Justice
  • Politics
  • Public Service
  • Sports
  • Lifetime Achievement Award
  • Youth Award, First Nation
  • Youth Award, Inuit
  • Youth Award, Métis

    Eligibility criteria

Individuals of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis ancestry who have reached a significant level of achievement in their respective occupations are eligible for nomination. Any person may nominate a candidate they deem to be worthy of this recognition with reference to the following criteria:
  • Of First Nations, Inuit or Métis heritage
  • Who demonstrate outstanding career achievement
  • Of any age with the exception of the youth category
  • Permanent Canadian resident or Canadian born
  • Youth achiever nominees must be 15–27 years of age

    Recipients

Each year 14 recipients are recognized for their outstanding accomplishments in various disciplines ranging from health, law, political science, culture, arts, and others, two of which are specific recognition to one outstanding youth achiever and one lifetime achievement recipient. The awards are recognized both nationally and internationally as one of the highest honours the community can bestow upon its own achievers.

1994

  • William Lyall, Business
  • Jean Cuthand Goodwill, Community Service
  • Verna Kirkness, Education
  • Cindy Kenny-Gilday, Environment
  • Alanis Obomsawin, Film
  • Murray Sinclair, Justice
  • Bill Reid, Lifetime Achievement
  • Susan Aglukark, Performance
  • Thelma Chalifoux, Public Service
  • Nellie Cournoyea, Public Service
  • Rosemarie Kuptana, Public Service
  • Art Solomon, Spiritual Leadership
  • Ted Nolan, Sports

    1995

  • Douglas Cardinal, Architecture
  • Robert Davidson, Arts and Culture
  • Frank Hansen, Business and Culture
  • Louis Stevenson, Community Development
  • Ernest Benedict, Education
  • Marie Smallface Marule, Education
  • Ahab Spence, Education
  • Matthew Coon Come, Environment and Public Service
  • Maggie Hodgson, Health Services
  • Alfred Scow, Law and Justice
  • Kenojuak Ashevak, Lifetime Achievement
  • Noah Carpenter, Medicine
  • Sharla Tiakohatéhkwen Howard, Special Youth
  • Angela Chalmers, Sports

    1996

  • Maria Campbell, Arts
  • Tom Jackson, Arts
  • Rose Auger, Culture, Heritage & Spirituality
  • James Watson Walkus, Culture, Heritage & Spirituality
  • Marlene Brant Castellano, Education
  • Mary Simon, Environment and Natural Resources
  • Frank Arthur Calder, Lifetime Achievement
  • Yvon Dumont, Public Service
  • Phil Fontaine, Public Service
  • Elijah Harper, Public Service
  • Albert Charles Rock, Science and Technology
  • Robert E. Johnson Jr., Special Youth
  • Alwyn Morris, Sports
  • Mary Two-Axe Earley, Women's Rights

    1997

  • Kiawak Ashoona, Arts
  • Gil Cardinal, Arts
  • Graham Greene, Arts
  • Rita Joe, Arts
  • Billy Diamond, Business & Commerce
  • Charlie Watt, Community Development
  • Stanley John McKay, Culture, Heritage & Spirituality
  • Martin Gale McLoughlin, Health
  • Chester R. Cunningham, Law & Justice
  • Harry S. LaForme, Law & Justice
  • Olive Dickason, Lifetime Achievement
  • Stephen Kakfwi, Public Service
  • George Berthe, Special Youth
  • Darren Zack, Sports

    1998

  • Tantoo Cardinal, Arts
  • Daphne Odjig, Arts
  • Tagak Curley, Business & Commerce
  • Abel Bosum, Community Development
  • Emily Jane Faries, Education
  • Cornelia Wieman, Health
  • Joe Crowshoe, Heritage and Spirituality
  • Roberta Jamieson, Law & Justice
  • Buffy Sainte-Marie, Lifetime Achievement
  • John Amagoalik, Public Service
  • Georges Erasmus, Public Service
  • Dan E. Goodleaf, Public Service
  • Wade R. Cachagee, Special Youth
  • Bryan Trottier, Sports

    1999

  • Dorothy Grant, Business & Commerce
  • David Gabriel Tuccaro, Business & Commerce
  • Dorothy Betz, Community Development
  • Theresa Stevenson, Community Development
  • Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk, Culture, Heritage & Spirituality
  • Howard Adams, Education
  • Malcolm King, Health
  • Edward Kantonkote Cree, Health
  • James Igloliorte, Law & Justice
  • Rose Toodick Boyko, Law & Justice
  • Allen Sapp, Lifetime Achievement
  • James Bartleman, Public Service
  • Lillian Dyck, Science
  • ‘Alika LaFontaine, Youth

    2000

  • Art Thompson, Arts
  • John Charles Bernard, Business & Commerce
  • Roy Albert Whitney, Business & Commerce
  • Paul J. Birckel, Community Development
  • Simon Baker, Culture, Heritage & Spirituality
  • Edith Josie, Culture, Heritage & Spirituality
  • Jo-Ann Archibald, Education
  • Miles G. Richardson, Environment and Natural Resources
  • Fjola Hart-Wasekeesikaw, Health
  • Steven Point, Law & Justice
  • Joseph Arthur Gosnell, Lifetime Achievement
  • Leetia Ineak, Media & Communication
  • Konrad Haskan Sioui, Public Service
  • Waneek Horn-Miller, Special Youth

    2001

  • Tomson Highway, Arts
  • Dolly Watts, Business & Commerce
  • Fred House, Community Development
  • Mariano Aupilardjuk, Culture, Heritage & Spirituality
  • Freda Ahenakew, Education
  • Mary Thomas, Environment and Natural Resources
  • Lindsay Crowshoe, Health
  • Harold Cardinal, Lifetime Achievement
  • Roman Bittman, Media & Communication
  • Zacharias Kunuk, Media & Communication
  • Leonard Marchand, Public Service
  • Richard Nerysoo, Public Service
  • Nick Sibbeston, Public Service
  • Lance Relland, Special Youth

    2002

  • Ohito Ashoona, Arts
  • Freda Diesing, Arts
  • Harry Deneron, Business & Commerce
  • Leonard G. Flett, Business & Commerce
  • George Kurszewski, Community Development
  • Noel Knockwood, Culture, Heritage & Spirituality
  • Roy Fox, Energy
  • Gilles Pinette, Health
  • Alex Janvier, Lifetime Achievement
  • Gail Guthrie Valaskakis, Media & Communication
  • Jonah Kelly, Media & Communication
  • Joseph Tokwiro Norton, Public Service
  • Jordin Tootoo, Special Youth
  • Michael Nepinak, Sports

    2003

  • John Arcand, Arts
  • Tom King, Arts
  • Mel E. Benson, Business & Commerce
  • Gary Bosgoed, Business & Commerce
  • Mary Richard, Community Development
  • Charles Edward Lennie, Culture, Heritage & Spirituality
  • Leroy Little Bear, Education
  • Simon Lucas, Environment and Natural Resources
  • Judith Bartlett, Health
  • Jay Wortman, Health
  • John J. Borrows, Law & Justice
  • Robbie Robertson, Lifetime Achievement
  • Sophie Pierre, Public Service
  • Matthew Dunn, Special Youth

    2004

  • Tina Keeper, Arts
  • Susan Point, Arts
  • Osuitok Ipeelee, Arts
  • Clarence Louie, Business & Commerce
  • Basil Johnston, Culture, Heritage & Spirituality
  • Carl Urion, Education
  • Sheila Watt-Cloutier, Environment and Natural Resources
  • Stanley Vollant, Health
  • Muriel Stanley Venne, Law & Justice
  • Andrew T. Delisle Sr., Lifetime Achievement
  • Suzanne Rochon-Burnett, Media & Communication
  • Pearl Calahasen, Public Service
  • Lee Wilson, Science and Technology
  • Kristinn Frederickson, Special Youth

    2005

  • Joe Jacobs, Arts
  • Gerald McMaster, Arts
  • Douglas Golosky, Business & Commerce
  • Judy Gingell, Community Development
  • John Joe Sark, Culture, Heritage & Spirituality
  • Eber Hampton, Education
  • Emma LaRocque, Education
  • Andy Carpenter Sr., Environment and Natural Resources
  • Thomas Dignan, Health
  • Bertha Allen, Lifetime Achievement
  • Brenda Chambers, Media & Communication
  • Lolly Annahatak, Social Services
  • Fauna Kingdon, Special Youth
  • Sharon Anne Firth, Sports

    2006

  • Jane Ash Poitras, Arts
  • Bernd Christmas, Business & Commerce
  • Wendy Grant-John, Community Development
  • Gladys Taylor Cook, Culture, Heritage & Spirituality
  • Taiaiake Alfred, Education
  • Billy Day, Environment and Natural Resources
  • Herb Belcourt, Housing
  • James Youngblood Henderson, Law & Justice
  • Jim Sinclair, Lifetime Achievement
  • Myra Cree, Media & Communication
  • George Tuccaro, Media & Communication
  • Tony Belcourt, Public Service
  • Andrea Dykstra, Special Youth
  • Shirley Firth Larsson, Sports

    2007

  • Joane Cardinal-Schubert, Arts
  • Jack Poole, Business & Commerce
  • Alestine Andre, Culture, Heritage & Spirituality
  • Joe Michel, Education
  • David Walkem, Environment and Natural Resources
  • Joseph Couture, Health
  • Hugh Braker, Law & Justice
  • Bertha Clark Jones, Lifetime Achievement
  • Lisa Meeches, Media & Communication
  • Fred Carmichael, Politics
  • Lewis Cardinal, Public Service
  • James Makokis, Special Youth
  • Wegadesk Gorup-Paul, Sports
  • Monica Peters, Technology & Trades