Levinia Brown facts for kids

Levinia Nuqaalaq Brown was born in 1947 in Dawson Inlet, Nunavut. She is an Inuk politician from Canada. She served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Rankin Inlet South/Whale Cove in Nunavut from 2004 to 2008.

Other MLAs chose her to join the Executive Council of Nunavut. This is like a special team of leaders. Premier Paul Okalik made her the Deputy Premier in 2004. She was also in charge of Community and Government Services for Nunavut.

Before becoming an MLA, Ms. Brown was the first female mayor of Rankin Inlet. She also served on the town's council. She helped start the Eastern Arctic Teacher Education Program, which is now the Nunavut Teacher Education Program. Outside of politics, she worked as a classroom assistant and a certified nursing assistant. She also worked with local housing and education groups. She speaks Inuktitut.

Levinia Brown's Political Journey

Serving Rankin Inlet

Starting in 1995, Ms. Brown was part of the hamlet council for Rankin Inlet. She believed voters needed more information before deciding on land sales. This idea was also shared by other local leaders.

During the creation of Nunavut in 1999, she spoke to CBC Radio. She helped people in southern Canada understand how important this event was. In 2000, many women were elected to councils in the Kivalliq Region. Ms. Brown was happy to see women seeking office. She said it was important to have women, elders, and youth represented in government.

Ms. Brown was the first woman to be mayor of Rankin Inlet. She once spoke to the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation. She talked about the harm caused by the mining industry in the hamlet.

Work in Nunavut's Assembly

On February 16, 2004, Ms. Brown was elected to represent Rankin Inlet South/Whale Cove. She joined the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut. Other MLAs then chose her to be part of the Executive Council of Nunavut. Premier Paul Okalik named her Deputy Premier on March 9.

During her time, she focused on improving the territory's health and well-being. She believed in combining social changes, economic growth, and community power. She also served as the Minister of Health and Social Services.

In 2006, Premier Okalik, Education Minister Ed Picco, and Ms. Brown made an announcement. They said Rankin Inlet would get money for a trade school. This school would be part of the Nunavut Arctic College. It would offer more career training. Today, it is known as Sanatuliqsarvik, or the Nunavut Trades Training Centre.

In 2008, Ms. Brown ran for re-election but lost. Lorne Kusugak, the mayor of Rankin Inlet, won with 62% of the votes. Many new people were elected to the Legislative Assembly that year.

After the Assembly

In 2016, Ms. Brown ran for president of the Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI). Her main goals were to help elders, lower food prices, and create more jobs. She also wanted more financial openness. She noted that elders were often sent to southern areas for care. This meant they were away from their families and traditional foods.

For young people, she suggested working with different levels of government. She wanted to find more opportunities for them. To help with unemployment, she proposed training for NTI members. She wanted them to get higher-level jobs, not just service roles. She also thought about building a road from Manitoba to Nunavut. This could create jobs and lower food costs.

In 2019, Ms. Brown shared that she didn't initially support the creation of Nunavut. However, she admired the determination of those who did. She eventually became happy that the territory had its own government. She also said that housing poverty was still a big problem. This included issues like overcrowding and mold. She noted that the region needed more medical equipment and facilities. Medical travel and emergency medical evacuation were very expensive. She hoped to see more Inuit representation in government in the future.

In 2020, Ms. Brown was appointed to the Governing Circle of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR).

Levinia Brown's Personal Life

Ms. Brown was born in 1947 in Dawson Inlet, Nunavut. Her father delivered her because there were no nurses or doctors nearby. As a child, she celebrated Christmas with gifts from relatives. These gifts included southern-made items or Inuit clothing, like kamiks. She would go to mass at the local mission church. People would travel there by dog sled from nearby camps. After church dinner, they played games and had races outdoors. Prizes included large bags of flour and sugar. These bags were later used as household items.

Ms. Brown attended school in Chesterfield Inlet as a day student. She was not allowed to speak Inuktitut there. She also went to school in Churchill, Manitoba. After school, she became Rankin Inlet's first teaching aid. She then graduated as a Certified Nursing Assistant and worked in several territories.

In 1978, Ms. Brown became a Northwest Territories Classroom Assistant. She played a key role in creating an Eastern Arctic Teacher Education Program in Iqaluit. Two years later, she became the first chair of the Keewatin Regional Education Authority. Before becoming mayor, she also chaired the local housing authority. She worked as an information officer and served as deputy mayor.

Ms. Brown is married to Ron Brown. They have 10 children, including 3 who are custom adopted.