Officer of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: April 6, 2006
• Invested on: December 15, 2006

Sheila Watt-Cloutier is a passionate and untiring leader for the Arctic's Indigenous peoples. As chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, she has raised awareness of the impact of climate change and pollution on the health and cultural survival of the Inuit people, as well as on the fragile Arctic environment. As a spokesperson, she persuaded the international community to agree to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. She also served as coordinator of the Nunavik Educational Task Force, which produced an influential report on the education system in northern Quebec. Over the years, she has consistently demonstrated a commitment to Canada's North and its people.