First of all, I'm aboriginal. I'm Mi'gmaq from Listuguj first nations in Quebec. My passion for the arts has been with me for 40 years. I'm almost 60 and about to retire. I hope I find somebody with the same passion to work in this area.
Indian and Northern Affairs is part of my life and has always been. It hasn't been that difficult to work there. For some reason, the support we get from the aboriginal community is astounding. They bring me gifts, they talk to me. When chiefs come to see the minister, a lot of times they'll come and see me. It's not just me; it's what's there. They want to see the collection. They want to make sure that we're responsible for it and that we're taking good care of it. That connection is so important.
It's not just first nations; it's everyone, including Métis. There is an Inuit woman from Igloolik. She had an exhibition in 2005, which she helped put together. It was quite touching for her, because she saw photographs that Indian and Northern Affairs had collected of Inuit for 50 years. When she saw one of them, she broke down in tears and told us that this was the only photograph she had of a daughter who had been killed in front of her. It was emotional. That kind of connection is with people, and that's what keeps the place going.