Inuvik man meets Minister Carolyn Bennett, who delivered him 26 years ago
A man in Inuvik was particularly excited about meeting the minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs when she was in town last week, but it had nothing to do with land claims or food subsidies: Carolyn Bennett delivered him.
Prior to her election, Bennett was a family physician and worked at Women's College Hospital in Toronto. That's where she met Paul Gould for the first time 26 years ago.
Gould is a sign painter and muralist by trade and recently moved to Inuvik to take in the summer solstice and the Great Northern Arts Festival.
"I naturally have a very inquisitive mind so I asked my mother, 'Who delivered me, who was involved with me becoming a human being?'" he says.
"And she let me know who Carolyn Bennett was and I was a little bit interested in maintaining a connection with people who have been around me and in my life."
Special moment
Gould was taking part in a caribou hair tufting workshop last week when he finally got to meet Bennett — again — and get a photo.
It was a special moment for Gould, who says he's been following Bennett's career and looks up to her.
"Every time I see her doing something, I'm like, that's the woman that delivered me," he said.
He also admires her humanitarian work and how connected she is to communities.
During their meeting, Gould said Bennett was very invested in the festival and what he was working on.
"She said she thoroughly enjoyed working at the Women's College Hospital and it was really nice to see the babies that she delivered become humans."
