Les. L. Carpenter, northern broadcaster and champion of Indigenous language radio programming has died.
Les Carpenter (right) as master of ceremonies during the signing of the Inuvaluit Final Agreement in Tuktoyaktuk in 1984.
Carpenter was the first chairman of the Inuvaluit Regional Corporation, which represents collective Inuvaluit interests in 90,650 square kilometres of land covered by the historic Inuvaluit Final Agreement.
Carpenter was most recently the CEO of Native Communications Society, which operates CKLB Radio, broadcasting in five Dene languages to 30 communities across the NWT.
He stepped down from that position as he fell ill.
He was known as “Mr. Saturday Night” on CBC Radio, held a post as the first mayor of Sachs Harbour, and was the chief negotiator in the creation of two national parks.
Born and raised in the Beaufort Delta, Carpenter worked as the vice president of the Inuit Circumpolar council and was a member of the United Nations Special Task Force on Aboriginal Peoples.
In his later years, he fought relentlessly against bureaucratic cuts that threatened the operation of CKLB Radio.
At the time, Canadian Heritage delayed federal funding, resulting in cuts, layoffs and a brief closure in 2014.
Through lobbying with NDP MP Dennis Bevington, Carpenter was able to secure funding and resume operations in 2015.
In the days following his passing, fellow broadcasters recognized Carpenter's willingness to take a chance on young journalists, to be a mentor for broadcasters and to fight for Indigenous language rights.
Carpenter left an indelible mark as a broadcaster, politician and defender of Indigenous language and culture.