What happens when a would-be lawyer stumbles into a remote Indigenous community in northern Alberta and never quite leaves? In Gabrielle Slowey’s case, it launched a career dedicated to exploring Indigenous self-government, resource politics, and the evolving future of the Canadian Arctic. A political scientist with a storyteller’s heart, Gabrielle has spent decades working closely with communities across the North – often in places no road can reach. She’s lived the research, crafting policy, sitting with elders, and even jumping into glacier lakes. Ahead of her upcoming journeys with Swan Hellenic through the Northwest Passage and Torngat Mountains, Gabrielle shares why the Arctic is more than breathtaking views – it’s a lived-in, governed, changing world that deserves deeper attention.
"I’m an in-person person – I don't do politics by remote control. We have two eyes and two ears for reason."
"Self-government isn’t new for Indigenous people. They were self-governing long before we all showed up."
Hi Gabrielle! Your work covers everything from Indigenous governance to energy politics in the Arctic. What first drew you into this complex and fascinating field?
Gabrielle: I had originally planned to become a constitutional lawyer. But while studying, I worked part-time at a law firm and quickly realized I didn’t enjoy the practice – just the idea of law. In my final year, I took a course at the University of Toronto called “The Politics of the Northwest Territories.” Around that time, Nunavut, a new Inuit homeland was being created, and I stumbled across a Globe and Mail article mentioning there might be diamonds in the North. I thought: this is fascinating. I wrote a paper on governance and land claims, got an A+, and realized there was something here – a connection between governance, resources, and Indigenous communities. That led to a master’s degree in New Brunswick and eventually to a job in Fort Chipewyan, Alberta, as a self-government officer. I flew across the country – without a map, this was before Google Earth! – and landed in a fly-in-only community just north of what we then called the tar sands. I was helping the First Nation draft bylaws and policing agreements – not from the outside, but working directly with them. So I kind of fell into it through geography, curiosity, and timing!
You’ve spent years working directly with Indigenous communities across Canada and beyond. How has that shaped the way you understand the Arctic?
Gabrielle: Most people think of the Arctic through imagery or literary ideas – as vast, untouched, maybe even barren. But for Indigenous communities, it's home. What we call space is a caribou migration route, a hunting or travel path – networks of territory that are very much used. They're open, yes, but not underutilized or barren, as people like to say. Being in the community and seeing it through their lens gave me a far deeper understanding of both the challenges and the beauty of what the Arctic really is.
You'll be joining Swan Hellenic guests on two back-to-back Arctic cruises in 2025. What are you most excited to share with travelers along the Northwest Passage?
Gabrielle: I’m most excited about the Torngat Mountains, but I’m also very excited to go to the Northwest Passage. Not many Canadians get to actually go, and to have the chance see it and imagine what it was like for the early explorers is a real gift. I’m really looking forward to giving a whole lecture on the Franklin Expedition, and I’m also preparing a talk with stories from Inuit who’ve shared how that landscape is changing. I just hope the guests don’t throw me overboard because I’ll be talking nonstop!
Community over concept
What’s one thing you think first-time visitors to the Canadian Arctic will be surprised to learn?
Gabrielle: That the Canadian government ignored the Arctic for most of its history. It wasn’t until World War II, when the Americans got involved, that the government started to pay attention. And then came massive change – much of it painful. One example is the High Arctic Relocation, where the government forcibly moved Inuit people to assert sovereignty. They were treated as human flags. And yet, despite all of this, Inuit communities are very proud to be Canadian, which is an interesting part of the story.
When you’re not teaching or researching, what’s your favorite way to experience the North?
Gabrielle: Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever truly not been teaching or researching! But that old expression – do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life – really applies. I’ve had unforgettable experiences: dog sledding in the middle of winter night in Old Crow, attending potlatches in Champagne-Aishihik territory, and been on some fun hikes in the Yukon. I’m not a tourist – I get to hang out, be put to work, and drink a lot of tea!
Your research often looks at the politics behind natural resources – but when you're standing on deck watching icebergs drift by, what goes through your mind?
Gabrielle: I haven’t stood there yet – but that’s the part I’m most curious about. I’ve been thinking about offshore oil, narwhal migration, and seismic testings. I know about it, but actually visiting these places? That’s key to my research. I’m an in-person person – I don't do politics by remote control. One of the things I’ve been taught in community is that we have two eyes and two ears for reason. I’m there to watch and to listen, and only speak when it's important. So this will be my opportunity to exercise my eyes and my ears!
Where politics meets place
What do you think cruise guests need to understand about the political landscape of the Arctic today?
Gabrielle: That there’s no single “Arctic.” We have three very distinct territories with very distinct cultures and experiences. There’s Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut and they’re all very different. In fact, we created Nunavut because Inuit wanted governance separate from Dene and Métis peoples. These are governments now – not just communities. The federal government can’t dictate what they do – which is how it's been historically . Now these territories have a place at the table and they have a say in what happens. That’s changing how Canada must operate in the North.
One of your recent projects explores how Inuit hiring preferences interact with southern trade unions. How do you make that kind of research engaging when you lecture?
Gabrielle: Even in my world, few people are talking about it! Nunavut imports 85% of its tradespeople. That’s a huge number – and it means Inuit are missing out on jobs. But things are changing. One Inuit organization created an app where hunters and sewers can input their skills, and it generates a resume that translates those abilities into marketable roles, so people can get jobs. It’s a strategy for economic reconciliation – for finding ways to match traditional life with modern opportunity.
Your work reminds us the Arctic isn’t just vast and wild, it’s also a political and profoundly lived-in place. How do you navigate that tension when lecturing?
Gabrielle: I’m not always the best at this – Inuit speakers are often much better at it. But one way I approach it is by putting up a picture and asking: What do you see? If you see nothing, I encourage you to look again – like that movie, The Matrix, where the code behind the surface shows the true network. That’s how the Arctic works: it’s a city, just not one with skyscrapers and highways. It’s full of meaning, connection, and routes. We just have to learn to read it.
You’ve written a lot about land, power, and community – but what’s your favorite “human” moment from your Arctic travels?
Gabrielle: I’ve had so many amazing experiences, including potlatches and hikes to glaciers. Certain phrases stick out in my mind. For instance, one time when I asked an elder about agreements, land claims, and treaties, they told me: “It means we don’t ask anymore.” In the old days when the territories were under the Indian Act, they had to ask the federal government for stuff. But as a government, they get to decide now. So that felt like a powerful statement. Another one that’s stayed with me: “Our kids wear one moccasin and one running shoe.” That idea – of living in both worlds – captures so much about what’s happening in the Arctic right now.
picture courtesy of @glendoncampus
Stories and small moments
When you’re off-duty on board, what’s your go-to activity?
Gabrielle: Hot chocolate – no question! I also love to swim, though I’ve learned not to put my head under in glacier water. One of my first trips to the Yukon really drove that home. I was out in the St. Elias range with a group that included three girls and their mom. We hiked out to a glacier, and got in the water. It was hot out, so I dunked my head under. The second I came up, it felt like a laser beam had sliced through my skull because it was cold. The girls just burst out laughing and told me no one puts their head under the water! That was a lesson I learned fast. Now I get in the water, but I never dunk my head! I’ll definitely be chatting a lot too. I’m so curious about the guests – why they chose this trip, what they want to learn. That’s where the magic really happens.
You’ve worked with communities all over the Arctic – what’s something about daily life in the North that people don’t expect?
Gabrielle: Water is trucked in to the houses, and sewage is pumped out every day. There’s no underground plumbing. Most towns have one store – called the Northern – where you buy everything from diapers to skidoos. There's no recycling facilities. And there’s no pavement, it’s all dirt roads. It shocks people – but that’s daily life in the Canadian Arctic.
How do you make big political ideas – like self-determination or reconciliation – accessible and engaging for travelers?
Gabrielle: It’s like teaching. You bring it down to human scale. Self-government isn’t new – Indigenous people were governing themselves long before we showed up. Now it’s about choosing their own paths. Reconciliation is about recognizing the injuries we as settlers have caused and imposed on Indigenous peoples – and creating space for healing and to repair relationships. I guess my passion and excitement for these subjects encourages others to understand.
You've seen the Arctic in so many different lights. How does it feel to be in a place where daylight and darkness can last for weeks at a time?
Gabrielle: It’s phenomenal. I’ve been there in February where the sun comes up at 10 and just kind of goes along the horizon and goes down. And I’ve been there in summer, when the sun never sets. The first time, I didn’t know to pack an eye mask, but I’ve learned now! It’s part of what makes the Arctic so unique. Everything is different – even the way light works.
And finally – after all your research, travel, and teaching – what’s one thing about the Canadian Arctic that still surprises you every time you return?
Gabrielle: That it’s never the same. It’s always changing – politically, culturally, environmentally. People tend to think of it as static. But like the sea ice and the people who live there, it’s in constant motion. That’s what keeps me coming back.