The applause and words of praise were heartfelt and many following the announcement of Grace Mackenzie as the 2023 recipient of the NWT Women in Mining award during last November’s Yellowknife Geoscience Forum.
Women in Mining Canada chair, Melissa Ng, described Grace as “a leader and advocate for mining in the Northwest Territories, and particularly for Indigenous participation in the industry”.
Other testimonies underscored Grace’s “decades of experience and commitment to cultural respect and equity”, as well as her “warm and honest approach” that fosters positive working relationships between the territorial government and Indigenous communities.
“Grace’s ongoing commitment to improve working relationships between workers and mining leadership cannot be understated,” Tłı̨chǫ Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty said. “Her ability to build relationships with a cross-section of stakeholders is a foundational piece in the continued growth and advancement of Tłı̨chǫ people.”
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Ms. Mackenzie is a Tłı̨chǫ member who has dedicated her career to effective collaboration between the Tłı̨chǫ people and the mining industry. Her track record in HR and mining is both rich and varied. It includes services rendered for all three of the NWT’s active diamond mines.
It began during the exciting period of mine construction at Diavik where her warm and honest approach was able to partner management and employees to troubleshoot and solve issues and to find and establish workable solutions.
At DeBeers, she added the role of community liaison and was instrumental in creating cultural awareness programs for employees promoting respect and understanding between management and staff and among colleagues. For more than a decade, Grace travelled to schools in the Great Slave Region delivering DeBeers’ Canada’s Books in Homes program.
Today, as the Tłı̨chǫ Mine Liason Coordinator for the Tłı̨chǫ Government, Grace ensures Tłı̨chǫ residents understand their benefits and receive all that they qualify for.
“As a Tłı̨chǫ woman, actively advocating for my Indigenous brothers and sisters in mining is incredibly rewarding,” Grace said on receiving her award.