Photo: Jordin Tootoo will deliver a keynote presentation in each community.
By: Nicole Goldsworthy,
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
SASKTODAY.ca
Former NHL player and bestselling author Jordin Tootoo will visit four northern Saskatchewan communities this month as part of a tour designed to inspire youth through stories of perseverance, leadership and overcoming adversity.
The Jordin Tootoo Athabasca Tour is being organized by Athabasca Basin Development (ABD) in partnership with Cameco, local schools and community organizations. The tour will include stops in Black Lake/Stony Rapids, Fond du Lac, Wollaston Lake/Hatchet Lake and Uranium City.
According to Kristy Jackson, director of marketing and communications for Athabasca Basin Development, the initiative aligns with the organization’s goal of bringing unique educational and cultural opportunities to remote northern communities.
“Athabasca Basin Development is owned by communities in the Athabasca Basin area of northern Saskatchewan. Our donations program focuses on initiatives that directly benefit the people who live in these communities,” Jackson told SaskToday.
“One of the goals of our program is to bring experiences and speakers to students in these remote communities that they might not otherwise have access to.”
Jackson said ABD has previously supported tours by Persephone Theatre, Canada’s Got Talent winner Rebecca Strong and acclaimed Indigenous author David A. Robertson.
“One of our board members suggested Jordin Tootoo because there are so many hockey fans in the north, and we were thrilled when Jordin agreed,” she said. “When we talked to our co-sponsor, Cameco, they were also excited to be on board.”
Tootoo made history as the first Inuk player drafted to the National Hockey League and went on to play 13 seasons in the NHL with the Nashville Predators, Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils and Chicago Blackhawks. During his career, he recorded 161 points, including 65 goals, in 723 games.
Today, Tootoo is also recognized as an author and advocate. His books, All the Way: My Life on Ice and Mind Over Matter: Hard-Won Battles on the Road to Hope, detail his experiences with personal loss, addiction and recovery. He is also co-founder of the Team Tootoo Foundation and received the Meritorious Service Medal in 2016 for his community work.
As part of the tour, Tootoo will deliver a keynote presentation in each community, followed by a question-and-answer session and a meet-and-greet with attendees.
“I hope this journey reminds our youth that they carry the strength, stories and resilience of those who came before them, and that they have the power to shape what comes next,” Tootoo said.
Jackson said organizers expect approximately 1,500 people to attend the events, which will be hosted in local schools but remain open to community members as well.
Youth will have the opportunity to ask questions directly to Tootoo and meet the former NHL player following his presentations.
The tour was planned in collaboration with the Athabasca Denesuline Education Authority, Northern Lights School Division, Rise Air, Cameco and numerous local volunteers.
“We worked closely with Athabasca Denesuline Education Authority while planning this tour, and they agreed to host it in their schools and open it to the community,” Jackson said.
She noted that Father Porte Memorial Dene School also arranged transportation so students from nearby Stony Rapids could attend the event in Black Lake.
Partnerships were critical to making a multi-community tour in northern Saskatchewan possible, Jackson added.
“Events like this are only possible through partnerships. We could not have pulled off a complex multi-community tour without the help of Cameco, Athabasca Denesuline Education Authority, Rise Air, Northern Lights School Division, and the community members of Uranium City, Black Lake, Stony Rapids, Fond du Lac and Hatchet Lake/Wollaston Lake who gave their time.”
For Athabasca Basin Development, the visit is about more than hockey. Organizers hope youth will see firsthand how determination, resilience and community support can help overcome life’s challenges.
By sharing his experiences both on and off the ice, Tootoo is expected to deliver a message that resonates with young people across northern Saskatchewan, encouraging them to pursue their goals while remaining connected to their communities and cultures.
Jordin Tootoo will be touring four northern communities.