Keeping the Northern Lights On

Madeleine Redfern is an Inuit businesswoman and former two-term
mayor of Iqaluit in the far northern Canadian territory of
Nunavut. Redfern describes the harsh energy situation in Canada’s
remote, indigenous communities, which face extreme darkness and
cold, a reliance on diesel generators, limited ability to
fundraise for new projects, and high costs. She assesses the
merits of different energy technologies for these communities,
making clear the challenge of choosing an energy path in a
situation with so many constraints. Madeleine Redfern has been a
prominent advisor and consultant on telecommunications,
transportation, and energy in Canada, including for Canadian
Nuclear Laboratories. She has also been a central member and
volunteer of several Aboriginal and Inuit organizations
addressing issues of housing, education, and health.