Board Members
The Board is composed of five members, one of whom acts as Chairperson. Members are appointed for a three-year term by the following method:
- Two members are appointed by the federal Minister responsible for Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, upon nomination by the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee) Designated Organization (GDO)
- One member is appointed by a Minister of the Government of Canada
- One member is appointed by the Minister responsible for Renewable Resources of the Government of Nunavut
- The chairperson is appointed by the federal Minister responsible for Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada in consultation with the Government of Nunavut and the GDO, from a nomination agreed to and provided by the members of the Board (in the nomination and appointment of a chairperson, preference shall be given to residents of Eeyou Istchee where candidates are equally qualified)
Chairperson
Isaac Masty
Cree Nation Government
Isaac Masty
Isaac is a Cree residing in Whapmagoostui, Quebec. He was born inland, about 80 km east of the community, during the nomad days of the Cree. He studied locally and then went on to obtain a Bachelor of Education. Since then, he has worked in many different fields of community service, serving as a Band Manager, Band Councillor, and Deputy Chief, as well as Chief of the community in the 1980s. After being involved in the early days of the JBNQA, he became an Educations Administrator, where he was responsible for budget development and supervised around 30 education employees. Isaac went on to become a Regional CTA President and has also served as a member of the Cree Nation Government and as a Cree Advisor on the HFTCC. He became Vice-Chair of the EMRWB in 2012 and has been Chairperson of the EMRIRB since its creation in 2012.
Member
Fred L. Tomatuk
Cree Nation Government
Fred L. Tomatuk
Fred was born at Conn River at a spring goose camp 22 km north of Eastmain, during the spring goose hunt of 1954. Born to a single mother, Fred spent most of his childhood on the land with his adopted parents. On finishing high school in 1970, Fred spent four straight years in the bush, only returning to bring food and fur and to get store supplies. During this time, Fred regained lost knowledge of his Cree language and really learned how to hunt, fish, and trap. In 1975, Fred accepted a job with the newly formed Grand Council of the Crees as a Liaison Officer between the GCC and the Eastmain Band Council. Since then, Fred has served his community in various capacities, including as Deputy Chief, Councillor, Local Project Manager, Sotrac Worker, School Bus Driver, Police Commissioner, numerous CTA positions, and Board member for both EMRIRB and EMRWB. Fred married his wife, Frances Mark-Stewart, in 1976. They had three sons and one daughter and now have 11 (soon to be 12!) grandchildren.
Vice Chairperson
Brendan O’Donnell
Government of Canada
Brendan O’Donnell
Brendan O’Donnell, born and raised in Montreal, holds a Master’s degree in Canadian history. For thirty years he worked for the federal government, first with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and for twenty-five years with Parks Canada, where he was the Senior Advisor for Aboriginal Affairs. He retired from the public service in 2010. He was a member of the Nunavik Marine Region Impact Review Board from 2010 to 2013, and has been a member of the EMRIRB since 2013. He lives in Quebec’s Eastern Townships.
Member
Margaret Fireman | ᒫᕐᑭᕆᑦ ᕚᔨᕐᒥᓐ
Cree Nation Government
Margaret Fireman | ᒫᕐᑭᕆᑦ ᕚᔨᕐᒥᓐ
My fondest memories are living with my family on a special place named Waashtikaan and travelling on the salty waters of Wiinipaakuhch.
Margaret is from Chisasibi and married with six children. She understands and speaks her community’s language and is passionate about learning more and has gained a lot on community history from working with Elders. She currently works in an advisory role as a researcher on values-based frameworks for commemorative integrity projects for the Heritage and Cultural Centre. She graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cultural Resource Management and Indigenous Language Revitalization from the University of Victoria, British Columbia. She completed the Aboriginal Training Programme in Museum Practices and worked as an intern/researcher at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec. During her years of employment, she has worked in many capacities for different organizations in the fields of public service, education, health, finance/administration, sports/recreation and cultural heritage. Since her retirement, she loves having more time to be out on the land, enjoy nature and camping with family.
Member
Noah Mosesee
Government of Nunavut
Noah Mosesee
Noah Mosesee is a 44-year-old guy livin' life in the rugged beauty of Pangnirtung, Nunavut, where the Arctic wilderness and icy waters shape days. Noah loves boating and water activities amidst the stunning tundra and fjords. As a dad of four, he balances adventure with family time in the unique landscape of the Canadian Arctic. Hunting is a passion of his, connecting him deeper to the land and traditions of the North. Noah is the Acting Executive Director for a safe sober drop-in centre called Sailivik. He was a member of the Hunters and Trappers Board from 2011 to 2017 and was also at Baffin Fisheries from 2015 to 2017.
Administration
Administrative Assistant
Priscillia Wesley
Priscillia joined the Eeyou Marine Region administration in 2016. She is the Administrative Assistant to the three Directors of the EMR (Impact Review Board, Wildlife Board, and Planning Commission). Priscillia provides essential administrative support to management. Prior to this position, she had years of experience in accounting and administration. When not at work, she loves spending time with her family and being in touch with nature.
Director
Païlin Chua-oon Rinfret
Païlin joined the EMRIRB in 2018 as an Environmental Program Officer and has served as Director for over seven years. She holds a Master’s Degree in Indigenous Impact Assessment from the University of Otago in New Zealand, where her research examined community-led Cultural Impact Assessments. Païlin oversees all aspects of project management within the EMRIRB, including budgeting, financial administration, communications, and the development of policies and procedures.