A prominent figure involved in Northwest Territories feminism and politics during the 1980’s, passed away last week.
Maureen Jensen-Karst was an advocate of women’s rights, Indigenous rights, and development in the North. She passed away on Oct. 26.
One of her most prominent accomplishments include working as a researcher with the Foothills Pipeline for the Berger Inquiry — which investigated pipeline construction in the NWT as well as the protection of the environment and Indigenous rights.
Her daughter, Alison Blackduck, says her mother was proud to have worked on the famous but contentious inquiry.
“She was really proud to have worked on one the first major environmental impact assessments in world history,” she said.
Jensen-Karst was also a protégé of Bertha Allen, a Vuntut Gwich’in women’s rights and Indigenous rights advocate.
Allen’s son, Gerry Kisoun, says Jensen-Karst learned a lot from his mother.
“My mother was very involved in the woman’s world, especially with native women of the Northwest Territories,” he said, “she mentored a lot of those young ladies who have gone on to do many great things.”
Jensen-Karst wasn’t originally from the North, but Kisoun says it quickly became her home.
“She had a passion for the North and she had a passion for the people,” he said, “she loved us Indigenous people… She always stood up for us.”
In politics, Blackduck says her mother was a centrist and held senior roles with the Conservative Party in the NWT.
But she switched parties to work as campaign manager for her old friend Allen, who ran as MP for the NDP in the 1984 federal election. Although it wasn’t her idea.
“When I was nine years old and I nominated my mom, who was a die hard Progressive Conservative to be the campaign manager for Bertha Allen who ran for Western Arctic MP in 1984,” Blackduck said with a laugh.
Marina Devine was an old friend of Jensen-Karst and another protégé of Allen’s.
She said this kind of bipartisanship was common in the NWT at the time.
“She and I were quite different in many ways, but again in that era, it was possible for people like Maureen who were pro development, conservative, to be in line with people who were pro-environment, NDP,” she explained.
Devine says she was sad to hear about the loss of her friend.
“She knew a lot of people, she was active, she was engaged, she was hospitable, she was never shy, she had a huge laugh, she loved art, food and people and it was wonderful being her friend,” she said.
Devine said Yellowknife in the 1980’s was a progressive time in the territory’s history and Jensen-Karst was a big part of this.
However, she adds the attributes that made Jensen-Karst who she was are still alive and well in her daughter.
