Louise Paquette: Woman of the Decade Award Winner, Sudbury.

• Author: Larmour, Adelle
• Position: A Decade of Honouring Achievements - Influential Women of Northern Ontario Award

If we all work together, we can make a difference.

No one understands this philosophy more than FedNor's director general Louise Paquette, a woman passionate about Northern Ontario. Born and educated in Sudbury, simply put, Paquette loves the North. This is evident in her many accomplishments throughout her 11 years at FedNor and the countless volunteer hours she has contributed to organizations throughout the region. Thus, she has been recognized as the Woman of the Decade by the Influential Women of Northern Ontario Award's program.

Described by many as entrepreneurial with a pioneering Northern spirit, as well as an advocate, motivator, and mentor, Paquette modestly responds: "I have been blessed with so many wonderful people. I consider myself very fortunate."

Paquette's diverse career eventually brought her back to the North, after spending 10 years with Gulf Canada in Toronto. There she advanced to manager of public affairs and began her family. Upon her return to Sudbury, she worked as executive director for the Laurentian Hospital Foundation where $9 million was raised during the Cancer Care Community Campaign.

"I thought it would be a good way to get back into the community," she says, "because the community you live in growing up and the services you use as a graduate are very different from the services you require when you come back at 32-years-of-age."

Seeing the city and Northern Ontario through more experienced eyes, Paquette's original ambition to work for government was quelled when she began working for the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines in 1991 and then with FedNor in '96.

Her dedication to Northern Ontario has led to what has been described as "extraordinary leadership," where she has demonstrated a Northern commitment.

This is evident in her advocacy work to secure the expansion of FedNor funding for economic development programs from $29 million to $66 million annually, as well as securing growth in the grants and contributions funds from $21 million to $55 million.

She has also assisted FedNor in becoming a leading partner in mining technology development with the Northern Centre for Advanced Technology (NORCAT), and NORTH Network telemedicine program, now known as the On-tario Telemedicine Network.

Some other initiatives are the three Northern Ontario Hospices focused on providing palliative care for Northerners; the PARO program that has helped close to 600 women start and expand local businesses over...