Celebrating the International Day of Women in Mining: hear from five women who work at Agnico Eagle’s Nunavut Operations

On June 15, for the second year, the mining industry celebrates the women who have been, who are, and who will be part of the sector. As part of the International Day of Women in Mining’s mission to celebrate and further empower women to share their passion for the industry, we have interviewed five women from Agnico Eagle’s Nunavut Operations and are pleased to share their profiles with you!

These women work in a variety of locations and positions: Meliadine mine, Meadowbank Complex, Hope Bay, the Nunavut Service Group and Baker Lake.

Read on to hear what inspires and motivates these women in their job, their words of advice and what they think about gender inclusion in the industry to date.

 

Mary Susan Tapatai, Baker Lake Community Liaison Officer

Mary Susan Tapatai works as a Community Liaison Officer in Baker Lake, where she has lived all of her life. In this role, which she has held since 2018, Mary Susan is the first point of contact between Agnico Eagle’s Meadowbank Complex Operations and Baker Lake residents who may have questions or need support in areas ranging from consultations to job applications. Mary Susan previously worked at the Meadowbank Complex since 2012, first in the Camp Department, then as Human Resources Inuit Agent starting in 2014.

What do you like most about your job?

“I enjoy working with the company and meeting new employees, but what I enjoy the most are the people I work with in our department and the opportunity to learn new things as part of my job.”

Mary Susan is always happy and ready to help others who are looking to get in the industry. To other women, friends, and family members, you can count on Mary Susan to try and introduce you to any available positions she hears about within the field (especially at Agnico Eagle) if it may be something you are interested in!

Céline Beauséjour, Heavy Equipment Operator for CMAC at Meliadine mine

Céline Beauséjour is a Heavy Equipment Operator who works for CMAC at Agnico Eagle’s Meliadine mine. She started working with heavy equipment when she was 27 years old. Although she always wanted to work in the mining industry, she started by working in the forest industry to gain experience on dozers and graders, then moved to the construction industry which brought her to doing construction work at a mine in Fermont, Québec. With that experience, she was able to get an opportunity at Meliadine mine and has since worked on dozers, excavators, and earlier this year, switched to underground work!

What is your favourite part about your job?

“There’s always a way to improve our skills, or to take on new challenges.”

Do you have any words of advice?

“The mining industry is the best industry for women. Inclusion and respect are really important qualities here, but most of all, the industry appreciates high-quality work that women in mining give as well as the increased diversity (and great addition) to mixed gender crews. Over the years, the acceptance of women in mining has made it a lot easier for us to access these amazing opportunities!”

If you’ve ever wanted to operate heavy machinery but thought you couldn’t do it, Céline would tell you that you absolutely can! She hopes to inspire other women to go for it and is always ready to refer others to job openings when they are interested. Céline is a strong believer in supporting other women, and can’t wait to see the number of women who work alongside her increase!

Christina Lajambe, Health and Safety General Supervisor at Meadowbank Complex

Christina Lajambe is Health and Safety General Supervisor at Meadowbank Complex. She has been with Agnico Eagle since 2011, reaching her current position through hard work and experience in various departments. Here’s how she got into mining:

“I grew up in a single parent household with a mother who pushed education. I went to college a got my diploma in Chemical Engineering Technology and wanted to get into Forensics. I did a placement with the RCMP Forensic department but with everyone watching CSI and budget costs, I knew my options where slim. I did decide to get into mining due to being in a big mining city, Sudbury. I worked in multiple labs that served mines from all regions. One day I saw an ad in the newspaper for a Lab Prep Coordinator for Agnico Eagle and decide to apply. I completely forgot about it until I received a phone call for an interview. I flew to Val d’Or and next thing I knew; I was on airplane to Nunavut. I didn’t believe I would make it, but this was in 2011, and now we’re in 2023.”

What work have you done at Agnico Eagle?

“I worked in the lab for 5 and half years, was part of the Strategic Optimization team at Meliadine mine and finally joined the Health and Safety department. I truly believe I have found my passion. By working hard, I manage to go from Safety Counsellor to Safety Coordinator and finally to General Supervisor of Health and Safety. It is quite amazing how time flies when you are having fun!”

What is your favourite part about your job?

“Every day is a new day. In the Health and Safety department we have lots of ups and downs with challenges that makes every day different from the rest. The best part is seeing departments working together to accomplish a safe work environment. People are generally happy and smiling in Nunavut, even with all the challenges we have been through, we still thrive through.”

Do you have any words of advice?

“I believe in working hard and proving to yourself that you can do anything. With this mindset, your work gets noticed. Don’t aim for the top right off the bat. Take the time to understand the industry, you’ll learn to appreciate the job and ins/outs and be noticed because of it. Take moments to learn something new everyday and step out of your comfort zone. Mining in general is a small world, make a name for yourself!”

Any thoughts about being a woman in this field?

“Mining is no longer a man’s world. More and more women are joining the field, I am proud to be one. I have only received encouragement and respect from my fellow colleagues to move forward in the mining industry. I am quite proud to be part of this family and will continue to be part of the mining world. Take the challenge and never back down if someone says you can’t do it.”

Jessica MacDonald, Exploration Assistant Coordinator at Hope Bay

Jessica MacDonald is an Exploration Assistant Coordinator at Hope Bay. She has been with the team for just over two years now, starting as a core logger working on both the Doris and Madrid deposits, then progressed into an Exploration Geologist in Training role before her current position.

Jessica did her BSc in Earth and Ocean Science at the University of Victoria in British Columbia.

How did you get into mining?

“Getting into a career in geology was never intentional. I took several years off between high school and university working and traveling, knowing I would eventually go back and complete an undergrad program. I started my undergrad in 2016 in biology but quickly realized that it wasn’t for me. One of my electives in my second year was an intro to geology course, and I fell in love with the science. I worked for Barkerville Gold Mines in British Columbia that summer doing field work and that solidified my pathway. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to work in various parts of British Columbia, Québec and now Nunavut.”

What do you like the most about your job?

“For me, like many geologists, the idea of being part of a team that makes a new discovery is a huge drive. I’m an explorer at heart, I love to see new places, meet new people, and that drive for exploration extends into my work.”

Any words of advice to anyone (but especially women) considering a career in mining?

“If you’re considering a career in the mining industry, do it! It’s a fantastic industry that has numerous career pathways within it, each pathway leading to ample learning and growth opportunities. I think one of the things to remember is don’t be shy, ask questions, and voice your opinions. It’s also important to find a company and project that has a good culture that aligns with your values and goals. Along the way you’ll build lifelong friendships and connections with people you may have not otherwise crossed paths with, all while getting to venture to places on earth that have rarely been traveled.”

Do you have thoughts about being a woman in this field?

“For many years, geology has been known as an ‘old boys club’ and I think that idea has been shifting over the last few decades. There is a lot of diversity amongst geologists and more broadly, remote workers in general. Diversity in the workplace drives the generation of new ideas and strategies which only benefits the team as a whole.”

Marie-Christine Lambert, Finance Superintendent for the Meliadine Division of the Nunavut Service Group

Marie-Christine Lambert is Finance Superintendent for the Meliadine Division of the Nunavut Service Group and has been with Agnico Eagle since 2016. She holds a bachelor’s degree and a specialized degree in accounting and public practice from the University of Quebec in Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT) and has been a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) auditor since 2013. She has held the role of Financial Controller for the Goldex Division before transferring to the Nunavut Service Group as Finance Coordinator, then General Supervisor Finance, for Meadowbank Complex and Meliadine. In 2022, before her current role, she took on the interim position of Mine Controller for Detour Lake Mine following the merger of equals with Kirkland Lake Gold.

What brought you into the mining industry?

“Having started my career in an accounting firm, I worked for many clients and discovered various industries through the mandates assigned to me. I felt the need to redirect my career and dive deeper into a single field of activity so I could grow as a professional at the same pace as the company that employs me. The mining industry quickly interested me, not only because mines are very present in the region where I live, but also because this industry offered me many challenges and opportunities both in the short term and in the long term. When an opportunity opened up at Agnico Eagle I took my chance, and I do not regret this decision at all!”

What do you enjoy most about your role?

“The finance position in the mining industry is full of challenges that are all as different as one another. Due to the different stages of a mine’s life cycle, its value chain, its investments and its growth or even closure projects, there are many opportunities to apply accounting principles and bring value in decision making. In my role, I like managing the difference spheres of competency of a CPA, which leads me to collaborate with many different groups and departments across the mine. And so, what I love most about my role at Agnico Eagle are the people I work with. I am fortunate to have a such valuable colleagues and a dynamic and competent team that is eager to grow.”

Do you have words of advice to anyone considering a career in mining?

“The mining sector is a very collaborative environment where teamwork is valued. In this sense, not being afraid of your ideas and the impact that each individual brings within a team is important. Our colleagues want to hear our ideas, so don’t hesitate to be yourself, believe in your ideas and share them. Another aspect, related to the previous point, is the place of ‘human’ in the mining industry. I am fascinated and happy to see that the ‘human’ factor have a lot of room in an organization as large-scale, extensive and structured as ours. We are human in our errors and imperfections; the advice I would have is to allow yourself the right to be imperfect and to make mistakes. I have always felt that Agnico Eagle leaves us that right. The most important step is to learn from it and grow from the experience. To conclude, the last piece of advice that comes to mind is to avoid the status quo; always try to become a better version of ourselves and challenge the achievements. We are fortunate to have an organization with exceptional quality people who have a lot to teach us and who always set the bar a little higher, to surpass ourselves. Never underestimate the importance of human qualities; communication, collaboration and leadership.”

Do you have thoughts about being a woman in this field?

“I think the general idea that women have little place in the mining industry is wrong and old-fashioned. The false impression is conveyed that reception and integration is more difficult in a predominantly male environment. In fact, I have always been greeted with great respect and consideration by my colleagues and collaborators. My ideas and opinions are listened to and have an influence. My successes and accomplishments are recognized by my peers and I have never felt any judgment or bias because I am a woman. I am convinced that the place of women in the mining industry is important and essential. Agnico Eagle’s efforts to make its workplaces diverse and inclusive are recognized and I appreciate this openness.”

 

Thank you to these amazing women for sharing their time and thoughts with us and thank you to all other women whose hard work has made a difference not only for our Nunavut operations but also the mining industry as a whole. We are proud to have you as colleagues!

If you want to read more about some of the inspiring women who work at Agnico Eagle, read our recent blogs about this year’s Dr. Leanne Baker Scholarship recipients, Sara Savoie and Ariane Ballard.