Dr. ric Dewailly, Arctic expert, honoured at conference in Ottawa

A renowned northern researcher has been honoured with an award at a major Arctic conference in Ottawa this week.

At the Arctic Change 2014 conference, an event that brings together more than 1,000 people to talk about the opportunities and challenges of the Arctic today, delegates honouredDr. ric Dewailly with the Mentor Award.

The award is given to people such asDewailly, 59, who was killed this past summer in arock slideonRunionIsland in the Indian Ocean,who dedicate their time and efforts to helping people build their careers.

Some consider Dewaillya medical "pioneer" and "the founding father of our line of research into population healthand best practices," GertrudeBourdon, the executive-director of Laval University's teaching hospital, said at the time ofDewailly'sdeath.

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Dewaillyhas been internationally recognized for his work in the Canadian Arctic.He studiedthe endocrine-disrupting effects of environmental toxins in theseafood that makes upthe traditional Inuit diet.

ArcticNet, an organization that studies climate change in the Arctic, did a special tributeto Dewailly on Wednesday.