We had the pleasure of speaking with Daniel Gleason, a dedicated Maintenance Manager in Kuujjuaq. Through improved housing standards, he and his team have created a homey atmosphere and fostered wellness within the School Board’s infrastructure.
Before taking on his current role, Daniel worked as a carpenter.
“Initially, I came up here in Inukjuak to offer carpentry training to adult students,” he shared.
Daniel quickly fell in love with the North. “The people I was teaching have inspired me to stay long-term,” he revealed.

Though my family has lived in various locations throughout our lives, we have remained a close-knit unit. Even when physically apart, our family’s core bond lives on.

Empowered Team, Elevated Homes
“When I first got here, the housing standards were just okay,” Daniel shared. “But my team and I were able to improve them quite a bit.”
As a manager, Daniel’s approach has been one of proactive empowerment, moving away from constantly putting out fires. With the adequate equipment and a dose of trust, his team at the warehouse has become skilled at maintaining homes and handling tasks autonomously.
“Your team seems to work quickly and effectively,” I observed. “How did you build that kind of efficiency?”
“It’s really a credit to the team. The main thing I’ve focused on is cultivating a work environment where they feel empowered to just go for it and try things out.”


My father taught me the value of hard work and perseverance, while my grandfather showed me the importance of being kind and non-judgmental. They both had different perspectives from which I’ve learned a lot.
To Bridge the Divide with Active Listening
Daniel agrees that building trust with his team was the biggest challenge he faced. “As southerners coming in, there’s naturally some distrust at first. But I spent the first six months just listening to what the staff had to say and letting them know I had confidence in their expertise.”
In the end, Daniel’s advice for the community is simple: “Be open, trust each other, and just go for it.” This approach has served him well on this journey of continuous improvement.