One of Canada’s most sought-after humanitarian voices was in Whitehorse this week to deliver a keynote speech about leadership at a private government conference.

Dr. Samantha Nutt has spent 20 years working in dozens of conflict zones, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and Sierre Leone.

She is a physician in Toronto, assistant professor at the University of Toronto and founder of the organization War Child Canada, providing assistance to children in war-torn areas of the world.

In 2011, Nutt was appointed to the Order of Canada for her work with young people in conflict zones.

If those jobs didn’t keep her busy enough, she travelled across the country to Whitehorse on Monday for a public speaking gig the next morning.

Her keynote speech at the conference was centred mostly on leadership.

For the government workers at the conference, Nutt would tell them the value of the public service.

“It is a noble calling. In our society, we rely on it,” Nutt said in an interview Monday afternoon.

Her takeaway lessons for leadership start with ignoring the “blow hards.”

“We are confronted with people every day who say (something) is a bad idea,” said Nutt, the bestselling author of Damned Nations: Greed, Guns, Armies & Aid.

It’s important to develop your own inner voice and ignore the voices around you, she added.

The next step is to put ideas forward to others and persuade people to join your action of vision.

“But if no one’s listening, don’t shout,” Nutt advises.

“I hope that they will leave feeling connected in an international sense, and also empowered in terms of how they can actually influence change.”

Aside from uplifting the public sector, a part of Nutt’s speech was geared at giving back – the right way.

“Giving over the long term is far more effective than giving once and then walking away,” she said.

The cycle we’ve seen over the years, Nutt said, is that people will immediately be motivated in the first year of a conflict breaking out or natural disaster striking.

As the conflict drags out, some people start losing interest, others become cynical and eventually start donating help to other causes, she said.

Nutt refers to the Syrian refugee crisis as an example of a conflict that has seen a nose dive in financial support over the years – which is why the crisis is coming to a head now.

“People are more desperate at exactly the time where donators are less interested,” she said.

“To break that cycle, people need to know that the resources are there or they will be driven to make desperate choices.”

The Yukon’s territorial parties recently pledged to donate $25,000 in government funds to help the Canadian Red Cross in its efforts to assist Syrian refugees.

While any sort of financial aid is appreciated, Nutt said, it’s more important to continually contribute financially to causes.

This is what Nutt says is one of the most important messages she has spoken about: how you give is just as important as how much you give.

“It has to be an investment long-term ... it’s that kind of investment that leads to better outcomes.”