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May 21, 2004

Missionaries honoured for service

Belgium is recognizing two Oblate priests for their long service to the Inuit of Canada.

Father Jusipi Meeus, who has lived and worked in Nunavik and the Kivalliq region for more than 50 years, and Father Charles Choque, who served with the Oblates in Baker Lake and Rankin Inlet from 1947 to 1974, will become members of the "Knights of the Order of the Crow" on May 30, when Belgium's ambassador to Canada, Daniel Leroy, awards the priests their medals in Rankin Inlet.

"This decoration has been bestowed upon them because they dedicated their whole priestly lives, or a great part thereof, to the Inuit amid very difficult living conditions," Leroy said.

Father Meeus is involved with parish work in Rankin Inlet where he celebrated his 50th year of priesthood in February. Father Choque lives in Ottawa where he researches and writes biographies of late missionaries.

May 21, 2004

Kugluktuk's Catholics will rebuild

A letter from the parish council of Our Lady of Lights in Kugluktuk asking for tax-deductible donations to help rebuild the community's church was tabled in the Nunavut legislature last week.

Last weekend, Bishop Denis Croteau of the Mackenzie Diocese, traveled to Kugluktuk to meet with the members of the parish and discuss reconstruction of the church, which burned down last month.

The parish wants to rebuild on the same site as the now-charred church.

"[But] we haven't made any decision yet of the size, what kind of building it would be or how it would be set up," said Bishop Croteau.

Some favour purchasing a mobile or prefabricated unit, while others want to build the church using local, volunteer labour.

With the last barge heading to Kugluktuk on July 18, Croteau doesn't know whether a prefab can be built before then or what amount the diocese will receive for the church that burned.

"We hope to get $200,000, but it's still uncertain," he said.

The parish council is to meet again this week to send Rouleau a resolution outlining their plans.

May 21, 2004

Governor General visits Nunavut

Governor General Adrienne Clarkson spent two days in Iqaluit this week as part of the 2004 Governor General's Canadian Leadership Conference.

She joined 15 members of the Manitoba-Nunavut study group as they traveled the region to learn about northern issues. The delegates were part of a group of 229 future leaders of Canada who will represent all regions of the country when they come together at a conference in Ottawa next week.

While in Iqaluit, Clarkson met cabinet ministers, elders, and spent a morning talking to Grade 11 and 12 students at Inuksuk High School. She also held a discussion with representatives of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.

Okalik dumps justice DM

Nunavut premier Paul Okalik accepted the resignation of Deputy Minister of Justice Nora Sanders "over the handling of information concerning an RCMP investigation of former Speaker of the Legislature Kevin O'Brien," says a press release from the premier's office.

O'Brien was charged with possessing alcohol in a dry community in July of 2003, when he was still the MLA for Arviat. He paid a $215 fine in January of 2004, but failed to report the incident.

MLAs are angry about not knowing about it until after the February election, even though O'Brien lost his seat. Okalik did not learn about the fine until April.

Sanders had served with the Government of Nunavut from the beginning. She joined the Office of the Interim Commissioner for Nunavut in 1998 and took up the post of DM on April 1, 1999.

May 14, 2004

Six out of seven whales at risk

Of seven populations of beluga whales, only that in the Beaufort Sea is now considered not to be at risk of extinction, and the endangered Peary caribou continues to decline, says a study released last week by the national Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.

The study places the Eastern Arctic bowhead whale, Western arctic bowhead whale and the Eastern Hudson Bay beluga whale on the list of species facing imminent extinction. Mathematical models predict the species will likely disappear in less than 10 to 15 years unless overhunting stops.

The beluga of Ungava Bay and the Peary Caribou are also endangered. Numbers of caribou have declined by about 72 per cent over the last three generations, mostly because of catastrophic die-off likely related to severe icing episodes.

Peregrine falcon and Cumberland Sound belugas could also become endangered unless something is done to protect them.

The good news is that beluga of the Eastern High Arctic-Baffin Bay and Western Hudson Bay are relatively numerous. They are believed to be especially sensitive to human activities or natural events.

May 14, 2004

Northern premiers discuss missile defence, health care

Nunavut's premier Paul Okalik, Yukon Premier Dennis Fentie and Premier Joe Handley of the Northwest Territories, met in Whitehorse last week to discuss health care, climate change, ballistic missile defence and infrastructure development.

Fentie said he and his colleagues view ballistic missile defence as a potential opportunity: "If we can benefit from it, great. If there's drawbacks to it, we'd like to know. As it stands today, we're (the Yukon) not OK with it because we're not involved in it."

The three premiers repeated their intent to work as a team on health care and natural resource development.

They also discussed the 2007 Canada Winter Games, which will be held in Whitehorse. The territories are looking at co-hosting the opening and closing ceremonies for the games, and may pool money for publicity in southern Canada.

"We see that as a wonderful advertising opportunity for Nunavut," Okalik said.

May 7 , 2004

GN offers help to debt-ridden hamlets

Nunavut municipalities who are struggling with debt should turn to the Department of Community and Government Services before it's too late, says cabinet minister Peter Kilabuk.

Cape Dorset mayor Matthew Saveajuk Jaw raised the issue during a question and answer session with Kilabuk at the Nunavut Association of Municipalities' annual general meeting held in Pangnirtung last weekend.

"We're willing to help," Kilabuk said. Municipalities who have more than they can handle can turn programs over to the GN if necessary. As a last resort, CGS may use the operations and maintenance budget from regional offices to help communities stave off debt.

The GN took over municipal affairs in Qikiqtarjuaq at the end of April, when the hamlet was almost $1 million in debt. A GN-appointed municipal supervisor will manage the hamlet's books for one year.

Around the same time, GN staff visited Kugluktuk to help that hamlet manage its $1 million debt. Kugluktuk has been without an SAO or financial officer since March, when both quit.

Other municipalities are fighting large debts on their own. Pond Inlet expects to be rid of its $1 million debt as early as this spring, just two years into a four-year deficit recovery plan.

May 7 , 2004

Firefighter training needed, Joamie report says

Nunavut's fire marshall, Gerald Pickett, is recommending more and better training for Nunavut firefighters in his investigation report into a fire that totally destroyed Iqaluit's Joamie School on July 4, 2003.

"Based on interviews and observation of the incident, it is evident that limited knowledge, training and experience of standard fire ground operations precluded the establishment of an effective fire ground command," Pickett said in his report.

He also said an evaluation of hamlet fire departments in Nunavut found that "all community fire departments failed to meet the minimum requirements of the National Fire Protection Association (industry standards) or the National Building and Fire Codes."

He noted though, that the Nunavut government is already accelerating its firefighter training programs and has developed a fire prevention strategy through the Namix municipal insurance exchange.

Pickett confirmed that the Joamie fire was not caused by arson. He said the most likely cause was a malfuntioning heat trace system for a utilidor line located near a crawlspace under the building.

May 7 , 2004

Nunavut students invited on archeological "dig"

The Inuit Heritage Trust is seeking 10 students to participate in an archaelogical field study near Repulse Bay this summer.

Organizers will select five students from around Nunavut, and five from Repulse Bay to take part in an archeological "dig", where they will learn about mapping and caring for artifacts.

The course is scheduled for July 12 to 30th, and expenses such as airfares and housing will be covered by the organization. Students may also be eligible for a high school or university credit for their work.

Interested students, who must be at least 16 years old, should e-mail heritage@ihti.ca, phone 867-979-0731, or send a fax to 867-979-6700.

May 7 , 2004

Nunavut Liberals give Karetak-Lindell stamp of approval

The controversy that lead to the acclamation of MP Nancy Karetak-Lindell as the Liberal candidate in the next federal election "didn't put a damper" on the event, says the president of the Nunavut Liberal Association.

"Nancy reinforced the fact that she's going to work really hard for Nunavummiut," Alain Carrière said after the nomination meeting on April 29.

Karetak-Lindell reclaimed her position in the party after former territorial education minister Manitok Thompson quit the race last month, blaming favoritism for her opponent among the Liberal executive.

Karetak-Lindell's nomination leaves only the NDP without a candidate in Nunavut for the upcoming federal election. NDP member Mary-Ellen Thomas said potential NDP candidates remain undecided about whether they will run. No deadline has been set for an NDP nomination meeting.

Duncan Cunningham of Pond Inlet will run as Nunavut's Conservative Party's candidate for Nunavut.

May 7 , 2004

Coral Harbour highlighted in community planning book

A new publication from the federal department of Indian and Northern Affairs looks at community planning in 17 aboriginal communities across Canada, including Coral Harbour.

Each community profile that's featured in Sharing the Story: Experiences in First Nations, Inuit and Northern Communities - Comprehensive Community Planning includes an overview of its planning strategy and how it was successful.

The experience of Coral Harbour is offered as an example of how a community planning and economic development corporation lead to a commercial caribou hunt.

The collection of stories was initially started during a workshop on community planning and its relation to culture, health, prosperity and physical and social development.

Copies of the final report from this workshop and Sharing the Story are available from INAC offices or by calling 1-800-567-9604.

May 7 , 2004

Poster contest for UArctic

The UArctic is holding a student poster competition for students at its member institutions throughout the circumpolar world, which include Nunavut Arctic College. The poster will be used to promote the virtual circumpolar university, and, at the same time, create a virtual gallery of artists from around the North.

A cash prize of 200 Euros (about $300) will be awarded to the winner.

The deadline is June 30. For more information, consult the UArctic Web site at http://www.uarctic.org/poster.

May 7 , 2004

NACA gets money

The Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association is receiving $40,000 from the federal department of Canadian Heritage.

Among its activities, NACA organizes the Nunavut Arts Festival, scheduled for next month in Rankin Inlet.

May 7 , 2004

Repulse Bay students off to New Brunswick

Next week, an instructor and three students from Nunavut Arctic College in Repulse Bay are joining a group of 99 students for a "YouthLinks" summit at the Université de Moncton in Moncton, New Brunswick.

At the summit, Earl Dean and three students, Rebecca Tuktudjuk, Anthony Katokra and Randy Kopak, will examine the history of explorer Samuel de Champlain. They'll also look at current issues such as globalization, meeting of cultures, conflict and war and reconciliation, through a choice of multi-media, including video, documentary, clay animation, Web-zine, radio and newspaper.

The summit is sponsored by "Historica YouthLinks," an on-line program for high school students.

The summit's theme is The Clash of Cultures, reflecting the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Champlain in Acadia.

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