November 11, 2005
One day in a lifetime of work
I want a job that I like, or even love
JOHN THOMPSON
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Grade 9 student
Elee Kango watches wildlife officials in Iqaluit haul their patrol boat out
of the slushy water for winter storage. He was one of many students across Nunavut
who participated in career week activities. (PHOTO BY JOHN THOMPSON)
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Elee Kango stands on the slushy shores of Iqaluit and watches wildlife officials
hitch their patrol boat to a truck trailer.
Hes only wearing two hooded pullovers and track pants, and he shivers
in the cold. Still, it could be worse. At this time of the morning hed
usually be in math class.
Alden Williams, a wildlife officer in Iqaluit, gives the truck some gas and
yanks the boat free from the water. With the bay beginning to freeze, its
time to store their patrol boat for the winter.
Later in the day, Kango will help take down some old cupboards, pull the sea
anchor free from the shore, and help anyone who comes into the wildlife office
fill out paperwork.
He just shrugs his shoulders when asked what he wants to do when he grows up.
Elsewhere in town, Sateana Ell arrived to work half an hour early partly
because she was excited, and partly because her watch was broken.
She spent the day with Koovian Flanagan, assistant deputy minister of justice.
They visited the Baffin Correctional Centre, the halfway house, the justice
department offices, and the young offenders centre.
The halls of the young offenders centre were quiet and empty when she visited.
The inmates were gone, playing hockey for several hours. A day earlier they
shot 12 seals and learned how to skin them from elders.
Shes kept track of her ideas by jotting them down on paper. One corner
of a page says: I want a job that I like, or even love. I dont want
a job that I hate, and maybe Ill be in the department of justice.
She wants to be a judge. That means shell need six years of university
and about 10 years experience as a lawyer. Right now she needs to focus on getting
good grades.
Her dad was once a warden at BCC, and her mother works as a corrections officer
at the youth corrections centre. Now she has a better understanding of what
her mom does for a living. Shes trying to help them, so they wont
go there again, she said.
Shes also doodled on her page pictures of a flower, a devil and a heart
with wings.
I like colours. So maybe Ill go to art school or something.
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