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Back to June, 2002 Archive Index
Letters to the Editor Incident involving Quebec prosecutor clarified Since Nunatsiaq News "prides itself on accuracy and accountability," I am sure you will have no objection to printing this letter on my behalf. I was appalled when I opened your newspaper and read private, personal, and confidential information about myself. I am "the girlfriend," that was mentioned in the article "Former Crown prosecutor kicked out of town" (May 31, 2002). For the record, I was never contacted by anyone from your newspaper regarding this article. There are a few things that I would like to set straight. I was not "drinking at the Ikkaqivvik Bar" (unless you count bottled water), my "collarbone" (or any other bone for that matter) was not broken, I was not "seen by doctors," and "bar staff" did not "call police" on anyone I was with that night. Monica Dunbar Editor’s note: After receiving Ms. Dunbar’s letter, we contacted Brian Jones, chief of the Kativik Regional Police force. Jones gave us the following information: • On Friday, May 24, a Kuujjuaq woman called police from a neighbour’s house. • Police responded to the call. A woman went to the Tulattavik Hospital, where she was examined and then released. Chief Jones said police originally believed that she had a collarbone injury, but later said that her injuries, if any, were less serious than that. • Police arrested Louis-Christian Boisvert, a Crown prosecutor who until a few months ago worked in Kuujjuaq. They took him to the police station, and then released him. • Early the next morning, police arrested Boisvert a second time, in the vicinity of the woman’s house, because they believed that he was attempting to go there. • Later that day, Boisvert left Kuujjuaq. • The KRPF turned their information over to a Quebec Crown prosecutor in Rouyn-Noranda. • This week, the chief Crown prosecutor for northern Quebec told us he has turned the file over to the Quebec justice department, where the deputy minister will decide which Quebec prosecutor will handle the case. That process could take as long as six months. June 7, 2002 Coping with Iqaluit’s dangerous roads After returning from a national youth summit on sustainable transportation in Ottawa, I was disappointed to realize that Iqaluit, like southern cities, has increasing traffic congestion, rising levels of air pollution and an obvious lack of pedestrian space. Our city is designed around the roads. The major arteries of the city are made for the car. No doubt we need vehicles to get around conveniently, fast and comfortably. However, without clear distinctions between the road and safe walking paths, cars pressure those people who choose to walk for exercise or who do not, or cannot, own a car. It is, in fact, dangerous and frightening to walk in downtown Iqaluit during the peak times of day. To reduce the traffic congestion and pollution, consider car-pooling with your neighbour, and walking to work on certain days of the week. From most parts of town it cannot take more than 30 minutes to walk from one end of town to the other. I’m not suggesting that we all change our habits overnight, but if we all made small changes in the way that we transport ourselves, then Iqaluit can be a safer and friendlier place to live. We are social animals. Public pedestrian spaces downtown, like the park by the Elder’s Center, or sidewalks, will do wonders to build community and improve ease of mobility. We need to decide what we want our community to be like, and then design our transportation to achieve that. In order to make our streets safer, we need to all make a concerted effort. If you are a driver, please slow down when passing pedestrians. This is a clear sign of respect for others. If you are a pedestrian, and a car passing gives you a mouthful of dust, make a sign to the driver by covering your mouth. We all need to work together to make Iqaluit a more respectful and safe community to live in. Peggy Seale Holroyd June 7, 2002 Volunteer for hockey and save the old arena As most residents of Iqaluit have heard by now, the future of the Arnaitok Ipeelie Arena is in doubt, since city council views it as an under-utilized facility. Another possible justification I have heard is that it may be structurally unsound. One rumour that circulated some time ago is that the RCMP was interested in the site the arena currently sits on. There may be other stories out there which I have not heard yet. One thing that seems clear to me is that this facility is under-utilized, given the size of this community and the fact that the arena houses some of the best ice in North America, as well as having an excellent arena staff. We have been very fortunate in that we have had visitors from southern hockey programs up to work with our members and volunteers and we consistently hear these comments. Our total enrolment in Iqaluit minor hockey this past season was 160, including those children who are registered in our Start Right/Stay Right program (a special hockey program targeting at-risk children between the ages of seven and 10). These numbers need to be much higher for a community the size of Iqaluit. In my opinion I see only two things to focus on: Number one, what is the main reason for closing the arena? I think this has to be made perfectly clear. If it is simply a case of not enough activity to justify its operation from a financial or practical standpoint, then that’s what we need to work on. Of course, we’ll need to be told whether increased use of the facility will secure its future, or is it a case of the city not willing to spend money on it, regardless of how much use it gets? The second point we need to work on, and this really is the only issue, is enrolment. Given the number of young people in Iqaluit, we should easily be able to double our enrolment. It doesn’t matter if a kid is playing ice hockey, ball hockey, soccer, or basketball. The point is, our kids need to have some options and alternatives to unhealthy life choices. Organized sport can provide this by teaching skills and team values while emphasizing fun. Minor hockey now provides this opportunity for approximately 160 Iqaluit youth under the age of 18. Those of us volunteering with minor hockey believe it to be an excellent sport for young people to be involved in and we believe many more young people here can be involved in it. There are really no barriers to prevent a kid from playing hockey here. Administering a successful minor hockey program in Iqaluit requires a large number of dedicated volunteers. As our player enrollment numbers increase, so does our requirement for volunteers. Each and every kid in this community deserves the opportunity to play this great game, if they wish, and I believe it is up to each and every adult in this community to help make it possible if they can. If you don’t know how, we’ll show you. With more volunteers, we can do more to provide the opportunities and see some real changes in our youth. The challenges our youth have are fairly plain to see. If we’re not part of the solution, we’re part of the problem. If I were on city council considering the fate of the arena, I’d be inclined to say, "use it or lose it." It’s up to us. If you feel as we do, now is the time to say so. Tell city council and then get involved! Glen Higgins June 7, 2002 Thank you for your support I want to express my gratitude for the support I and my family have received since the passing of our daughter Maggie Simigak while down South. Our community members of Kangirsuk have been providing country food as well as store-bought food. We have also received a lot of mental and spiritual help as well. All your names and the communities you come from are too many to mention, so I give you my thank yous all as one, both Inuit and non-Inuit. I would especially like to thank all of Maggie’s friends who attended the funeral and to those other friends who called to offer their condolences. I share with you the loss and my tears go out to you for loving us the way you do. Thank you to all those who express love to me and my wife Passa and our children. Our daughter Maggie was 36 years old. Simigak family June 7, 2002 Thank you from the Borek family The families of Kenn Borek and Carleen Borek-Walker would like to extend a thank-you to all of the businesses, organizations, relatives and friends. We have been overwhelmed by your outpouring of love and generosity during this difficult time. Our family is forever grateful for your prayers, thoughts and deeds. Your kindness will not be forgotten. They loved life, and would be honored by the love and respect you have shown. We have been blessed by your support. May they rest in peace in the arms of our Lord. God Bless you all. Rosella, Raymond, Chris, Dean, Debbie, Tammy, Sandy, and their families Dawson Creek, B.C. June 7, 2002 God bless Josie Papatsie I met Josie Papatsie when I was a translator for the GNWT back in the early 1980s. It was at the Amarok hunters and trappers association board meeting. Josie spoke from his heart about his feelings toward wildlife managment. The words were meaningful for an Inuk person, because he talked about day-to-day struggles experienced by the harvesters and the Inuit. I have been involved in wildlife management for some time now, and I ran into Josie again when I was with the regional wildlife organization. This time it was at a professional level, because I worked for an organization that funded the Amarok HTA. He had concerns and I felt that we must work together. In meetings he always got involved in real discussions, real discussions that meant making decisions for fellow Inuit. Most times he would give a brief history of his feelings and then suggest something to think about. That was his way. I just wanted to give back to Josie by way of this letter because he was always welcoming (tunganaqtuq), understood cultural jokes, laughing and he was concerned. He knew how to help other people understand when he was making his point. I will miss his smiles, his approachable way, his voice. God bless Josie. Joanasie Akumalik Give decentralization time to work The editorial "Decentralize or Else" (June 7) gives some valuable perspectives on the process we are living through in Nunavut. It is useful to remember some of the history of the events we see happening today. My work every day is assisting the Premier to get positions decentralized, so I am probably one of the "spreadsheet jockeys" you refer to. What really surprised me was that Nunatsiaq News said "Decentralization works best where the affected jobs are simple and require months, not years of training." There are two reasons this surprised me. The first is that it is very hard to hear someone call another person’s work "simple." All positions contribute to the work of the government. Each position has an impact on how services are delivered to Nunavummiut. All of us have pride in our work. The second is that if the government took Nunatsiaq News’ advice and only transferred "simple" jobs to communities, then decentralization would not really occur. Communities need a mix of positions. Some positions will create immediate local employment and these are good jobs. Some positions will have policy-making and decision-making authority so that we "get a decentralization of political power" which is a goal your editorial supports. Young people growing up in Nunavut communities need to see the variety of jobs they could do, to understand that Inuit could do those jobs, and to have goals to reach for. I can accept that Inuit may not currently have some of the experience related to these jobs, but I cannot see any reason why we will not be able to move into these positions in the next years. Wildlife research positions require many skills, but they also have very significant Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit components. These are jobs that we should expect Inuit will fill. It is disrespectful to Inuit knowledge not to do our best to bring these worlds together. Decentralization is not a fashion that will come and go, it is a way of bringing Inuit into government and government to Inuit communities. It is a long-term project, so we may have to wait five or seven years to see some of the real gains. There is still a great deal of work to do and we will do it. David Akeeagok June 14, 2002 Decentralization threatens the dream of Nunavut? In recent weeks a report was released by one of the Nunavut government agencies charged with analysis, and it recommended some rethinking on some of the decentralization moves coming up, including the move of some 20 positions in the department of sustainable development’s wildlife division headquarters to Igloolik. This development was also reported in Nunatsiaq News recently, and there has obviously been much rapid distancing of executive officials from this position. Well, it appears that senior government wanted to nip this one in the bud, so on a recent Monday morning, all the affected staff at DSD were called into a boardroom meeting and given their "letters." Now it was official and the clock was ticking down. Time to move on or move out. It appears that once again the jobs will be moving on, but not the bodies that are currently in them. What is the message here? What is the lesson learned? Decentralization conceives of jobs as property, versus functions and services, and there is the assumption that decentralized jobs will go to local people. The unfortunate reality is that often skilled jobs remain vacant, or jobs are filled with unqualified people to increase those local-hire statistics. Worry about the services and functions later.... Or maybe there is some luck in finding academically qualified people in southern Canada with little work experience and who can’t even pronounce the word "Inuktitut." In any case, a lot of good long-term employees are lost to Nunavut in a time of its greatest need for skilled personnel and corporate knowledge. The costs of decentralization in terms of dollars and efficiency are not revealed to the public, as they represent bothersome opportunity costs, but these limited financial resources could be used toward more positive ends for all communities. While forced growth from our rapidly increasing population necessarily affects budgets for health, social services, housing and education, decentralization has become another huge budget sink — this time a discretionary one for dollars that are already too slim and far between for Nunavut to really do exciting new things to make a difference. There is a real feeling that the government of Nunavut does not really care about its staff anymore, its people. The slogans at the top are "just do it," "make it happen," and the view in those circles is that this amounts to commitment, good management, and an accountable government — given the high expectations for fast-tracked change out there. However, there is little positive that can be said about a perspective that operates without feedback loops, that operates without a learning curve. Adaptability in extreme environments, natural or organizational, requires responsive adjustments of behavior. Arrogant single-mindedness did not get Scott to the South Pole, and "just do it" with decentralization will not save a professional public service that is being squandered as if there is no tomorrow. "Just do it" is akin to a speeding train without any brakes, headed for the abyss. The runaway train is now the image to replace the emperor’s new clothes, which described the earlier phase of decentralization thinking, whereby nobody dared to admit that the emperor is buck naked or that decentralization had lost its vision, and is now a threat to our dream of Nunavut. Decentralization has a mind of its own now, and our elected government is just shoveling coal into the boiler in hypnotic, mechanical thrusts. Nunavut has many detractors, given that it is a very expensive experiment funded by southern Canada. Among its patient defenders have been many dedicated government staff who would say to the detractors "give it a chance, it’s new yet, just a baby." Well, staff aren’t saying that anymore. They’re now saying "I give up. They just don’t care, fuck ‘em." It’s really sad. (Name withheld by request) June 14, 2002 NorthwesTel’s unionized workers are undervalued I don’t know who’s calling the financial shots on behalf of NorthwesTel, but this letter is to you. This year’s capital program, particularly the Service Improvement Plan, is in peril. If it doesn’t get done this year, how will you answer the CRTC when they ask, "What gives here?" How will you answer interventions by the likes of Telus when they ask why they should pay as much for NorthwesTel’s supplementary funding for 2002? At what point will you give up on your pride and admit that the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, a skilled, knowledgeable workforce, are not your enemies or dime-a-dozen grunts? When will you concede that we are your valued partners in the telecommunications industry of the North? You have about 200 people still at work whose work you do value. I believe they do worthwhile work as well, and you compensate them handsomely. Why do you not concede that we do worthwhile work and compensate us as handsomely and appreciatively? I think you do acknowledge the worth of our work, because you are paying your managers up to $50 an hour to do our jobs, catering their lunch, robbing them of their well-being and family life, in order to maintain service. If you acknowledge the worth of the work by endeavouring to keep providing it, then why not acknowledge the worth of the employees who do that work? We could have asked for parity, but we are asking instead for dignified wages that are still a cut below the managers whose work you appreciate. We could have made restoration of airfare and northern benefits a condition of a new contract, but we haven’t, at least not this time. At what point will your pride give way to acknowledging that we’re all partners in providing the best possible service in often hostile weather, lonely stretches of forest and tundra, horrific transportation costs and a thin and volatile market? Dial it direct or do without. Phone broken? Sorry, that’s not important because the workers who normally do it aren’t important. Don’t know the phone number? Sorry, if it’s not in the book, don’t bother trying to phone them. Don’t know the rate to call there? Sorry, dial it and find out when you get your bill. Want a phone hooked up? Sorry, you can trot down to use whatever pay phones work and aren’t full of coins, or bother your neighbour. Geoffrey Capp June 14, 2002 Arlooktoo was a gifted justice minister In the recent writings in Nunatsiaq News about the late Goo Arlooktoo, I looked in vain for references to his service as minister of justice for the Northwest Territories. I had the opportunity to serve under Arlooktoo’s leadership in the department of justice in the NWT for a short time before I moved to Iqaluit, and as deputy minister of justice for Nunavut, I attended a national meeting of justice ministers with him, in Regina in the fall of 1998. He was a gifted politician, with a quick grasp of issues and a commitment to social justice. At the justice ministers’ meeting, his presentation about the creation of Nunavut made a deep impression on all present. More recently, Arlooktoo contributed to the work to create a Human Rights Act for Nunavut. At a workshop in Iqaluit in March 2001, his leadership was important in encouraging all participants to talk about human rights as they apply to life in Nunavut. My sincere sympathies go out to Goo’s family. I hope that his children will grow up remembering their father as a man who made an important contribution to Nunavut and the Northwest Territories at a significant time in our history. Nora Sanders Duncan Pryde’s niece looking for help with documentary I am a filmmaker living in Scotland. I am also the niece of Duncan Pryde, who lived with the Inuit for 10 years and published the book Nunaga. I am planning on making a documentary about Duncan and am looking for people who knew Duncan in his time in the Arctic who have stories to tell about him and can remember him to me. I am raising the financing to make the documentary in the next few months. Any contact or suggestions will be very welcome. Thank you for your assistance and help. Arabella Croft June 21, 2002 Net fishing by HTA members is depleting Sylvia Grinnell fish It has been with much amusement that we have all watched the Iqaluit Amarok Hunters and Trappers Association make an ass out of themselves once again by incorporating a "prisoner take all" approach to another wildlife management issue. First it was assignment rights and now it’s the Sylvia Grinnel River fish stock issue. Ban everything from kayaks to boats to sports fishing they cry! To declare that the entire river system must be closed to everything and everyone in order to achieve the conservation of fish stocks is completely asinine. First of all, what possible effect could a kayak, being paddled quietly along the river and down rapids, have on fish habitat or behaviour? What effect does a tourism jet-boat, which operates on the river for a few weeks when the water levels are high enough, have on fish habitat or behaviour? The fact is there’s simply no empirical evidence (traditional or otherwise) that exists to support their arguments. Remember also, in early to mid-summer, fish are not spawning, but feeding, and when they do spawn, they’re definitely not spawning at the mouth of the Sylvia Grinnel River, but up-river in late summer or early fall, where nobody is there to bother them. It has been suggested that Sylvia Grinnell is a subsistence river and not a recreational river. Oh? If that’s true, then why on earth is there a territorial park established on the river, which draws both tourists and local people for recreational activities every summer? Surely someone was having a brain cramp when they made that statement. So what is the real issue of conservation and how do we achieve the desired replenishment of our fish stocks? Obviously, the only major concern and focus should be solely on the actual catching of fish. What effect does sport fishing have on the population of the fish stock in Sylvia Grinnel? In reality, very little, as the numbers of fish actually caught on fishing rods are completely negligible compared to what local hunters are catching in their fishing nets. Ah, but herein lies the real problem. Nets. Several years ago, the HTA board talked about banning fishing with nets, but were strongly opposed by their membership. The fact is, there are many members, including board members, who have two to three nets set out all summer long at the mouth of the Sylvia Grinnel River. It is the nets that have continued to deplete the fish stock on Sylvia Grinnell River over the years, despite the knowledge that it was commercial netting activities that did the damage in the first place. HTA members, who continue to whine and cry about having to have access to these diminishing stocks with nets, are thinking only of themselves and not the future generations who have every right to this resource as they do. What is there not to understand about this conservation issue? Either ban the use of nets for the next five to 10 years and watch the stocks rebound, or don’t ban the nets and we’ll be discussing this issue for another 10 to 20 years while the fish stocks near total depletion. It’s not rocket science, folks. Local Hunter June 21, 2002 The "People of Islands" need Nunavut’s help I was greatly moved reading the May 24 article on my people, the Qikirtamiut, or People of the Islands. First, the RCMP came and shot our dogs and told us we had to move so they could provide for us better. They didn’t care how we felt, as long as they would save some money when we were gathered into one community. Hardly any snowmobiles existed back then. My family depended on the dogs. I looked forward to a day when my uncle would finally take me out hunting with him. That day never came. The RCMP killed all the dogs in the community. I was devastated. I was almost a teenager when they put us on a boat and took us to Qullutu in Eskimo Harbour, or Tasiujaq, the place now called Sanikiluaq. I understand that I was too young to question anything, but did anybody ever ask us about that move? It was like being exiled in our own land. It’s just one example of what others thought of the islanders. I remember spending some time in Kuujjuaraapik for school. I went because they had no books for me on the islands. I stayed with a man after whom I was named. His name was Lukasi Nuvalinga. Once in a while he would see a plane taking off and he would check where it was going. Sometimes he said, "It’s going down yonder." It meant that the plane was going to the Belcher Islands, Qikirtait. My people were known as Qikirtamiut, or People of the Islands. I prefer to be called that instead of "Sanikiluarmiut." I respect my namesake and "down yonder" simply meant "the Belcher Islands" to him. I wonder if our former territory, the Northwest Territories, and our present territory, Nunavut, see us that way. They are just down yonder. After spending a couple of years at the Gordon Robertson Education Centre (Inuksuk High School) in Iqaluit, I tried being a hunter. I followed whomever I could. I really think I would have done all right if Greenpeace never existed. We solely depend on the seal and the eider duck. The price of seal furs dropped tremendously to a point where they were no longer worth selling. We needed that extra cash for ammunition and gasoline so we could have fresh meat. No government, at least I don’t recall, ever stepped in to see how we were affected by that ban on seal pelts. We, the people of the North, know that we are not like those who slaughtered seal pups. In the past, I’ve never felt easy saying I’m from Nunavut, because it means "our land." I can say the same for the sea. I’ve always believed that what we get from the land and the sea are given to us from our Creator. And that we are simply babysitting the land and sea, which will be returned to Him. I’ve never felt easy saying that the land and the sea is for sale. I don’t think it is ours to sell or buy. But if I must say it is our land and our sea, I will do it so I can have a part in protecting what we are supposed to be protecting for our youth. I think it is time to educate our youth. There is nothing wrong in saying that once upon a time there were no televisions, no radios, no houses or snowmobiles. We have to remember that this generation will have to answer to the others. Perhaps, not too long from now, our children will be saying we once used to eat seals, muktuk, and so on. Although I haven’t been to the islands for a decade, I know for a fact that we happily share our islands for walrus-hunting. We also share our soapstone with the East Coast Nunavik Inuit. I remember quite easily, when I worked at the hamlet, when the staff took much time preparing their presentation to Hydro-Québec. I simply can’t believe that the natives would sell out, knowing that some of their people can no longer fish because of the contaminants. I actually watched a documentary film on it at a research station in Kuujjuaq. The wildlife that some people are eating is already contaminated, possibly with mercury or PCBs. I have complete trust in the Nunavik people, especially the ones on the eastern coast. They won’t dare dam any river around the region. To the people of Nunavut, the Qikirtamiut islanders may be far from you. Heck, we’re almost in James Bay. Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba are dumping into the Hudson Bay. We’re surrounded by the Bay and we need your help. How about the Greenpeace people? Why aren’t you making yourself useful and testing all the rivers flowing into James Bay and Hudson Bay? Like that MasterCard commercial, we may spend a few bucks here, there and anywhere. But when it comes to protecting our land and our sea — priceless. L. Nuvalinga Eqilaq Beware of Kivalliq road As an American who has visited the Kivalliq region, I find it hard to understand the rationale behind a road from Churchill to Arviat. One only needs to look to the Yukon and Northwest Territories to see the permanent effects a road has on the wildlife populations and cultural practices of the people of the area. In the NWT, where major roads such as the Dempster and Mackenzie highways have provided links to the outside world, wildlife populations are negatively affected by large-scale road hunting practices. Rather then keep cultural customs of living with the land intact, roads put more of a focus on "trips" to the South, the accumulation of material goods and partying. Some would say that as an American I don't know anything about living in the North. Maybe that's true. I do know much about living in the South, though and I would eagerly trade the luxuries and conveniences I have for a life where the focus is not on money and the accumulation of wealth. For the most part, land down here is not respected. It is looked upon as a source of profit. Brian Fredericksen June 28, 2002 Contradiction in HTA's position? Sytukie Joamie appears to contradict the decision of the Amarok Hunters and Trappers Association to support a ban of all boating activity on the Sylvia Grinnell River. He stated in the paper that "When the fish are going down the river or up the river that is the time that you disallow any kind of activity that is not for harvesting." This statement supports a ban at certain times of the year, not year-round. Kenneth R. Johnson June 28, 2002 Country food is still safe This letter is a response to the article titled "Montreal tests show harmful effects of contaminants," which appeared in the May 17 issue of Nunatsiaq News. The purpose of this letter is two-fold: First, to respond to the misinformation presented in the article, which has caused unfounded fear and worry among residents in Nunavik. Second, to set the record straight regarding the scientific facts on contaminants found in country foods in Nunavik. It is true that many chemicals, including Tributyltin (TBT), found in the Arctic environment can be harmful to animal and human health. When given at very high doses, some of these chemicals have been shown to cause genetic and reproductive abnormalities in rats in toxicity tests carried out in a laboratory environment. However, the levels of TBT and many other chemicals such as PCB and mercury in the environment of the Canadian Arctic are very low. The levels present in various country foods are extremely low, and in many cases undetectable. In short, the levels found are nowhere near the doses that are required to "produce" these harmful effects in laboratory rats reported in the article. In the article, Bernard Robaire admitted that adverse reproductive effects were only observed in rats given 10 to 1,000 times the average environmental level found. The doses used make these experiments irrelevant and unrealistic in relation to the trace levels of contaminants found in country foods. A large number of studies by numerous research groups have been conducted on contaminants for several decades. Harmful health effects on humans from eating country foods contaminated with chemicals have not been seen in Nunavik. Also, not a single case of genetic and reproductive abnormalities in animals and fish caused by exposure to chemical contaminants was found in Nunavik. Country foods are highly nutritious. They are high in protein, minerals and vitamins. They do not contain chemicals that are often added by manufacturers to store-bought or processed foods such as growth hormones, antibiotics and preservatives. The risk from contaminants found in country foods has often been exaggerated by the media. A diet of country foods is still the best diet for people in the North. The nutritional benefits definitely outweigh the risk due to the traces of contaminants found in country foods in Nunavik. The article has seriously damaged the reputation of country foods in Nunavik and has been successful in instilling unfounded fear to residents of Nunavik. I trust that the preceding has clarified the facts and will help re-instill confidence in consuming country foods. Michael Kwan Editor's note: The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program's 1997 report quotes data showing that maternal-blood levels of contaminants such as PCB, DDT and chlordane in Nunavik women were higher than in most parts of the circumpolar world. Here's a quotation from p. 175 of the report: A study of Inuit boys in Canada showed that their birth weight was lower if the mother had high levels of PCBs in her breast milk. Moreover, ear infections and other infectious diseases were much more common among one-year-old Inuit boys who have been exposed to high levels of PCBs in their womb, which might indicate that their immune systems were weaker than those of other children. June 28, 2002 Many thanks from the Papatsie family On behalf of the Papatsie family and friends, I would like to extend our gratitude to the community of Iqaluit and the other communities of Nunavut who came to see us and called us in our time of bereavement. With your prayers and support, we have been able to move on and get through our grief. We would especially like to thank Val Haas, Katherine Trumper and their friends, who came to see us on behalf of Jackie Keogh and her family. Although they were going through their own grief, they were gracious and respectable to extend their condolences by bringing flowers and food for our family. A special thank you to Dr. Jeff Unger and the nurses at Baffin Regional Hospital, who made my father as comfortable as possible and who prayed with us. Thank you very much to Mike Gardner for coming to pray with us at a moment's notice and for the funeral services. Thank you to Bryan Pearson, Doug Lem, David Ell, Joanasie Akumalik, and everyone who came to see us to pay their respects to our father. Our father dedicated most of his life to community service through his quiet manner, and preferred to be behind the scenes and never took credit where credit was due. His greatest wish before he passed on was to continue improving our community through equality and compassion. Thank you to the following for their condolences and support and remembering a community leader: Premier Paul Okalik, Iqaluit District Education Council, the Qikiqtani education board, Maliganik Tukisinakvik, the Amarok Hunters and Trappers Association, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Nunavut Planning Commission, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., the City of Iqaluit, Nunavut Legal Services Board, Isuma young offenders, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the Qikiqtani Wildlife Board, the Department of Justice, Inuit Communications Systems Ltd., the Iqaluit Housing Authority, the Royal Bank of Canada, Nunavut Auto, the flower shop, First Air, Kenn Borek, Canadian Airlines, the home care nurses, and Nunatsiaq News. And thank you to all our family members who came to support us. Thank you to all the lay readers, priests and ministers who prayed for us during their conference. The Papatsie family
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