Nunavut News - July 3, 2023

ᐃᓱᒪᒋᕙᕗᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᖓᑦ

ᓄᓇᕗᒥᐅᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖅᐳᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᕐᒥᓂᒃ

Nunavummiut share thoughts on what makes the territory special as Nunavut Day approaches

ᐊᓯᔨᖅᑕᐅᖁᓪᓗᒍ ᐸᓯᔭᒃᓴᓕᐊᖑᓚᐅᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᐃᒃᓯᕋᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥᒃ

Indigenous leaders seek policy change following allegations against priest

‘Nunavut has so much opportunity’

Dream-maker chases his own

It’s not goodbye for beloved Rankin Inlet recreation director David Clark, but a see you later

Anyone who’s attended a hockey tournament in Rankin Inlet knows the passion recreation director David Clark has for his hometown and territory.

He frequently ends closing ceremonies by thanking “the best fans” of Rankin Inlet, and he was the coach to lead the U19 men’s team to the territory’s first hockey gold at the 2023 Arctic Winter Games earlier this year.

At the heart of every recreation activity or event in the Kivalliq capital is Clark, whose commitment to youth and sport is key to the heartbeat of the community.

But the 35-year-old, born-and-raised Rankinmiut is finally leaving his hometown this summer to pursue a dream of his own – one he shelved for many years as his focus was on family and his home.

“I really care about the youth in our community and giving the best opportunities for them that we can offer,” said Clark, who’s preparing to leave for a sport coaching and management program in Haaga-Helia, a university in Finland.

As he has encouraged youth to follow their dreams for years, he’s now taking his own advice.

“I talk a lot about following dreams and going after your aspirations, so I need to remember to do that myself,” said Clark. “No matter the age, it’s important for people to continue to develop and grow even in their adulthood. So many times, we get stuck in what we’re doing, and we all have goals and dreams. Who am I to say that to kids to follow their passion and follow their dreams, but yet I have my own that I’m not following?”

David

has been the engine behind recreational activities, including

He’s finally taking a leap of faith to pursue a personal dream in Finland this summer. Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

And this has been his dream since he was 20 years old. The university’s webpage link has been in his computer’s favourites bar ever since, and every year when applications open up, he thinks about whether the time is right to apply. Finally, it was, and after a series of interviews and assignments, he was accepted to the two-year program, which includes a third practicum year.

“I had a young family, and a lot of times, it just didn’t feel like the right time. I had a lot of prior commitments and I just didn’t feel like it was time to go,” said Clark. “But I always had it in the back of my mind, and it was always something I’ve dreamed of doing.”

He’ll be leaving this August and taking his wife and youngest son along with him.

Part of his excitement is learning more about how Finland develops its hockey programs, as he compares the country with Nunavut in its small population but surprisingly strong hockey players.

He’ll be living in Finland from August to May, returning to Rankin Inlet for the summers.

Nunavut Day – one of a long list of recreational activities this summer – is coming up July 9, as Clark works to the last minute before leaving in early August.

“I know I’ll be a better person for it,” he said, adding that it’s not a goodbye to Rankin, but a ‘see you later.’

“Rankin is my home. It’s always going to be my home. I’m very proud to be from here. It’s a special palace in my heart and I’ll always consider it home, and I’ll be back.”

Nunavut Day celebrations coming to communities across the territory

Residents share their love of Nunavut as holiday approaches

Nunavut Day is special for Cambridge Bay’s Jamie Taipana. The holiday, which falls on July 9 each year, commemorates the passing of the Nunavut Act and the official beginnings of the territory as we know it today.

Taipana’s father Simon was one of many Inuit involved in the negotiations that led to that critical moment in history.

“My father was part of a team – a group of people who must be recognized,” he said from the Cambridge Bay hamlet office, where he serves as the assistant chief administrative officer. “It wasn’t just one person who brought Nunavut to fruition.”

Taipana remembers going long stretches without seeing his father, who spent much of his time in Ottawa and communities in the Northwest Territories, doing his part to make Nunavut a reality.

He says it was difficult when his father was travelling – for his whole family – but it helped him appreciate the great sacrifices that led to Nunavut’s inception.

“It was so hard watching my dad be away, but it had to be done,” he said. “We have to recognize the families that were left behind.

“Without their sacrifice, Nunavut wouldn’t be here.”

This year, Taipana plans to teach his eight-year-old daughter about the history of the territory, and ruminate on the things he loves about their home.

“I’ll celebrate by remembering everything that our fathers and uncles and family fought for, and talking to our daughter,” he said. “I just like to remind her of what Nunavut is, and what her grandfather fought for, and to appreciate what they did.

“Nunavut has so much opportunity,” he added. “It’s crucial that we all work together like our uncles, aunts, fathers and mothers did before us.

“I know they’re watching over us and they’re proud of what we’re doing.”

Wearing the colours

Andrea Niptanatiak, a child and youth outreach worker from Kugluktuk, also feels special appreciation for Nunavut Day.

She will be on a work trip in Yellowknife for this year’s celebration, but will be thinking warmly of home on July 9.

“Nunavut Day will be on my mind, of course,” she said. “It’s a day we normally get together and have a barbecue and enjoy each other’s company, but I won’t be there.

“I’ll be missing my family and friends, but I’ll be wearing Nunavut Day colours.”

For Niptanatiak, family and togetherness aren’t just what make Nunavut Day special – it’s what makes the entire territory special.

“What I like about Nunavut is the people – the comfort of people and the comfort of being home,” she said. “Everybody knows each other, and we look out for one another.”

“If we’re just going to the store, we know everybody there, and everybody is happy and smiling and always willing to give a helping hand.”

While Niptanatiak feels there is plenty to love about Nunavut, she admits there are areas where the territory must be improved, pointing specifically to the ongoing housing crisis.

“The one thing that is at the top of the list for me is housing availability,” she said. “I know it’s a lot of work, but it’s something that’s needed for each community. It’s 2023 now,

and there are a lot of people that still have eight to 10 people in a two- or three-bedroom home.”

Taipana agrees the housing crisis must be resolved, and also sees addictions as a serious concern in Nunavut.

“We need addiction support for everyone that’s struggles with it,” he said. “That’s a huge one. If we can get support from local governments, the Government of Nunavut, right to the top with the federal government, if we can start working on that, that’s a good first step.

“It’s a hard thing being up here in Nunavut, but if we work together, there’s so much more we can do.”

Nunavut Day will be celebrated in communities across the territory.

Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI), the organization that represents Nunavut’s Inuit, will be taking the lead on the festivities.

This year, NTI is organizing celebrations in all of the communities where it has offices: Rankin Inlet, Cambridge Bay

and Iqaluit – and it’s funding festivities in the communities where it does not have a physical presence.

The biggest celebration will occur in Iqaluit, where NTI will treat attendees to live music, delicious food and plenty of fun and games.

The land claims organization will also be facilitating in-person and online contests for Nunavut Day, with $97,000 worth of prizes, according to Ivaluarjuk Merritt, NTI’s assistant director of communications.

The contests will be open to all Inuit in Nunavut, and include a kids colouring contest, a creative arts challenge, a home-cook challenge and a decorating contest that allows participants to decorate any physical space of their choosing. The specifics of the contests can be found on NTI’s Facebook page.

The organization will also facilitate draws across the territory, with snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles and hunting equipment up for grabs. The winners of those draws will be announced on Nunavut Day.

Time to go boating and camp out on the land

AUJALIQTUK IQA -

LUKTUUTIAMI. ALI -

ANAQHIJUQ. HIKUI -

LIQMAN AUDLAAQNA -

HIJUQ. INUIN IQA -

LUKHIULIQTUT TATPANI HONDAKKUT.

AUDLAAKNAIKMAN

HIKUKKUT. NAAM -

MAINNAQ -

TUT INUIN.

PIFFILIULIQTUT

INUIN QUANARAALUK

IILA. NU -

TAQQAT IL -

IHAKTUT

TAIMAAK -

TITLU QINIQPAKLUGIT. UQAUTIVAKLUGITLLU ANIRAAQPANGMATA

UNNUGAGNAT. PITIAKPAKLLUGIT. TEETUGIAKPAKLUHI INUNGNUN NUNAMIITTUT.

Welcome to beautiful Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. Land of

CAMBRIDGE BAY TEA TALK

with Navalik Tologanak email: helent@qiniq.com

TUT. HAVARALINNI -

AQRALITTUT QUANA.

APKUTIT HIUGAINNAQ

PIHURIAMI. NUTAQQANNUIT ULAPQIVAKTUT MUNAQTAUJUT.

HULILUGAAKTUT.

QAJAQTUKGIAMI

INUIN TIKILIQTUK. QUANA INUIN IQA -

LIQIJUT. NAAMMAINAQTURUT HAMANI.

HALUUQQURUT HUMILIKIAQ. NAAMMAKLUHI. QINIQPAKLURIT

NUTAQQATIT. NUATQA-

the Inuinnait. Snow is melting quickly and the ice is melting pretty quick as June is almost over and now into July, time to go boating and camp out on the land.

Many residents are so busy ice fishing all over the island, so much fun. It is so good when people share their harvest of fresh fish. Many are busy making dried Arctic char for food/snack — most delicious. We are so fortunate to have fresh fish from our waters.

Everyone seems to be getting tanned already from being outdoors. It is so beautiful to see happy people, being back out on the land is energizing, healing and peaceful. We will always love our homeland.

Remember to keep our nuna clean and bring into town your garbage. Quana to all those who share country food with others who are unable to fish or hunt for themselves. We are so thankful and grateful. Be safe travelling out there. Look after one another. Stay well. Hugs to all those who are ill and hugs to my brother Enoktalik.

Congratulations to two individuals from Cambridge Bay who have received Order of Canada from Governor General. To Julia Ogina and Dr. Charlie Evalik, all the good work you do for Inuit and people of Nunavut, we are proud and stay well.

God Be With You Son.

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Hailey Okpik sent us this photo from Gjoa Haven. On June 18, Hailey and her family were heading back home after the Seal derby. Unfortunately, her father James Qitsualik’s sled became stuck in a swiftly flowing river. They lose the sled, and it drifted into the angmayug, the peak water level of the ocean, but they successfully saved her sled and gear from submerging, underwater approximately 3

SmartICE doing ‘such important work’ with sea ice terimonology books

SmartICE

launched a new sea ice terminology book in Gjoa Haven in June, following the release of a similar book in Pond Inlet last year

Leanne Beaulieu didn’t spend much time on the sea ice when she was young. Her grandparents felt it was too dangerous.

“They were pretty nervous about taking me and my siblings onto the land, because of the unpredictability of the sea ice,” she said from Gjoa Haven, where she lives. “They worried about something happening to us.”

Today, things are different.

Nunavut’s sea ice is a huge part of Beaulieu’s life, thanks to her job as a Sikumik Qaujimajjuti mapping specialist with SmartICE, a community-based enterprise that integrates Inuit knowledge with monitoring technology to provide a range of sea ice-related tools and resources.

On June 13, SmartICE released a book of sea ice terminology, tailored specifically to the community of Gjoa Haven. The hope is that it will make it easier for community members of all ages to communicate about sea ice conditions, which are changing rapidly due to climate change.

The book, which features 61 terms, is printed in Inuktitut and

English, and also features photos and graphics.

Beaulieu has already distributed copies around the community

“It’s a good thing to finally have it out there and to hear such nice positive feedback from everyone,” she said.

“So far it’s all just been people saying this is such important work.”

The terminology contained in the Gjoa Haven book was researched and documented in meetings that began in October, 2021, and concluded earlier this year. SmartICE favours group meetings over oneon-on interviews, as it allows participants to correct and verify each other’s information and spelling. The meetings in Gjoa Haven were attended by representatives from the local Hunters and Trappers Association and search and rescue organization, government officials, and community Elders – including Beaulieu’s grandparents.

“My grandparents actually joined the SmartICE committee, so I was learning from them,” she said. “It’s really special. I’m super grateful to get that knowledge from them.”

Gjoa Haven is the second Nunavut community to get a SmartICE terminology book. Pond Inlet was the first.

Pond Inlet’s book, which features just shy of 70 terms, launched in 2022, and has since been distributed across the community, even making it into schools and libraries.

Andrew Arreak, SmartICE’s Regional Operations Lead for Qikiqtaaluk, was a crucial part of that project, and says the books are

also about preserving the Inuktitut language.

“The ice terminology being documented, and us knowing it will be around for a while, and knowing that most schools here in the community have copies of our book, it’s a great feeling,” he said.

“In the past, what was taught to

us was all verbal. Nothing was ever documented. As Inuit, a part of our culture is being out on the ice. It’s a part of our identity, and not every young man has a father figure who can teach him what conditions or what types of ice are called in our language, in Inuktitut.”

Gjoa Haven will not be the last Nunavut community to receive a sea ice terminology booklet. SmartICE is undertaking similar projects in Arctic Bay, Arviat, Qikiqtarjuaq, and Taloyoak.

“I’m glad other communities are mimicking the booklet in their dialect also,” Arreak said.

SmartICE, which is an acronym for “sea-ice monitoring and real-time information for coastal environments,” was co-created with the government of Labrador’s Nunatsiavut region in response to the dangerous sea ice conditions around Nain in winter of 2010. The organization is also producing a sea ice terminology book for that community.

In addition to the books it has distributed, SmartICE has also produced maps and informational posters, and even designed an interactive online game called Safe Travels, which aims to teach traditional Inuit ice safety knowledge and terminology to young children.

Inuit group hopes review into handling of priest allegations brings change

Victims must be heard and their stories shared, says Nunavut MP

A national group representing Inuit says it hopes a review into how the Oblates handled allegations of a former priest sexually abusing children in Nunavut will bring change within the Catholic Church.

A retired Quebec judge has been tasked with leading the review into how the Oblates handled the abuse allegations against Johannes Rivoire.

“We look forward to engaging with Justice André Denis and the Oblates of Mary Immaculate to achieve a greater understanding of the decisions that contributed to the unconscionable situation of an accused criminal being allowed to evade justice,” Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami said in a statement.

“We hope that Justice Denis’ independent review will help to bring about necessary governance change within the Oblates and the Catholic Church more broadly as well as bring a small measure of peace to victims through an assurance that such decisions are not repeated.”

The group added that it continues to call for action to ensure Rivoire answers to the allegations against him. Its president, Natan Obed, has appealed to Pope Francis for a resolution.

The Oblates of Mary Immaculate, OMI Lacombe Canada and the Oblates of the Province of France announced last week that Denis, formerly with the Quebec Superior Court, is leading the Oblate Safeguarding Commission. They said it will aim to understand how past allegations against Rivoire were addressed within the Catholic congregation, including

the circumstances under which he left Canada, and identify improvements to Oblate policies and governance to better protect minors and ensure accountability.

Rivoire, who is now in his early 90s and lives in a retirement home in Lyon, France, has long faced accusations that he sexually abused Inuit children while he was a priest in Nunavut. He has not faced those claims in court and denies any wrongdoing.

Rivoire worked and lived in the territory from the 1960s until 1993, when he returned to his home country. Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. has claimed he may have abused up to 60 children during that time.

A Canadian warrant was issued for Rivoire’s arrest in 1998 but criminal charges related to the sexual abuse of children were stayed in 2017.

Following a new complaint in 2021, Rivoire was charged with one count of indecent assault of a girl in Arviat and Whale Cove between 1974 and 1979.

A 10-member delegation of Nunavut Inuit travelled to France in September to seek his extradition and raise awareness of the case. They met with government and church officials as well as Rivoire.

The Public Prosecution of Canada announced in October that France had denied its extradition request and said it had exhausted all legal means to do so.

Rev. Ken Thorson with OMI Lacombe Canada said the Oblates have repeatedly urged Rivoire to return to Canada and face the charges. Oblate leadership in France said

they decided to dismiss Rivoire because of his refusal to return to Canada.

Steve Mapasalak, who alleges he was sexually abused by Rivoire when he was 13, was among those who travelled to France. He said he is still hoping Rivoire will be brought back to Canada to face the allegations.

“It lifted me,” he said of facing Rivoire in France. “Hopefully justice is done … it’s never going to be the same in our life but at least we will feel inside that something has been done.”

Lori Idlout, the NDP member of Parliament for Nunavut, said she’s thankful the commission has been established.

“This is an important acknowledgment that

there needs to be an opportunity for victims to be heard and for their stories to be shared, and to make sure that this is moving towards healing,” she said.

She said she hopes Rivoire’s accusers will be given the mental health supports they need during the process and that the commission’s final report will result in changes to church policy that ensure children are protected from violence.

OMI Lacombe Canada said all relevant personnel records and archival material will be made available to Denis. It said a final report is to be made public no later than April 1, 2024.

Risk of cannabis addiction higher for young men, people with anxiety: StatCan survey

Males from lower income households who start using drug in their teens deemed at higher risk

Nearly five per cent of cannabis users are at risk of developing an addiction to the drug, a new study from Statistics Canada says.

The analysis of data collected from more than 101,000 people aged 15 and older as part of the annual Canadian Community Health Survey showed that 4.7 per cent of people who used cannabis in the past year were at risk of addiction. Those people were considered to have “impaired control” over their cannabis use, StatCan said.

The finding is based on phone and in-person surveys done in 2019 and 2020, but StatCan said the pandemic lowered the response rate by nearly half in 2020, from 54 per cent a year earlier.

StatCan found several factors contributed to a cannabis user’s increased risk of dependence, including being male, between the ages of 18 and 24, single or never married, having an anxiety or mood disorder, and being from lower-income households.

Respondents at risk of addiction were also likely to have started using cannabis by age 15 and consumed it at least monthly, though it can’t be legally bought or used by anyone under age 18.

A better understanding of people who become addicted to cannabis could help with the development of more effective education, prevention and treatment strategies, StatCan said.

Health Canada sought input in the spring on potential changes to cannabis laws, including those related to packaging, labelling and production requirements. Various groups were the focus of that consultation, including public health, researchers, law enforcement, First Nations, Inuit and Metis organizations and provincial, territorial and municipal governments.

Last fall, an independent expert panel began an 18-month legislative review of cannabis laws, and a report is expected to be tabled by March 2024.

Key themes of the review include how cannabis affects young people, progress toward providing adults with access to strictly regulated, lower-risk cannabis products, gains in displacing the illicit market and overall impacts on Indigenous Peoples, Health Canada said.

The agency said the results of a broader public consultation on cannabis between September and November 2022 will be published in the coming months and will be used by the expert panel as part of its review.

Health Canada has banned any promotional advertising on cannabis products, such as edibles that would appeal to children.

Michael Armstrong, a business professor who studies the economics of cannabis at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont., was consulted by the expert panel doing the 18-month review. He said the panel members are trying to understand the best approach to the sale of cannabis edibles, among other issues.

Taloyoak woman joins cast of Merchants of the Wild reality TV show

Crystal Mitchell among five other Indigenous Canadians on the survival series

Taloyoak’s Crystal Mitchell has newfound admiration for her ancestors after her time on the reality television series Merchants of the Wild.

Each season of the show features six Indigenous Canadians, who are challenged to survive in a remote location with nothing but the clothes on their back, for up to 25 days. No junk food, no caffeine, no phones. Mitchell, who applied for a spot on the show in 2021, appeared on the fourth season, which was filmed in the Mi’kmaq territory of Kespukwitk in Nova Scotia that year.

Her season of the show will begin airing on Cottage Life TV on July 4, and later on APTN.

“It made me realize how strong our ancestors were,” Mitchell said of her time on the series. “It’s very difficult to live out on the land.”

“I thought I appreciated them a lot, but I appreciate them so much more. They were very strong people.”

During their time on the show, Mitchell and her five cast mates were forced to create their own fires, build their own shelters, make their own hunting tools, and harvest their own food – all in the face of mounting hunger and homesickness.

It was challenging for all of them, but particularly so for Mitchell, who is accustomed to life far above the tree line.

“Growing up, I always went out on the land with my mom and my grandparents and my family, so I knew quite a bit [about survival], but not down south” she said. “I know skills in Nunavut. I didn’t grow up with trees, so I didn’t know how to make a fire with a bow drill. It was really out of my comfort zone.”

Despite being on unfamiliar terrain, Mitchell still found ways to use the skills that her parents and grandparents imparted when she was growing up in Nunavut, most notably when it came time to harvest animals.

To put those skills to use on the land in Kespukwitk was a profound experience.

“My grandfather used to say we Inuit learn by watching,” she said, holding back tears. “I used to think I wasn’t watching, but I was.”

“His words came back to me when I was out on the land because I didn’t know what to do, but looking back and remembering what he taught me helped me along the way.”

“I want to say to people, watch your Elders when they teach, and watch your parents, because someday you’re going to need those teachings, and they will be useful in your life.”

Over the course of their time on Merchants of the Wild, Mitchell and her cast mates were introduced to Mi’kmaq Elders, who not only imparted valuable wisdom about surviving on the land, but also provided crucial survival tools, such as axes, knives, cordage and bow drill kits.

“I learned a lot from the Elders,” Mitchell said. “They were teaching us stuff we needed to survive. They were very useful, because living in the North and living down south are two very different things. It helped me a lot.”

Mitchell is now back in Taloyoak, and will head to Iqaluit in the fall for her second year in Nunavut Arctic College’s environmental technology program. She is unsure if she will do more television in the future, but is open to the possibility.

“We’ll see what the future holds,” she said. “I had so much fun. If I could do it again, I would. I highly recommend detoxing from social media and going out on the land for a few weeks and just learning about yourself and your culture.”

ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᔪᑎ ᖁᑦᑎᖕᓂᖅᐹᖅ

ᓄᓇᕗᒧ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔨᕕᓂᖅ ᑲᑎᒪᕕᒡᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᐊᖏᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᔪᑎᒥᒃ ᖁᑎᖕᓂᖅᐸᖅ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᕆᔭᐅᔪᑎᒥᒃ ᐊᑐᕙᒥ

ᐃᖃᐅᒪᓇᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᑐᓴᖅᐳᖅ

ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᓂᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᓇᓐᓯ ᖃᕆᑕᖅᓕᓐᑎᐊ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᓂᖃᖤᑕᐃᓐᓇᕐᒪᑦ

ᖁᑦᑎᖕᓂᖅᐸᖅ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᔪᑎᒥᒃ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ, ᐊᑐᕙ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᕆᓴᖅᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂ.

ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᓂᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᒐᓗᐊᖅ ᔪᓚᐃ 2022, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᑲᑎᒪᓂᕆᔭᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑭᖑᕙᓯᒃᓯᒪᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᓄᕙᖕᓇᕐᔪᐊᖅ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᓪᓗᒍ ᐅᑕᕿᑐᐃᓇᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᐊᕋᒍᑦ ᒪᕐᕈᒃ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᒪᕆᓚᐅᖏᓂᖓᓂᒃ.

ᐊᓱᐃᓚᒃ ᑕᕿᐅᓵᖅᑐᒥ, ᑲᕗᓄ ᔭᓄᕈ ᑕᕿᐅᓵᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᒥᐊᓕ ᓴᐃᒪᓐ ᐃᓕᓴᖅᓯᓂᖃᕈᒪᓕᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᖕᒪᑦ

ᓄᓇᖃᖅᖄᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑎᑯᐊᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ, ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᔪᑎᖃᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒥᓂᒃ

ᐃᑲᔪᕋᓱᒃᖢᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᖄᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ. ᔪᓂ ᑉᖕ.

ᖃᕆᑕᖅ ᓕᓐᑎᐊ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᔪᑎᓂ ᐱᑯᓇᑲᓐᓂᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᓄᖃᑎᒥᓂ ᑐᓐᓂᕆᔭᐅᓪᓗᓂ, ᑐᑭᓯᖃᑎᒋᒃᖢᑎᒡᓗ ᐃᓄᖃᑎᒋᒃᑲᒥᒃ.

ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᓯᐊᓂᒃ ᑐᑭᖃᒻᒪᕆᒪᐅᖅᑐᖅ, ᖃᕆᑕᖅ ᓕᓐᑕᐊ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ, ᑲᒪᒋᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᖓ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᓂᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᖁᑦᑎᖕᓂᐸᖑᖃᑕᐅᔪᒥᒃ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᔪᑎᒥᒃ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ.

ᑐᓴᔾᔭᕋᓱᒋᓚᐅᖏᑦᑕᕋ ᐃᒪᓐᓇᑦᑎᐊᖅ, ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ.

ᐃᒡᓗᕋᓛᕐᒥᓚᐅᖅᐳᖓ ᓯᓚᑕᓂᑦᑎᐊᖅ, ᔪ ᖃᓗᔾᔭᕐᓗ ᐅᐸᒃᓯᒪᕙᒃᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂ, ᐅᖃᓗᒡᕕᐅᑎᓪᓗᖓ ᖁᒃᓴᓪᓚᓚᐅᖅᐳᖓ,

ᐃᓱᒪᓕᖅᖢᖓᓗ ᖃᓄᐃᒻᒪᑦ

ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᔪᑎᑕᕐᒪᖓᕐᒪ.

ᐊᒪᓗ ᐃᓱᒪᒃᑲᓂᓕᕆᓪᓕᖓ, ᐅᕙᓂᒃ

ᑎᒃᑯᐊᖅᓯᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᒃᐱᕈᓱᖕᓂᖃᕋᒥᒃ

ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓂᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᓐᓂᑦ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ ᐃᓄᖏᓐᓄᓪᓗ.

ᐱᕋᔮᕐᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᕙᓐᓄᓪᓕ. ᐊᖏᖅᓯᒪᓇᓱᒃᖢᖑ

ᐊᑎᖃᖃᑕᐅᓂᐊᓕᕐᓂᕐᓂᑦ. ᖃᕆᑕᖅ-ᓕᓐᑎᐊ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᖃᑕᖑᑎᒋᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᕙᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᖕᒪᑕ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ

ᐊᒪᓗ ᐃᑲᔪᖃᑎᒋᖕᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᐃᑲᔪᕈᒪᓂᕐᒧᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ.

ᐅᖃᕆᕗᖅ

ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᓂᕐᒥᓂᓪᓗ

ᐊᔪᖏᓂᖓ ᐊᑐᕐᓘᑎᖏᓪᓗᒍ, ᐅᕙᓗᓂ ᑕᑯᔭᐅᕐᓘᑎᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ, ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅᓱᕋᓱᒃᑯᓂ.

ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒧᑦ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᕙᒃᑎᓪᓗᖓ

ᐱᕕᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖓ ᐃᓄᖕᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒋᖕᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᐃᓕᑦᑎᑦᑕᕐᕕᒋᓪᓗᒋᓪᓗ ᓄᓇᓕᑦ.

ᐊᕐᕕᐊᓂᑐᐃᓇᐅᖏᑦᑐᖅ-ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥ, ᓄᓇᕗᓕᒪᒥ.

ᐃᑲᔪᕋᓱᒃᐸᓚᐅᖅᐳᖓ ᐊᕿᐅᒪᑎᓇᓱᒃᖢᒋᑦ. ᑲᑎᒪᔨᐅᓪᓕᓂ ᐱᕕᖃᖅᑎᓚᐅᖅᐸᖓ

ᐊᐅᓪᓚᑲᑕᖕᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᑕᑯᖃᑕᐅᑎᓂᕐᒥᓪᓗ

ᐃᓂᖃᑎᓐᓂᑦ, ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂᑦ ᐊᓯᐊᓂᑦ. ᒪᑯᒃᑐᑦ ᐱᓇᔪᖁᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᕙᒃᑲ, ᓴᐱᓕᖅᐸᖏᓪᓕᑎᒡᓗ, ᐱᔪᒪᔭᖏᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᒡᓗᓂᒋᑦ,

ᐅᖃᐅᔭᐅᒐᓗᐊᖅᐸᑕ ᐊᔪᕐᓂᐊᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ.

ᓇᓚᒃᐸᖏᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᖃᕆᑕᖅ-ᓕᓐᑎᐊ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ

ᑭᖑᓪᓕᐅᓂᖅᓴᐅᒐᒥ , ᐱᓕᕆᔭᐅᓯᒪᓂᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᓯᐊᓂᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᓚᐅᕋᒥ. ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᓱᓕ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᖅᓯᐅᖃᑕᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ.

Honour of the highest order

ᐊᕿᒋᐊᕆᐊᓕᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᑦᑎᓂ.

ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᑕᑯᓪᓗᒍ ᑭᖑᒻᒧᑦ ᓴᖏᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐱᓯᒪᓂᕗᑦ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᒍᑦ, ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕗᑦ

Former Nunavut MP accepts Order of Canada in Ottawa

It was a momentous day for the Kivalliq’s Nancy Uqquujuq Karetak-Lindell when she was officially presented with the Order of Canada in Ottawa this past week.

The former Nunavut MP said she was actually awarded the Order of Canada in July 2022 but, because of the personal ceremonies falling behind due to the pandemic, she was told it may take up to two years before she officially received it.

Then, about a month ago, Gov. Gen. Mary Simon decided she was going to award all of the Indigenous recipients, and all those recognized for their work with Indigenous people, together on Indigenous Day, June 21.

Karetak-Lindell said the award was made even more special with it being presented by Simon, an Inuk herself, and someone Inuit know and have a history with.

That brought a very different meaning,

according to Karetak-Lindell, who said she was “very surprised” to be named to the Order of Canada.

“It was not a call I was expecting the least bit,” she said.

“I was at a cabin just outside of Rankin Inlet, where Joe Kaludjak and I spent our days, when the call came. I was taken totally by surprise and, all of a sudden, you’re thinking well what did I ever do to deserve such recognition?

“And then, I guess, people who nominated me felt that I had contributed to Inuit and, in a way, the country by doing that. It takes a little time – for me anyway – to accept that I’m going to be a recipient.”

Karetak-Lindell said her family was taught by her father that they should help because they want to help and that’s it.

She said they were also taught not to toot their own horn, or people will think you’re only helping them for ulterior motives.

“Being Nunavut’s member of Parliament

gave me the opportunity to reach more people and get to know the other communities of Nunavut, not just Arviat and Kivalliq, which is where I lived and did my most acts of kindness, for a lack of a better phrase.

“Being a member of Parliament gave me the opportunity to travel and meet all the wonderful people we live with, and see what people do for their communities and their people.

“For me, it was always about making our communities a better place to live in — making our communities places of opportunity because, at the time I was getting into this kind of work, there weren’t that many people who could be used as role models from our communities.

“I wanted to encourage young people not to give up, to pursue their dreams, even though there are people saying you can’t do it. Don’t listen to those people, but follow your heart.”

Karetak-Lindell said she’s kind of like the second generation, where the road has been

ᐃᓕᖁᓯᑦᑎᓐᓂᓪᓗ ᐊᓯᐅᑎᑕᐅᓇᓱᒃᑲᓗᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐱᓯᒪᑦᑎᐊᖏᓐᓇᕋᑦᙱᒍᑦ ᐃᓄᒃᑐᑦ. ᐊᔪᕐᓇᖏᑉᐸᓕᕈᑎᒋᕙ ᑲᔪᓯᑎᓐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᕿᒃᓯᒪᓂᒃᑲᒥ.

paved for her already by the work of people before her.

But still they were challenging times.

“We were the age group who went to residential schools, and had to try to find a way to get our voices heard and make changes for our people.

“But you always look back to the resilience and adaptivity of our people and their strength. Even though people tried to make us lose our language, culture and traditions, (Inuit) persevered, which made it easier for us to carry on because they already laid the foundation for us.

“Sometimes that hill just keeps getting bigger and bigger until you reach the top of it. There are good news stories. There are good people doing good work. There is hope for change, but it has to come from within us.

“Slowly but surely people are reclaiming their language and their culture. And they’re trying to make our communities better places to live in.”

Kugluktuk RCMP investigating incidents of vandalism

Mayor says crimes ‘increasing in severity’

Residents of Kugluktuk are confronted with an increased level of vandalism and property damage.

In recent weeks, the Kitikmeot community of roughly 1,500 people has experienced broken windows, damaged equipment and

a small fire at a local loading dock.

In addition, a break and enter at a small business was also reported.

“We are working closely with the RCMP to ensure the vandalism does not happen again and to deter any efforts on future vandalism within our community,” said Kugluktuk Mayor Simon Kuliktana.

The Hamlet of Kugluktuk has spread the word about the recent incidents by posting

on social media, advising residents that incidents are “increasing in severity.”

“The hamlet has reached out to Facebook for our community members to be aware of the situation and also possibly have more eyes out there to report any mischief that may be happening in the future,” Kuliktana said.

A spokesperson from Nunavut RCMP confirmed via email that officers in Kugluktuk

have “opened investigative files into various incidents around the community.” However, they did not respond to questions about the number of crimes being committed relative to last year, or the number of officers currently serving the community.

Community members are asked to contact the RCMP immediately if they have any information about the recent crimes around town.

Iqaluit fire department moves to new training grounds, receives instruction from American experts ‘Training

is paramount for us,’ says City of Iqaluit Fire Chief Stephen McGean

The City of Iqaluit Fire Department is better prepared to keep the community safe thanks to an expansive new training space and some recent instruction from international experts. The department took control of its new training grounds in the West 40 area on June 6,

according to city Fire Chief Stephen McGean. It vacated its previous training grounds nearer to the airport so the municipality could use the land for the new waste transfer facility, but the timing was fortuitous, as space was beginning to come a concern.

“We were outgrowing where we were anyway, so it was a good opportunity for both us and the city,” McGean said.

The new training space includes a range of

tools and facilities designed to help firefighters prepare for scenarios they might encounter in the field.

One of the more notable features is a three-storey structure that can be “pumped full of smoke” and is used to practice search techniques, downed firefighter rescues and more. Other features include a search building that is laid out like a typical Iqaluit home, a “flashover simulator” that demonstrates how smoke behaves in various circumstances, and even tools that help firefighters practice moving hoses around — “everything from your kitchen table to your couch,” said McGean.

“It’s the opportune spot for us to be able to do live burns,” he said. “We have more than enough space to set up our training towers, our burn buildings and anything else we need.”

Less than a week after the department settled into the new training grounds, staff received a five-day visit from battalion Chief Jake Barnes of the New Albany, Indiana, fire department.

Barnes first visited Iqaluit last year to teach an International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI) course about training with live burns. The 10 staff that attended his seminar enjoyed it so much that McGean invited him back again this year.

Barnes returned to Iqaluit with his colleague Capt. Gilbert Pedroza from the Glendale, California, fire department. The pair taught 12 local staff about downed firefighter drills and also shared knowledge about fire behaviour and fire-building that will allow them to train for a greater variety of situations.

“They teach quite a bit together throughout the states, so we got them both up here and they passed on some epic training for the staff,”

McGean said. “The staff all loved it.”

Both Barnes and Pedroza both “fell in love” with Iqaluit, according to the city’s fire chief, though neither was particularly enthusiastic about the cooler weather.

McGean believes the kind of training the Americans offered is crucial to his department’s success, and says that past training efforts are already bearing fruit in active fire situations.

“Training is paramount for us,” he said. “You can see the results of our training in some of the last structure fires that we’ve had here in the community. We’re attacking fires very quickly and aggressively, and we’re keeping them to one room or at least to one unit. We’re no longer losing full structures, which is huge when we have a housing crisis in the community.

“That speaks to the training of the staff here, 100 per cent.”

Keeping it clean

Baker Lake kicks off two-week cleanup in effort to remain Nunavut’s cleanest community

In keeping up its efforts to remain one of the cleanest communities in Nunavut, the community of Baker Lake has begun its annual two-week long community cleanup this week.

The event runs from June 26 until July 7 this year.

Karen Yip is playing a leading role in this year’s cleanup and she’s planning to recognize Baker Lake’s volunteers as the community champions she said they are.

Yip, who moved to Baker Lake in 1995, said, as far as she can remember, the community has always held an extended community cleanup.

She said residents of Baker Lake have always taken pride in having a clean community.

“For as long as I can recall, I’ve always heard that Baker Lake is the cleanest community in Nunavut,” said Yip. “And many people who have visited our community have commented on the fact that it’s very clean.”

Yip said the campaign always tries to offer incentives to people to get them to volunteer because they realize the people who volunteer are the hamlet heroes of the community.

She said people who keep volunteering and spend their time and energy tidying the community should be recognized.

“It’s always been a kind of traditional start to our community cleanup that the offices will clean-up around their buildings.

“This year we decided that we would do something a little bit different and offer an office-prize draw for people who want

to participate. “A lot of businesses, organizations and government offices take the time to clean up around their buildings. So this year we’re going to have a prize of Tim Hortons coffee and doughnuts for the whole winning office.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s two people or 15 to 20 people.”

Yip said usually the prizes are awarded by draw and, before the Nunavut Day celebration, they’ll be holding daily draws for the volunteers. The prizes could be gift cards from the stores, a small food hamper, a hunting item or loads of practical items like Tide, Bounce, toilet paper, body wash and dish soap.

“Every day for the two weeks prior to Nunavut Day, we’ll be having a draw at the end of the day for the volunteers. They’ll be smaller

prizes than the ones we’ll be giving out on Nunavut Day.

“On Nuanvut Day, we’re also going to be doing a presentation of a couple of plaques for people who have been providing outstanding community service.

“There’s one gentlemen, William Manernaluk, who started cleaning up May 1 and he’s out there every day. He’s just doing it on his own and he participates every year.

“He, himself, has challenges, but he’s out there every year making a difference in his community.

“A lot of people in the community take pride in the reputation Baker has for its cleanliness, and it sort of adds nicely to Baker being the geographical centre of Canada and the rubber boot capital of Nunavut.

“You have to admit, that’s a pretty cool list.”

ᑐᕋᑐ ᐊᓇᐅᓕᒑᖅᑎᖏᓐᓂ RPAN ᒪᑯᑐᓄᑦ

ᑐᕋᖓᔪᒥᑦ

ᐅᓪᓚᒃᐳᑦ ᐊᖏᕋᒧᑦ

ᐊᓇᐅᓕᒑᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᖁᖏᐊᕆᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓕᑎᓂᖃᖅᐳᑦ ᐊᑐᕈᓐᓇᖅᑕᒥᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᐅᔨᒋᐊᖅᑐᐃᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ

ᑭᐱᖑᐃᔭᕈᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᐊᓄᑦ

20 ᒪᑯᒃᑐᑦ ᑐᕋᑐᒥᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᐊᔪᕈᓐᓂᖅᓴᕆᐊᖅᑐᖅᖢᑎᒃ

ᒪᑯᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᑐᑭᒧᐊᖅᑎᑎᔨᐅᓂᕐᒥᑦ, ᑕᑯᔭᖅᑐᓚᐅᖅᒋᑦ

ᐊᓇᐅᓕᒑᖅᑎᓂᒃ ᐊᒪᓗ ᕿᒥᕈᐊᕈᓗᔭᖅᖢᑎᒃ.

ᐊᑐᖅᑕᓂ ᐊᓯᔨᕐᓂᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ, ᑕᒻ ᑭᐅᕆ ᐃᓱᒪᕗᖅ. ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᔨᒻᒪᕆᒃ RPAN-ᑯᓐᓄᑦ, ᐃᑲᔪᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ.

ᐃᓚᖓ ᐅᖃᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᐅᔪᖅ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᓚᖑᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓄᓯᓕᒪᕐᒥᓂᒃ.

ᑐᓴᖅᖢᓂ ᓄᑕᖃᒥᒃ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᐱᑯᓇᓚᖑᓵᕐᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᐃᓅᓯᐊ, ᐱᒃᑯᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᑭᐊᓕ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓂ, ᑕᐃᑲᓂ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᕕᐊᓂ. ᖁᖓᔭᓴᓵᖅᐳᖅ. RPAN ᑐᕋᓐᑐᓕᐊᓵᖅᐳᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᔭᐃᒃ ᑭᐅ ᕙᐅᑕᐃᓴ, ᐱᖑᐊᖅᑎᓄᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂᒃ ᑲᑎᑎᓇᓱᐊᖅᑏᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᕋᓱᒃᖢᑎᒃ. 7 ᐊᕋᒍ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒋᓕᖅᐳᑦ, ᑐᖓᕕᐅᔪᖅ

ᐃᑲᔪᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᕗᖅ RPAN-ᑯᓂᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓄᑦ, ᐱᖑᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᒪᓗ ᔫᓂ 21-25 ᑐᕋᓐᑐᓕᐊᕐᓂᐅᓵᖅᑐᒥᑦ.

ᑐᕋᖓᓂᖃᓗᐊᕕᓵᖅᐳᖅ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐱᓕᒻᒪᒃᓴᖅᑕᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ.

ᐃᓚᐅᔪᑦ ᐊᕋᒍᖃᕐᓂᖃᓵᖅᐳᑦ 15-ᒥᑦ 22-ᒧᑦ, ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᑐᕋᑦᑐ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓕᕆᔨᖏᓐᓂᒃ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖃᑎᒌᒃᖢᑎᒡᓗ ᐃᓕᖁᓯᕐᒥᖕᓂᑦ ᐊᒪᓗ ᐱᖑᐊᖃᑎᒋᔪᓐᓇᖅᑕᒥᓐᓂᒃ ᖃᑕᖑᑎᖏᓐᓄᑦ. ᐃᓕᑦᑎᓴᕆᕗᑦ ᖃᓄᖅ ᑲᒪᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᓄᑕᖅᖃᐃᑦ ᐃᓕᖁᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ, ᑭᐊᓕ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ. ᐊᕿᒃᓱᕐᔪᐊᖅᓯᒪᔭᕗᑦ - ᐊᓇᐅᓕᒑᑐᓄᖓᐅᓂᐅᔪᖅ - ᑐᖓᓱᒃᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᑦᑐᒐᓗᐊᖅᐸᑕ

ᑐᖓᓱᒃᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖃᕐᒪᑕᓗ, ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ.

ᐃᓱᒪᖅᓱᕈᓐᓇᓚᐅᖅᖢᑎᒡᓗ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕈᒪᔭᕐᒥᓂᒃ. ᐃᖃᐅᒪᓇᐃᓇᐅᔭᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᐳᐃᒍᕐᓇᖏᓪᓗᓂᓗ ᕈᖏᐊᕆᐊᕐᓂᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᓇᐅᓕᒐᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᔪᓂ 24, ᔭᐃᔅᑯᑦ ᐳᓚᖅᓯᒪᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᒃᓕᓐ ᐊᓚᑎᒃᔅ. ᑐᖓᓱᒃᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᓂᕆᑎᑕᐅᓪᓗᑎᕐᓗ ᑲᓚᑉ Hᐅᔅ-ᒥᑦ, ᐱᓕᕆᔨᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐊᓇᐅᓕᒑᖅᑎᓄᑦ. ᑕᕆᔭᐅᑎᕐᔪᐊᕐᒨᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐱᖑᐊᕐᕕᒡᔪᐊᕐᒥ. ᑕᕆᔭᐅᑎᕐᔪᐊᕐᒧᕐᓂᕆᔭᖏᑦ ᐱᑯᓇᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ

From front, Kelsey Ammaq, Qumangaapik Arnatsaiq, Chloe Quassa and Harold Aksawnee attend a Toronto Blue Jays game with other youth leaders from the Recreation and Parks Association of Nunavut. The 20 young people on the trip also visited the CN Tower and Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, and learned new skills at a series of workshops. Photo courtesy of RPAN

ᑭᐊᓕ. ᐊᓇᐅᓕᒑᑐᓂᒃ ᖁᖏᐊᕆᐊᕆᐅᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ

ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᑦᑎᐊᕐᒥᒃ.

ᐃᓚᖏᑦ ᖃᑕᖑᑎᒋᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᔭᐃᔅ-ᑯᓂ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᐳᑦ , ᐊᔨᓕᐅᕆᑲᑐᒃᖢᑎᒡᓗ ᖃᑕᖑᑎᒥᓄᑦ ᑕᑯᖁᔨᓂᐊᕋᒥᒃ. ᐱᑯᒋᓚᐅᖅᑕᕋ.

ᕙᐃᔅ ᓴᓚᒃᓴᖅᐳᑦ 7-3. ᕙᓚᑎᒥᐅ ᕕᕈᕈ ᔪᓂᐊ ᐊᒪᓗ ᑖᓂ ᔭᒻᓴᓐ ᐊᖏᕋᒧᑦ ᐅᓪᓚᒃᐳᑦ, RPAN-ᑯᑦ ᑎᑎᖃᒥ ᑎᒍᒥᐊᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐅᖃᖅᓯᒪᔪᒥᒃ ᖁᔭᓕᓂᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᔭᐃᔅ ᑭᐅ ᕙᐅᑕᐃᓴᓐ-ᑯᓐᓂ,

Toronto visit a home run for RPAN youth leaders

Participants

camp counsellors in their home communities

A group of 20 young people recently visited Toronto to improve their skills as summer camp youth leaders, attend a Blue Jays game and to see the sights.

It was a transformative experience for participants, according to Dawn Currie, executive director of the Recreation and Parks Association of Nunavut (RPAN), which helped arrange the event.

One participant, 22-year-old Moses Audla from Sanikiluaq, even told her it was the best week of his life.

“To hear that a kid classified this as the best week of his life means it was a good week,” Currie said from Iqaluit, where RPAN is based. “He had the biggest grin on his face.”

RPAN visited Toronto as part of a partnership with the Jays Care Foundation, the Major League Baseball team’s official charity. Throughout the seven-year partnership, the foundation has supported RPAN with grants, equipment donations and trips like the June 21-25 visit to Toronto.

One of the key features of the itinerary was training.

Participants, ranging from 15 to 22 years old, attended workshops with fellow youth leaders from Toronto, where they exchanged knowledge and taught one another new games to play with the children in their care. They also partook in sessions on inclusivity and “how to deal with kids with different behaviours,” according to Currie.

“A big part of our program – and same with the Jays – is making sure that all kids, regardless of ability, feel welcome at the camp, and that there’s things for them to do at the camp,” she said.

The group had plenty of time for leisure too. The enduring memory for many participants will be attending a June 24 baseball game between the Jays and visiting Oakland Athletics. They were hosted in the team’s clubhouse, fed by stadium catering and met the team’s mascot.

They even made it onto the Jumbotron, a giant screen in the stadium.

“The Jumbotron was the big highlight,” Currie said. “For everyone that was there, that was the first time that they were at a major league baseball game.”

“Some of their families back home are big fans of the Jays, so they’re sitting there trying to videotape parts of the game, and themselves, and the video screen, to share their experience with family members back home, which I thought was very cool.”

The Jays beat the A’s 7-3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Danny Jansen both hit two-run homers for the home team as the

RPAN group held a banner high above the field, which thanked the Jays Care Foundation for its support and greeted the world from Nunavut.

“We like to think we brought them Nunavut luck,” Currie said.

The group also visited the CN Tower and Ripley’s Aquarium

of Canada, and worked their way out of an escape room. Many of the participants had never been to Toronto before, but they all “loved” seeing the city, Currie said, even if some had difficultly with the stifling heat and humidity.

“I don’t think they loved it enough to move out of Nunavut to Toronto,” she laughed.

attend a Jays game and develop skills that can be applied as summer

Signing off for the final time

40-year Nav Canada employee Rick Lepage will call it a career when he leaves Rankin Inlet for the last time in July

Rick Lepage will fly off into the sunset from Rankin Inlet one final time this coming month, when he caps his stay at Rankin Inlet to end a 40-year career with Nav Canada.

About half those years were spent in the North.

Lepage, 65, ends his career as the supervisor of the Rankin Inlet flight services station.

His lengthy career took him to Montreal; Dorval; Cornwall, Ont., (twice); the Magdalen Islands; Churchill, Man.; Baker Lake; New Brunswick; Sydney, N.S.; and Charlottetown, P.E.I. before finally landing in Rankin Inlet in 2017.

In 2007, Lepage won a competition to become the team supervisor in Rankin Inlet. With their kids (daughter Amanda McNally, 39, and son, Scott, 37) all grown, Lepage and his wife, Kim, took the opportunity to come back to the North.

“We said we’d stay a couple of years, and then a couple of years turned into a couple more, and then a couple more – and it just got to the point where I was so far along in my career I didn’t really want to go down to another

unit, re-qualify and then retire and have to move again,” said Rick.

“We were going to retire a couple of years ago but our granddaughter came down with a brain tumour, so we decided to stay, work and provide financial and moral support to my son and his wife, while our granddaughter was going through this.”

Rick said the blessing for him early in his career while he was at the National Transport Canada Training Institute turned out to be where he met his wife.

He said this past April 2, he and Kim were married 40 years. Kim, up until two years ago, was the base manager for Keewatin (Kivalliq) Air during their time in Rankin Inlet.

“Our son, Scott, actually spent three or four years in Rankin with us and the interesting thing about that was he met his wife, Lisa, up here,” said Rick.

“His wife’s mother was working for Keewatin Air with Kim at the time and her daughter came up for a visit. My wife asked my son to show her around town during his off time and the rest is history.”

Rick said when he leaves Rankin, what he will take with him is the friendships he made during his 16 years in the community.

He said the people in Rankin have shown incredible kindness and greet you openly, wanting to know who you are and where you’re from.

“It’s not in a way that’s confrontational or anything like that. It’s like, ‘Hey who are you? Where are you from and why are you here? Do you like fish? Can I get you some char? Do you hunt? If not, I can bring you some caribou.

“They’re always sharing, always giving. Even when they have next to nothing, they’re always wanting to

share stuff with you and, I think, that makes you a better person wanting to share.

“For a couple of years I got involved in coaching the high school basketball team and that was a lot of fun. And the people here in the curling club were so much fun and great to know.

“Getting out on the land in being in the middle of a caribou herd was just so cool. Going out to Marble Island and being in the community hall when the Governor General came in to visit, these are experiences that you

can never forget.”

Originally from Ottawa, Lepage said living in a small town was a nice change from living in the hustle and bustle of the city.

“Once we leave, I’ll miss the people here the most and talking to the planes as they’re going in and out. Rankin, really, is like any small community. People, you know, get up and go to work and grab their children.

“One of the sweetest things you can ever see is the love the Inuit people have for their children. From the parents all the way up to the great-grandparents.

“I would have to say that life here is slower than the south and you get time to appreciate things. And you learn to respect weather way more than you did living in your big city, with the city trucks that came down and plow your road every half hour.

“Here, they keep the roads open in the middle of a blizzard. They can barely see in front of themselves and there they are, out making sure the roads are open enough that people can get to and from the grocery store and to the airport if, God forbid, an emergency medical evacuation is needed.

“It’s simply a great town full of wonderful people.”

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