Kivalliq News – March 23, 2022 Edition

ᓄᖑᔪᐃᑦᑐᓕᕆᓂᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔪᒪᔪᖅ ᐱᒋᐊᕈᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓱᐃᔪᖅ

Uranium project lays groundwork ValOre completes early consultations in three communities; plans drilling for April

Kivalliq News WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2022

Vol 28 No 13

Community ᑮᓇᐅᔾᔭᒃᓴᕐᓂᖅ ᓯᕗᓂᒃᓴᒥᓄᑦ

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Nunavut's Award Winning Voice of Kivalliq

Elder’s Arctic Birthday Club celebrates Eva and Rosalie

Fundraising for her future News ᐃᑲᔫᑎᒃᓴᑦ ᓄᑖᓄᑦ ᐊᓈᓇᖑᖅᓯᒪᔪᓄᑦ

Eva Tanuyak, who turned 84 on March 15, poses for a photo with some of her southern gifts. Photo courtesy of Cindy Dhillon

Support for new moms News

Rosalie Sammurtok looks beautiful in her tiara as she checks out a smorgasbord of birthday letters and gifts from southern Canadians. Photo courtesy of Cindy Dhillon

‘What’s better to lighten the mood than an Elder in a tiara?’

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Chesterfield Inlet

ᓴᓪᓕᓂ ᐱᓱᒃᑐᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᑦᑕᐃᓕᖃᑦᑕᖁᔨᓂᕐᒧᑦ Coral Harbour marches for suicide prevention Publication mail

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A pair of Chesterfield Inlet Elders were showered with cards and gifts for their 84th and 80th birthdays.

Eva Tanuyak, whose 84th birthday was March 15, and Rosalie Sammurtok, whose 80th birthday was March 2, received dozens of cards and gifts from the Elder’s Arctic Birthday Club.

The club was started by Northern Canada Mini Projects, a Facebook group of generous southerners with a keen interest in northerners, spearheaded by Cindy Dhillon.

Members frequently identify charitable causes through community connections and fundraise or mail out packages to Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.

The intention of the birthday club is to send as many cards to each Elder as their age in years, plus a few more, along with pieces of fabric from all over

The Elder’s Arctic Birthday Club aims to send a letter and piece of fabric to each Elder to match their age in years. Photo courtesy of Cindy Dhillon southern Canada, explained Dhillon.

They are also sent a box that includes birthday supplies, such as cake mix, frosting, balloons, candles and more.

In a time of potential world wars and pandemics, what’s better to lighten the mood than an Elder in a tiara, said Dhillon.

A2 Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Kivalliq News

Language hasn’t been a barrier

www.nnsl.com

Stéphanie Richard enjoys being immersed in Nunavut’s culture

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Kivalliq

There aren’t a whole lot of French-speaking residents in the Kivalliq, nor much of a Francophonie community, and for Rankin Inlet’s Stéphanie Richard, that’s no problem.

The French Canadian mental health worker has been in Nunavut since 2019 and Rankin Inlet since early 2021, having lived in Iqaluit before.

“I honestly didn’t expect many French services at all before moving here,” she said about coming to Nunavut.

“Iqaluit does have a larger French community including a French school and francophone centre, but they aren’t services I ever really utilized. I’ve always expected to come here and work in English and I’ve been comfortable with that.”

Ecole Des Trois Soleils in Iqaluit is run by the Commission scolaire francophone du Nunavut. The history of French-language teaching in Iqaluit, according to the Commission, goes back to 1984 when then-NWT MP Dennis Patterson presented a petition to the legislative assembly in Yellowknife.

By 1993 the NWT department of education established a French first language program for Grades one to six. Construction of the school was completed in 2001 and the building was

expanded in 2019.

Nunavummiut across the territory speak mostly Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun and English, Richard noted, adding that as long as services are provided in those languages, that is perfectly acceptable.

“I don’t feel language has posed any barrier for me, and instead find that I enjoy learning words in Inuktitut,” she said.

Richard doesn’t think French services are a significant need in the Kivalliq, unless community members express a desire to learn the language as an asset for their work.

“I would rather learn from the community I reside in, which is currently Rankin Inlet – whether that be through language or culture – than to isolate myself with other French-speaking people,” said Richard, asked if she wished there were more of a French community.

According to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, about 4.3 per cent of Nunavummiut speak both English and French, with 1.7 per cent claiming French as their mother tongue.

Eighty-six per cent of Francophones live in Iqaluit and 10 per cent in the Keewatin economic zone, which includes the Kivalliq, with four per cent in the Kitikmeot.

Seventy-seven per cent of Francophones in Nunavut were born outside of the territory, with 13 per cent in Nunavut and 10 per cent abroad.

– with files from Trevor Wright

A lack of French community in Rankin Inlet doesn’t bother Stéphanie Richard, who has lived in Nunavut since 2019. She would rather be immersed in Nunavut’s culture than isolate herself among other French Canadians.

Photo courtesy of Stéphanie Richard

Kivalliq News

www.nnsl.com

Did we get it wrong?

Kivalliq News is committed to getting facts and names right. With that goes a commitment to acknowledge mistakes and run corrections. If you spot an error in Kivalliq News, call (867) 645-3223 and ask to speak to the editor, or email kivalliqnews@nnsl.com. We'll get a correction or clarification in as soon as we can.

fact file Nunavut Covid-19 situation as of March 15 Active (total) cases by community: Active cases: 319 Confirmed cases: 3,331 Recovered cases: 3,007 Deaths: 5 Vaccine uptake: 33,349 first doses/ 95 per cent 28,510 second doses/ 81 per cent 14,086 third doses/ 48 per cent

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Around Kivalliq Behchoko

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with Stewart Burnett

Qiniq to find new provider

Rankin Inlet Curley’s Construction announced on Facebook March 15 that the business would no longer be offering Qiniq services after April 29, 2022.

It asked not to send funds to the Curley Construction email after April 11, as they will not be received.

SSi Canada’s Mathieu Gorman confirmed with Kivalliq News that the company had been informed the week of March 14 that Curley’s would no longer be the community service provider in town. He said it was due to workforce challenges and difficulty hiring workers in the community.

“Curley’s Construction has done tremendous work for us over the last two years they have worked for us and we want to thank the company for its dedication to our customers and the community,” stated Gorman in an email. “They are very well-liked by the customers and we will miss them. We wish them all the best.”

He went on to say Qiniq is dedicated to being the only mobile and internet provider in Nunavut offering local services in all communities, and said this news will not change that goal and that a new community service provider would be announced in the coming weeks.

Anyone interested in taking on that position can contact customercare@qiniq.com.

Wednesday, March 23, 2022 A3

Arctic Bay: 2 (4) Arviat: 2 (136) Baker Lake: 8 (156) Cambridge Bay: 7 (146) Chesterfield Inlet: 1 (8) Clyde River: 3 (8) Coral Harbour: 5 (74) Iglulik: 12 (221) Iqaluit: 96 (652) Gjoa Haven: 42 (69)

Kinngait: 3 (99) Kugaaruk: 32 (101) Kugluktuk: 43 (65) Naujaat: 35 (90) Pangnirtung: 10 (77) Pond Inlet: 30 (93) Qikiqtarjuaq: 12 (39) Rankin Inlet: 51 (278) Sanrajak: 5 (77) Taloyoak: 2 (104)

Source: Government of Nunavut Department of Health

ᐊᓈᓇᙳᓵᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᒥᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᐊᓕᖅᑐᑦ

Sanikiluaq

ᒪᑕ ᐸᓪᓗᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᕙ ᐅᖃᑦᓯᐊᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᕆᐊᖅᑎᐅᔫᒃ ᓯᖓᐃᔪᓂᒃ ᐊᓈᓇᙳᓵᖅᑐᓂᒡᓗ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᕐᕕᐊᓂᓗ.

Leadership team announced for hydro-fibre link

Kivalliq Nukik Corporation, owned by the Kivalliq Inuit Association and Sakku Investments, announced its executive leadership team to guide work on the proposed Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link March 15.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Anne-Raphaëlle Audouin as CEO for Nukik,” announced David Kakuktinniq, president of Nukik Corporation and CEO of Sakku Investments, in a news release.

“Anne and her leadership team will continue the important work underway on the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link as we move the project through feasibility and towards commercial development.”

Audouin said the project is of “collosal importance for the region and is going to be instrumental in reaching our national 2030 and beyond climate objectives.”

She joins Nukik after leading WaterPower Canada as CEO for the last eight years.

Joining her on the executive team are Adam Borowiecki and Darcy Quinn. Borowiecki managed major projects for Valard Construction over the last 10 years, while Quinn served as manager of business and economic development for BC Hydro Power Authority.

The news release stated the board would be seeking additional positions for Nunavummiut soon.

The fibre link is a proposed 1,200-kilometre, 150-megawatt transmission infrastructure project that would connect renewable energy and fibre-optic internet from Manitoba to Nunavut.

Hamlet donates to Ukraine effort

Rankin Inlet The Hamlet of Rankin Inlet will be donating $3,200 to the Canadian Red Cross for the organization’s work in Ukraine.

Coun. Justin Merritt said it would be about $1 per each resident of the town. He compared it with two other circumstances where the hamlet made an extraordinary donation: one for the Humboldt Broncos crash in 2018, and another for Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016.

“In this case, what’s happening in Ukraine is atrocious,” said Merritt, noting the hamlet’s present surplus of funds. “You have a mad man killing innocent people.”

Martha Palluq and Eva Okatsiak are two early-years superheroes here to help expecting and new mothers in Rankin Inlet and Arviat.

ᖁᓕᑦ ᓴᓇᔩᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐊᕐᕕᐊᓂ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᓗ ᐃᓕᑕᖅᓯᓂᒃᑯᑦ Northern News Services

ᐃᕙ ᐅᖃᑦᓯᐊᖅ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᖃᑕᐅᔪᖅ ᖁᓕᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᔨᑖᖑᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᓯᖓᐃᔪᑦ ᐊᓈᓇᙳᓵᖅᑐᓪᓗ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᒃᓴᖓᒍᑦ ᐃᓕᑕᖅᓯᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᕐᕕᐊᓂ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᓗ. “ᑕᐃᒪᐃᑦᑐᖃᕋᔮᕐᓂᕐᓕ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᒥᒃ ᓄᑕᖅᑭᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᖓ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐅᖃᑦᓯᐊᖅ, ᐊᕐᕕᐊᓂᙶᖃᑕᐅᔪᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᑕᕋᓕᒃ ᐊᕐᕕᓂᓕᖕᓂᒃ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᑲᑎᖦᖢᒋᑦ 7-ᖑᔪᑦ. ᐊᕐᕕᓂᓕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᓴᓇᔩᑦ ᐊᕐᕕᐊᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓯᑕᒪᑦ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᒥᓂᒃ ᐱᐊᓂᒃᓯᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓕᑕᖅᓯᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᒫᑦᓯ 18-ᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᓕᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᕆᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᕆᐊᖅᑎᐅᖃᑦᑕᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᒥᓂ. ᒪᑕ ᐸᓪᓗᖅ, ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᐅᑕᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖃᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ, ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎ ᐃᑲᔫᑕᐅᓪᓚᕆᖕᓂᐊᕐᒪᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥ. “ᐊᒥᓱᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᓚᐅᖅᖢᖓᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᑕᒡᕙᑐᖅ ᐅᑯᐊ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓐᓂᕐᓚᒃᑲ ᐊᓈᓇᙳᖅᑎᓪᓗᖓ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐸᓪᓗᖅ, ᒪᕐᕉᖕᓂᒃ ᓄᑕᕋᓕᒃ, ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂᓗ ᐅᔾᔨᕈᓱᓚᐅᙱᓐᓇᒥᒎᖅ ᖃᓄᖅ ᓄᑕᕋᓛᑦ ᓯᖓᐃᒋᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᓕᑦᑎᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᒋᖃᑦᑕᕐᒪᖔᑕ ᐃᓅᖅᑳᕐᓇᑎᒃ. “ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓚᐅᕈᒪ ᖃᓄᖅ ‘ᐃᓕᑦᑎᑎᒋᖃᑦᑕᕐᒪᖔᑕ,’ ᐅᖃᖃᑎᒋᓂᖅᓴᐅᖃᑦᑕᕋᔭᖅᑕᒃᑲ, ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᖃᑎᒋᓂᖅᓴᐅᓗᒋᑦ.” ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒃᑐᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᑐᖃᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᕐᓂᐊᕐᒪᑦ ᐃᓚᒌᖕᓄᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᒥᓄᑦ. ᑎᐅᕋ ᒍᕆᓐ, ᐃᑲᔫᑎᒥᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᔨ, ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎ ᐊᑐᓕᖅᑎᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᒪᑦ Martin Family Initiative-ᑯᑎᒍᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑕᐅᑉᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᖅᑭᐅᒪᕝᕕᒃᑯᑦ, ᐃᓐᓇᑐᖃᐃᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᔩᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒥ. ᒪᕐᕉᖕᓂᒃ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓰᖕᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎ ᐃᓗᓕᖃᖅᑐᖅ 45-ᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᕐᕋᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᓂᒃᑯᑦ, ᐃᓗᓕᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᓄᑕᖅᑭᕆᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕈᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ – ᐱᔾᔪᑎᖃᓪᓚᕆᒃᖢᓂᓗ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ

ᓄᑕᕋᑦ ᐆᒻᒪᑎᑯᓗᖏᑦᑎᒍᑦ – ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖃᖅᑎᑕᐅᕙᒃᖢᑎᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᖏᔪᓂᒡᓗ ᑲᒪᔭᕆᐊᖃᖃᑦᑕᕈᒫᕐᓂᒃᑯᑦ. ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᒥᓂᒃ ᐱᐊᓂᒃᓯᔪᑦ ᓴᓇᐃᓐᓇᓕᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᓴᓇᑦᑕᐃᓕᐅᕌᓂᒃᑐᒥ ᑕᓪᓕᒻᒥᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᐃᖃᑦᑕᕐᓗᑎᒃ 15-ᓄᑦ ᐃᓚᒌᖕᓄᑦ ᐊᑐᓂ. “ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎ ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓱᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐊᓈᓇᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᓚᒌᓪᓗ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᒃᑰᕐᓂᖅᓴᐅᖃᑦᑕᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᒍᕆᓐ. ᐊᖏᕐᕋᕆᔭᐅᔪᓄᙵᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᓯᖓᐃᔪᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓈᓇᙳᓵᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᖃᑦᑕᕈᓐᓇᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦ ᓄᑕᕋᒥᓂᒃ, ᑲᒪᑦᑎᐊᕈᓐᓇᖃᑦᑕᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᑦᑎᔪᓐᓇᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦ, ᐊᔾᔭᖅᑐᖅᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᖃᑦᑕᖁᑉᓗᒋᓪᓗ ᑕᑯᔭᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕌᖓᑕ, ᑲᐱᔭᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕌᖓᑕ ᓄᑕᕋᓛᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓂᕿᑖᕆᐊᖅᑐᖃᑎᒋᔭᐅᖃᑦᑕᕐᓗᑎᒡᓘᓐᓃᑦ. “ᐊᓈᓇᐅᑉᓗᓂ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖃᑦᑕᕐᒪᑦ, ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑎᖃᕈᓐᓇᕐᓗᓂ, ᐃᑲᔫᑕᐅᓪᓚᕆᖕᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓚᒌᖕᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᑕᖅᑲᓄᑦᑕᐅᖅ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᒍᕆᓐ. “ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᑕᖅᑭᕆᔾᔪᑎᖏᑦ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᕆᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᓕᖅᑎᖅᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦᑕᐅᖅ, ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐋᖅᑭᒋᐊᕈᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑑᔭᖅᑐᖅ ᒪᒥᓴᕈᑕᐅᓗᓂᓗ. ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᐱᓗᐊᖅᑐᒥ, ᐃᓚᒌᑦ, ᓯᖓᐃᔪᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓈᓇᙳᓵᖅᑐᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᖁᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅᑕᖅᐳᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑎᒃᓴᖃᕐᒪᑕ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᒪᔪᒍᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᒃᑯᑦ.” ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᒃᓴᖅ ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑕᐅᔪᒪᔪᓄᑦ ᒪᑐᐃᖅᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᒫᓐᓇᑲᐅᑎᒋ. ᐱᒋᐊᕈᑎᒃᑯᑦ, ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᓯᖓᐃᔪᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓈᓇᙳᓵᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᕐᕕᓂᓕᖕᓄᑦ ᑕᖅᑭᓕᖕᓄᑦ, ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᓄᑕᕋᓛᖅ ᒪᕐᕉᖕᓂᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᖃᓕᖅᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᑎᑭᓪᓗᒍ. ᒍᕆᓐ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᓄᐃᒡᒎᖅ ᐅᔾᔨᖅᑐᕐᓂᐊᖅᐳᑦ ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᒪᑐᐃᕐᓂᐊᕐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐆᒃᑐᕈᕈᒪᔪᓄᑦ. “ᐃᒃᐱᒍᓱᓗᒃᑖᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐃᑲᔫᑕᐅᓂᐊᕐᒪᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᓗᒃᑖᒧᑦ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ.

A4 Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Kivalliq News

Closure woes not unique to Canada Post

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Facebook seems the only way to know what’s open at any given time

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An intermittent but entertaining morning show in Rankin Inlet is watching Facebook for updates on if Canada Post is closed that day or not.

Early in the year, the post office would close frequently and post very late notices, often after it was supposed to be open, until Facebook commenters began to revolt.

We contacted Canada Post’s media relations office at that time, who said the issues were due to health protocols, staffing and weather.

Things seemed to quiet down for a while, but the local post office is back making waves on Rankin Inlet’s Facebook pages, as “unforeseen” issues kept it closed multiple times again last week.

“We don’t understand and we’re out of patience,” put one commenter succinctly. “Please raise the salary in order to retain staff that will

Kugaaruk

Naujaat

Editor: Stewart Burnett Associate Editor: Jean Kusugak Box 657, Rankin Inlet, NU X0C 0G0 Phone: (867) 645-3223 Fax: (867) 645-3225 Toll free: (855) 447-2584 Email: kivalliqnews@nnsl.com Website: www.nnsl.com/kivalliqnews Founder (1934-2018): J.W. (Sig) Sigvaldason Group Publisher: Mike W. Bryant mike.bryant@nnsl.com Coordinating Editor: Alyssa Smith alyssa.smith@nnsl.com Kivalliq Advertising Representative: advertising@nunavutnews.com Call collect: (867) 873-4031 Fax: (867) 873-8507

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show up daily.”

Ultimately, this lack of dependabilDogpiling a federal agency can ity will hold growth back. Everything be fun, but being honest with ouralready takes longer in the North, selves, this issue isn’t limited to and it really takes longer when local Canada Post in Rankin Inlet. businesses and services flip a coin to Businesses, restaurants, cabs, see if they’re going to open each day. drop-in programs – they all seem “Northern time” is a part of the to have frequent closures, posted culture we all accept –­­­ where most the morning of or day before. It’s informal events or meetings start late hard to know what’s going to be – and it even has benefits, encouraging open in town unless you keep an a relaxed culture. But the randomness eye on Facebook. of whether these businesses and serare open at all is going too far.

Only the community staples stewart vices and essential services like the Once bitten, twice shy, and at some burnett point the average person is just going big grocery stores seem to have consistent and dependable hours. to give up on a business that doesn’t It’s easy to hate on Canada Post have consistent hours. specifically, but this culture of wonky hours, lack Maybe this is too southern a perspective, but in of dependability and the whims of managers is the words of U.S. President Joe Biden, “C’mon, spread throughout the town. man!”

Sanikiluaq

Publishing Office: Box 2820, Yellowknife, NT X1A 2R1 Phone: (867) 873-4031 Fax: (867) 873-8507 Email: nnsl@nnsl.com Website: www.nunavutnews.com ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᓕᕆᔨ: ᑯᑎ ᐸᓐᑐᕐ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑑᓕᕆᔨ: ᒪᐃᑯ ᓛᐃᓐᕼᐊᓐ Box 657, ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᖅ, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ X0C 0G0 ᐅᖃᓘᑎᖓ: (867) 645-3223 ᓱᑲᔪᒃᑯᑦ: (867) 645-3225 ᐊᑭᖃᖏᑦᑐᖅ: (855) 447-2584 ᖃᕆᑕᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ: kivalliqnews@nnsl.com ᖃᕆᑕᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ: www.nunavutnews.com ᓇᓂᓯᔨᐅᔪᖅ (1934-2018): J.W. (Sig) Sigvaldason ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑎᔨ ᑐᑭᒧᐊᒃᑎᑎᔨᓪᓚᕆᐅᑉᓗᓂᓗ: Mike W. Bryant – mike.bryant@nnsl.com ᑲᒪᔨ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑎ: ᑯᕆᒃ ᒋᐅᐳᑦ Alyssa Smith – alyssa.smith@nnsl.com ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥ ᐅᐃᕆᓴᐅᑎᓂᒃ ᓂᐅᕕᐊᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᓕᕆᔨ: ᑎᐅᕆ ᑖᐱᓐ – advertising@nunavutnews.com ᑲᓕᒃᑳᕈᓐᓇᖅᐳᓯ ᐅᕗᖓ ᐊᑭᖃᖏᑦᑐᖅ: (867) 873-4031 ᓱᑲᔪᒃᑯᑦ: (867) 873-8507 ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᕕᒃ: Box 2820, ᔭᓗᓇᐃᕝ, ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᖅ X1A 2R1 ᐅᖃᓘᑎᖓᑦ: (867) 873-4031 ᓱᑲᔪᒃᑯᑦ: (867) 873-8507 ᖃᕆᑕᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ: nnsl@nnsl.com ᖃᕆᑕᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ: www.nnsl.com

Aivilik MLA Solomon Malliki tabled a letter from the Aiviit Hunters and Trappers Organization that expressed concern over a high amount of caribou meat being sold and shipped out. Trevor Wright/NNSL photo

Chesterfield Inlet needs gravel support

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Kivalliq

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Canada.

Rankin Inlet North-Chesterfield Inlet MLA Alexander Sammurtok pressed Minister of Community and Government Services David Joanasie on the need for gravel supplies in Chesterfield Inlet March 11 in the legislative assembly.

Sammurtok noted there were less than two years of gravel remaining and said that access to sufficient supplies of quality gravel is essential for the development of community infrastructure, including the planned new airport terminal building, road repairs and land lot development.

Joanasie responded that the community identified the development of a new quarry as its 24th priority in the municipality’s integrated community sustainability plan.

He went on to say his department has reached out to all communities to understand their granular needs and it is an ongoing area the Government of Nunavut looks to support them in.

Baker Lake health centre in early stages

Baker Lake MLA Craig Simailak asked Minister of Health John Main for a status update on planning for a new health centre in Baker Lake.

“Looking at all of the health centres in Nunavut, the absolute priority replacement is Qikiqtarjuaq and right next to it is Baker Lake,” responded Main

through interpretation.

He noted that the current health centre is too small and the kitchen is often used as a staffroom, with non-clinical rooms used for record filing and storage.

Main said the government is preparing the preplanning envelope for the health centre, following which would be a detailed design process.

for the community in her capital plan.

Gross responded that the community has been identified as one for her department’s capital planner to visit and assess. She added that in the 2022-‘23 fiscal year, Nunavut Arctic College has introduced four community learning centres into the capital planning process, and Chesterfield Inlet is one of the communities that will be going forward.

New Baker Lake QEC office on track

Caribou population survey deferred to 2023

Joanna Quassa, minister responsible for the Qulliq Energy Corporation, confirmed in the legislative assembly that the new head office for the organization is on schedule and slated to be completed in Baker Lake August 2022. The project was previously estimated to cost $16.2 million.

‘Urgent’ need for new learning centre in Chesterfield Inlet

At only 90 square metres in size, Chesterfield Inlet’s learning centre is one of the smallest facilities in Nunavut and the community urgently needs a new one, said Rankin Inlet North-Chesterfield Inlet MLA Alexander Sammurtok March 14.

The current learning centre contains only a single classroom and a computer lab, and due to its small size, only one course can be delivered per season, he added.

He encouraged Pamela Gross, the minister responsible for Nunavut Arctic College, to bring forward a new community learning centre project

A letter tabled by the Aiviit Hunters and Trappers Organization requested a survey for caribou on Southampton Island and Coats Island.

“The last survey was done in the year 2019 and the results of the survey showed stable numbers between year 2015 and 2019 with approximately 12,000 animals,” wrote Danny Pee, chair of the organization, in the letter to Aivilik MLA Solomon Malliki, who tabled it in the legislative assembly.

Pee went on to write that the board is concerned about the population declining due to many harvests of caribou and because they were being sold by hunters to create income.

“There has been a report from our airline that in the year 2021 there was 21,000 lbs of caribou meat shipped out of the community for sale purpose,” wrote Pee. Minister of Environment David Akeeagok said pandemic restrictions delayed the survey, which was planned for the current fiscal year. It will instead be planned for May 2023.

Kivalliq News

www.nnsl.com

Wednesday, March 23, 2022 A5

ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖁᒪᐃᑦᑐᐊᓗᒃ ᐅᐸᒍᑕᐅᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᒥᓱᑦ ᐱᓱᒃᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᒥᓱᑦ ᓈᓚᐅᑎᐊᓛᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᑦᑕᐃᓕᖃᑦᑕᖁᔨᑉᓗᑎᒃ

Northern News Services

ᓇᑎᓐ ᐃᑦᑐᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖁᑉᐹᐱᒃ ᓂᖏᐅᑦᓯᐊᖅ ᐅᓐᓄᐊᓗᒃᑖᖅᑲᔭᖅ ᓈᓚᐅᑎᐊᓛᓃᓚᐅᖅᑑᒃ ᐅᖃᓗᒡᕕᐅᑲᑕᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᓴᓪᓕᓂ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᕐᒥᒃ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᑦᑕᐃᓕᖃᑦᑕᖁᔨᓂᖅ ᑲᒪᒋᔭᐅᖅᑳᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᓄᓇᖓᓂ. “ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖁᔭᓕᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᕙᑉᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᑦᑕᐃᓕᖃᑦᑕᖁᔨᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᓚᐅᕐᓂᑉᑎᓐᓂᒃ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᑦᑐᖅ ᓄᓇᖓᓂ ᐱᖓᓱᓂᒃ ᐅᑉᓗᓂᒃ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᖅᑎᑦᑎᕈᓘᔭᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᒫᑦᓯ 8-ᒥ 10-ᒧᑦ. “ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐅᕙᑉᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐅᖃᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᑐᑭᓯᐅᒪᓂᖅᓴᐅᓕᕐᒪᑕᒎᖅ ᖃᓄᖅ ᑲᒪᒋᐊᕋᔭᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᒃᑰᖅᖢᓂ. ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐱᐅᔪᐊᓗᖕᒥᒃ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᔪᖅ. ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᖅ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᒃᑎᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ Hᐊᒻᓚᒃᑯᓐᓂᙶᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥ ᑐᒃᓯᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥᙶᖅᑐᓂᒃ, ᐱᓱᖕᓂᖃᓚᐅᖅᖢᑎᒡᓗ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᑦᑕᐃᓕᒪᖃᑦᑕᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᓕᖕᒥᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥ, ᐃᒻᒪᖄ 150-ᓂᒃ 200-ᓄᑦ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᐃᓚᐅᔪᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ. ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑕᐅᔪᑦ ᐅᓲᔮᖅᑐᖅᑐᖅᑎᑕᐅᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐱᓱᐊᓂᖕᒪᑕ, ᓈᓚᐅᑎᐊᓛᒃᑯᓪᓗ ᐅᖃᓗᑲᑕᒃᑎᑦᑎᓕᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᑦᑕᐃᓕᒪᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ, ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᖅ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᖃᓗᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᕆᐊᕋᔭᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ. “ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ, ᐃᒃᐱᖕᓇᖅᑐᐊᓘᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᑦᑐᖅ. ᑐᒡᓕᐊᓂ ᐅᑉᓗᕐᒥ, ᓄᓇᖅᑲᑎᒌᑦ ᐃᒡᓗᕕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎᑕᐅᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᑉᓗᑎᒡᓗ ᐱᖓᓱᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᔨᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᓐᓄᖓᓂ ᓈᓚᐅᑎᐊᓛᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᖃᓗᑲᑕᒃᑎᑦᑎᓕᕐᒥᖕᒪᑕ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᓗᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᐃᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓐᓇᕈᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᔪᓂᒡᓗ. ᑭᖑᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥ ᐅᑉᓗᕐᒥ, ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑕᐅᔪᑦ

ᑲᑎᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᑦ ᐃᒡᓗᕕᒐᕐᓂᒃ, ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᑦ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑑᓯᕝᕕᖕᒦᖦᖢᑎᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓐᓇᑐᖃᐃᑦ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᒃᖢᑎᒃ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᒃᑰᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᙱᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᓐᓇᖃᑦᑕᕐᒪᖔᑕ. “ᐃᓐᓇᐃᓪᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᑐᓵᔭᖅᑐᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓐᓇᑐᖃᕐᓄᑦ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᑦᑐᖅ. “ᐃᓐᓇᑐᖃᐃᑦ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᐊᓘᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ. ᐃᑲᔫᑕᐅᓪᓚᕆᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓄᑦ.” ᓈᓚᐅᑎᐊᓛᒃᑯᑦ, ᐊᓈᓇᐅᔪᖅ ᓄᑕᕋᐃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᔪᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᖃᓄᐃᑦᑐᒃᑰᓚᐅᕐᒪᖔᕐᒥᓂ, ᐅᖃᓪᓚᒃᖢᓂ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐃᒃᐱᖕᓇᓚᐅᕐᒪᖔᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᓚᐅᕐᒪᖔᕐᒥ ᖁᒃᓴᓪᓚᒃᓯᒪᑉᓗᓂ. “ᓈᓚᐅᑎᐊᓛᒃᑰᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᐊᒥᓱᑦ ᐅᖃᓗᑲᑕᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᓈᓚᒡᕕᖕᒧᑦ ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐅᕙᑉᑎᓐᓄᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᖅᑕᐅᑉᓗᓂ ᐊᓈᓇᐅᔪᖅ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᑦᑐᖅ. “ᓄᑕᕋᑯᓗᐃᓪᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐅᖃᓗᑲᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᖅᖢᑎᒃ, ᑐᑭᓯᐅᒪᓂᕋᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕆᐊᖃᕋᔭᕐᒪᖔᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᒃᑰᓕᕐᒥᒍᑎᒃ.” ᑭᖑᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥ ᓈᓚᐅᑎᐊᓛᒃᑰᖅᑎᑦᑎᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓄᖅᑲᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ 1:30-ᒥ ᐅᓐᓄᐊᒃᑯᑦ, ᐃᑦᑐᖅ ᓂᖏᐅᑦᓯᐊᕐᓗ ᐅᐃᕐᖓᖅᑐᐊᓘᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᕐᔪᐊᖅᓯᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᐅᑉ ᐃᓗᐊᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᒃᐱᖕᓇᖅᑐᐊᓘᓚᐅᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ. “ᖃᑉᓯᑲᓪᓚᑦ ᐅᖃᓗᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᖁᑉᐹᐱᖕᒧᑦ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᑎᒡᓗ ᐃᓱᒪᓚᐅᖅᑐᒡᒎᖅ ᐃᖕᒥᓂᒃ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᒍᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᓕᐅᔾᔮᕈᓐᓃᕐᓂᕋᖅᖢᑎᒃ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᑦᑐᖅ, ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᓕᑦᑎᓯᒪᓕᕐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᒋᐊᖃᙱᓐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᖢᐊᖏᓕᐅᕈᑎᖃᓕᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᓅᓯᒃᑯᑦ. ᐃᑦᑐᕐᒧᑦ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᒃᑐᖅᓯᓂᖃᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ. “ᐃᒃᐱᖕᓇᖅᑐᐊᓘᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᕙᑉᑎᓐᓄᑦ, ᐅᕙᒻᓄᑦ ᐱᓗᐊᖅᖢᒍ, ᐊᓂᒐ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᓯᒪᖕᒪᑦ.”

Full-STEAM ahead Sixteen-year-old Jaidyn Verbeek is fundraising up a storm to participate in SHAD Canada this summer.

The program would place her in a university for a month to get firsthand experience and mentorship.

Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

Grade 10 Rankin Inlet student aims for university experience of a lifetime

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Rankin Inlet

She’s never flown alone before, but those nerves aren’t stopping 16-year-old Jaidyn Verbeek from pushing full-steam ahead on fundraising to take the opportunity of a lifetime and join the monthlong SHAD Canada summer program this July.

“I’m sure when it comes to it, I’ll figure it out,” said the Grade 10 Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik student nonchalantly.

Verbeek has been accepted into the SHAD program, and now all she has to do is finish raising the $6,100 necessary, plus airfare, to make it a reality.

The program is a month-long postsecondary experience at a university in Canada, where Verbeek would be fully immersed in STEAM and entrepreneurship teaching from mentors and professors, complete with living in a dorm for 27 days.

“You get to learn science from proper pro-

fessors,” said Verbeek, who has always been interested in the sciences, from archaeology to engineering, physics and biology.

“I’m a bit everywhere,” she admitted about her interests, hoping that the SHAD program helps her decide which direction to go in postsecondary.

“It’s a good way to show me different opportunities.”

Verbeek and her family have raised a portion of the funds necessary already, including a $2,000 bursary from the SHAD organization, and she’ll be on the grind for the rest of spring until she can cover all the funds necessary to turn the opportunity into a reality.

All that, while Verbeek continues to balance school and a job at EPLS. Her latest fundraising venture was a penny sale held at the community hall in Rankin Inlet Saturday, March 19.

Among SHAD alumni are many high-profile names, including Michele Romanow, the youngest member of CBC’s Dragons’ Den.

ᐃᒡᓗᕕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᓪᓗ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᑦᑕᐃᓕᒪᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᖅᑎᑦᑎᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓴᓪᓕᓂ. ᐅᑯᐊ ᑕᐃᕕᑎ ᓇᑕᖅᑯᖅ, ᓴᐅᒥᖅᖠᕐᒦᑦᑐᖅ, ᓇᑐᒃ ᐸᓐᓂᐅᖅ, ᔩᓐ ᐸᓕᐊᖅ, ᓘᓯ ᓇᑦᓯᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᒪᓕ ᓴᐸᖓ.

Iglu-building was part of the suicide prevention activities in Coral Harbour. Seen here are Davidee Natakok, Natuk Paniyuk, Jean Paliak, Lucy Netser and Emily Shapanga. Photo courtesy of Nadine Eetuk

ᐊᕐᓇᕐᕕᖓᑕ ᐃᕐᓂᐊ, ᐃᑦᑐᖅ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᒃᑰᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᖅ ᓱᓕ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᓕᕌᖓᒥᐅᒃ. “ᐃᓱᒪᒋᖃᑦᑕᖅᑕᕋ ᓱᓕ ᖃᓂᒌᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᕋᒻᓄᒃ ᐃᓚᒌᒃᖢᓄᒃ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ. “ᐊᔪᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᑯᓘᙱᑦᑐᖅ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᑦᑕᐃᓕᓇᓱᒃᖢᒍ. ᐃᓱᒪᒋᒐᔪᒃᑕᕋ ᓱᓕ, ᖃᓄᐃᑦᑑᓇᔭᕐᒪᖔᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᐅᔭᖃᑦᑕᖅᑕᕋ ᐃᓅᓚᐅᕐᓂᖅᐸᑦ ᓱᓕ. ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᑕᒡᕙ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᖃᑦᑕᖅᑕᒃᑲ.” ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᔪᑦ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᐊᒃᑐᖅᓯᓲᑦ, ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᒃᑲᓐᓂᖅᖢᓂ, ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᔪᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᙱᑦᑐᑦ.

ᖁᔭᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᐅᑉ ᐃᓗᐊᓂ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᖅᑎᑕᐅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᖅᑲᑎᒌᑦ ᐊᒃᑐᐊᔾᔪᑎᓂᖅᓴᐅᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ. “ᐃᓄᒃ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᒃᑰᓕᖅᐸᑦ, ᐃᓅᓰᑦ ᑭᐱᑦᑕᐃᓕᒍᒃ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ. “ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᓇᓱᖔᕐᓗᑎᑦ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ ᐅᒃᐱᕆᔭᕐᓄᑦ, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᒪᔪᐊᓗᐃᑦ, ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᙱᑦᑐᐊᓘᖕᒪᑦ ᐃᓚᐃᖅᖢᓂ ᓇᒡᓕᒋᔭᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᓅᓯᒃᑯᑦ ᑭᐱᓯᓂᒃᑯᑦ. ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᒐᓗᐊᕈᕕᑦ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᙱᒃᑯᕕᓪᓘᓐᓃᑦ. ᐃᓛᓐᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᓕᖃᑦᑕᕋᑉᑕ ᐃᓅᓯᑉᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᔪᒪᑉᓗᑕ ᐋᖅᑭᒍᑕᐅᓂᐊᕋᓱᒋᑉᓗᒍ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐋᒃᑲ. ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᔪᒪᖃᑦᑕᕆᑦᑎ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᒃᑰᓕᕌᖓᑉᓯ.”

A6 Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Kivalliq News

www.nnsl.com

ValOre hears Council defers community concerns mandate Uranium project near Baker Lake set to start drilling in April

decision

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Kivalliq

No one will be able to say that ValOre was unaware of community concerns regarding the company’s Angilak uranium mining project near Baker Lake.

An open house consultation in Rankin Inlet on March 14 saw only two Rankinmiut take part – Andrew Akerolik and Mary Rose Angoshadluk – but they kept ValOre representatives busy taking notes and hearing about potential pitfalls their company could run into.

The 66,435-hectare property is named after a nearby lake, and ValOre has invested over $55 million into it since acquisition, mostly on exploration, logistics and resource delineation work.

A drop in the price of uranium in recent years kept the project to the sidelines, but a recent rise in prices has spurred on investment in the company, which is now pursuing exploratory drilling.

“Discovery potential at Angilak is significant, providing excellent potential to add value with an upward move in uranium prices,” writes the company’s website about the property.

Colin Smith, vice-president of exploration with ValOre, said the property has been worked for a number of years by several different companies, with ValOre being involved since 2007.

There has been no mining or development on it to date, as the project remains in the exploratory phase.

Of chief concern for Angoshadluk and Akerolik at the meeting were the company’s communication, as the two suggested they hire at least one community liaison officer to keep locals informed and in touch about what’s planned.

“If they’re coming up to do some exploration, I think it’s best to have – even if it’s hiring for a couple months or a couple years – a community liaison officer, because not a lot of us listen to radio or not a lot of us go to Facebook,” said Angoshadluk after the two-hour open house. “Somebody that’s going to go out there and let the public know.”

She and Akerolik suggested the

Coun. Megan Pizzo-Lyall expressed hesitation about lifting the vaccine mandate for hamlet workers. Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Rankin Inlet

Mary Rose Angoshadluk presses ValOre representatives on the need for a community liaison position in their company. Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo company hold regular open houses, even monthly or quarterly, but ValOre representatives indicated they might not be able to come to the Kivalliq themselves that frequently and suggested video conferencing as a possibility.

The two also emphasized a desire to be told the truth by ValOre about the company’s plans, saying the community needs to be able to trust the company and not be told empty promises. They added that these concerns are not only about the environment, but about respecting the communities involved.

Smith said the company would be doing initial drilling in April this year with about 30 holes, and another 30 holes in September. About 35 to 40 people will be on site during the peak work times.

In the time between, an independent third-party environmental company would be studying the lake water, while ValOre did more mapping, prospecting and sampling.

Akerolik said September was a high time for caribou hunting and suggested moving the drilling time earlier, as well as limiting the use of helicopters, which can scare and stress caribou.

Following the meeting, Angoshadluk said “communication is the biggest key” and expressed optimism about the company.

“To me, they look like a promising

Andrew Akerolik studies the map of caribou migration and the proposed drilling site for ValOre’s uranium project near Baker Lake.

Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

company,” she said. “I finally spoke with somebody from down south that came up here … because we have never ever had that chance to say, ‘Look, you need to get this liaison officer. You need to talk to the hunters.’ That’s the first I’ve heard in a long, long time and I’m a resident of Rankin for the past 50 years.”

For Akerolik, he wishes more people showed up and the event had been advertised better.

“I just wish there was more community members attending it,” he said.

“It really helps when the community members speak up, have their say and concerns.”

He added that the company shouldn’t be having separate meetings with different governments and organizations in the community, and that all the discussion should be under one roof, saying that kind of open communication limits the spread of rumours and keeps people updated.

“I hope when there are more community consultations, more people attend, and also for exploration companies to put up posters and advertise more ahead of time instead of just last minute,” he said.

Following the Rankin Inlet meeting, ValOre held similar consultations in Baker Lake and Arviat.

Smith said all the community consultations went well.

“It was a good opportunity just for us to introduce ourselves and get people familiar with our company and who we are and what we will be doing as an exploration company,” he said, adding that there can be miscommunication if there’s not adequate communication.

The wheels are in motion to potentially hire a community liaison officer, he added.

“We’re not just going up there to tick a box and say we’ve done it,” said Smith the following Monday, March 21. “We really take it seriously and we already are taking actions to follow up on some of the recommendations that were laid out by the communities.”

Going from an exploratory project to full-scale mining operation could still take decades, he added. In the meantime, he looks forward to working with Kivalliq communities as exploration progresses.

“The success of our program really will come because of the knowledge and experience of the people who live in Nunavut,” said Smith. “We want to work safely for them.”

When the Government of Nunavut ends the state of emergency, the hamlet’s vaccine certification bylaw for entering municipal facilities will immediately end, too – but one thing that won’t necessarily end with it is the hamlet’s own requirement for staff and council to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

Because of that, council discussed whether to include the hamlet’s organizational vaccine mandate in its bylaw, meaning it would also end when the state of emergency ends, or to leave it as a separate policy that would carry on regardless.

Coun. Justin Merritt made a motion to combine the two policies so that the staff mandate would be dropped when the territorial government declares the emergency over.

“Personally, I feel like people have to make their own choices about vaccination right now,” said Coun. Kelly Lindell in support. “The majority of our community is vaccinated and I think that we helped in creating that.”

Coun. Megan Pizzo-Lyall indicated support for the idea but reservations when it came to staff who work closely with vulnerable sectors of the population.

“I feel conflicted,” she said. “I want people to still be vaccinated, but I don’t want it to be government mandated.”

She suggested deferring the decision until the next council meeting March 28 so that council could give it some thought first and gather more information.

The rest of council agreed, and Merritt withdrew his motion.

Letter of support, but no MOU

The Aqqiumavvik Society, a community wellness organization in Arviat, wrote to the hamlet that its previously planned Covid survey of Nunavummiut couldn’t go ahead without further formal support from council, asking for a memorandum of understanding to be signed so that the project could be granted a research license by the Nunavut Research Institute.

Originally, the hamlet wrote in support of the proposed survey in June 2021, but the project was delayed.

Shirley Tagalik, chair of the society, wrote to the hamlet Feb. 2 that the organization needed another agreement from the hamlet to participate in the project, noting that the work would hire and train a local person to carry out the survey.

“This work has not started because Nunavut Research Institute has not issued a research license,” wrote Tagalik.

Senior administrative officer Darren Flynn said it seemed like a straight-forward request for a letter of support, but found it puzzling that the society needed an MOU. “We don’t normally do that,” he said. “You would give a letter of support and they would use that to back up their proposal for their research.”

His recommendation was to issue another letter of support for the project, but leave it at that and not sign an MOU. Coun. Megan Pizzo-Lyall asked Flynn if the hamlet could inquire further with Aqqiumavvik about why the organization needs an MOU and not just a letter of support.

Council decided to issue a letter of support for the project, but not an MOU.

Calls for service up

February saw a rise in calls to the RCMP from January, said Sgt. Benjamin Comley in his monthly report to council.

However, comparing 2022 to 2021, overall call volume was up only 1 per cent.

One of the bigger monthly increases was in calls for assault, which had 49 in February, compared to just 13 in January. Mischief went up as well, while impaired driving and sexual assault were lower.

There were 147 calls for service in total in February, resulting in 19 criminal investigations in which charges were laid.

Ninety-three calls involved alcohol, 45 prisoners were lodged and there were nine calls for domestic assaults.

Comley said Covid restrictions continue to negatively affect the detachment’s ability to meet its community engagement goals, especially in the schools.

He reminded council that the hamlet should think about its priorities for the detachment for the 2022-23 fiscal year.

www.nnsl.com

Kivalliq News

Wednesday, March 23, 2022 A7

Heavy subject draws big interest Hundreds march and dozens call in to radio to talk suicide prevention

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Coral Harbour

Nadine Eetuk and Kupapik Ningeocheak were up until the wee hours of the morning fielding calls to Coral Harbour’s radio show after a week of suicide prevention activities in the community.

“Everybody was so thankful for us that we held this suicide prevention,” said Eetuk about the community’s three days of activities from March 8 to 10.

“People were telling us that they understood more how to cope with their hardship. It turned out really great.”

The week began with speeches from the hamlet and local church leaders, moving into a suicide prevention walk through town, which saw 150 to 200 people take part.

Participants had a hot-dog feast afterward, followed by the first edition of nightly radio shows on the topic of suicide prevention, this one being about intervention.

ᐊᔪᕿᖅᑐᐃᔨ ᓗᓯ ᓇᑦᓯᖅ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᒃᑐᖅ ᓄᓇᖅᑲᑎᒌᖕᓄᑦ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓄᓪᓗ ᒫᑦᓯ 8-ᒥ.

Anglican Minister Lucy Netser speaks to community members and youth March 8. Photo courtesy of Nadine Eetuk

“It was hard, emotional,” said Eetuk.

On the second day, community members learned how to build iglus from three instructors, and the night’s call-in show focused on encouragement to youth and young adults.

The last day, participants gathered at the iglus, with youth at the youth centre, and Elders passed on their wisdom to younger people about dealing with difficult times.

“Even adults came to go listen to the Elders,” said Eetuk. “The Elders had very good words for people. It was helpful for everybody.”

On the radio, a mother who lost her child to suicide opened up about her story, explaining how it felt and how she dealt with the sudden blow.

“While she was on air, a lot of people were calling to the off-air radio saying thank you to us, and thank you to that person,” said Eetuk.

“Even little children were calling the radio to say thank you, that they understand more how to cope with hardship.”

The last radio show lasted until 1:30 a.m., with Eetuk and Ningeocheak ready to pass out from the busy and emotional week.

“There were a few people who called and told Kupapik they were thinking to do this or do that, but they changed their mind,” said Eetuk, saying people learned suicide is not the answer to problems in their lives.

For Eetuk, the topic hit close to home.

“It was emotional for us, especially myself, because I lost my cousin before due to suicide.”

It was her aunt’s son, and Eetuk still finds it hard to think about at times.

“I still think about him because we were so close as family,” she said.

“It’s not that easy to let him go. I still often think about him, wonder how he would be if he was alive. All these thoughts come to my mind.”

Suicide touches everyone, she added, not just immediate family members.

She was grateful for the week of activities and community connections.

“If a person is having a hard time, please do not end your life to suicide,” she said.

“Seek for help from people who you trust, and people will definitely help you, because it’s no fun losing a loved one due to suicide. It doesn’t matter if it’s a family or non-family member.

Sometimes we think that suicide is the answer, but it is not. Please seek for help when you go through your hardships.”

ᐊᒥᓱᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑲᑎᑦᑐᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᑦᑕᐃᓕᒪᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓱᒍᑎᖃᕐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᖅᑎᑕᐅᑲᑕᖕᓂᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᓪᓗ ᒫᑦᓯ 8-ᒥ 10-ᒧᑦ ᓴᓪᓕᓂ.

A couple hundred people gathered to take part in the suicide prevention walk and related activities March 8 to 10 in Coral Harbour. Photo courtesy of Nadine Eetuk

New mothers to get home support Ten staff trained in Arviat and Rankin Inlet under Ilitaqsiniq program ᐊᕐᕕᓂᓖᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᒥᒃ ᐱᐊᓂᒃᓯᔪᑦ ᐊᕐᕕᐊᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓯᑕᒪᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᒥᓂᒃ ᐱᐊᓂᒃᓯᔪᑦ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᐊᓕᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᕆᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᓯᖓᐃᔪᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓈᓇᙳᓵᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᖏᓐᓂᒃ. ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐅᕙᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᒥᓂᒃ ᐱᐊᓂᒃᓯᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑲᒪᔩᑦ ᐃᓕᑕᖅᓯᓂᒃᑯᑎᒍᑦ. ᑐᓄᐊᓂ, ᓴᐅᒥᖅᖠᕐᒥ, ᐃᕙ ᐅᖃᑦᓯᐊᖅ, ᓕᓕᐊᓐ ᐊᕐᓈᓛᖅ, ᓴᒪᓐᑕ ᐅᓴᒃ, ᒪᑕ ᐸᓪᓗᖅ, ᑎᐊᓇ ᒍᐊᑕᓐ, ᑎᐅᕋ ᒍᕆᓐ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᕕᕈᓂᑲ ᒪᒃᐸ. ᕿᑎᐊᓂ, ᓴᐅᒥᖅᖠᕐᒥ, ᔭᑭᓖᓐ ᒪᓚ, ᑎᐊᐱ ᐸᐃᑯ, ᖁᓗᐊᖅ ᐱᓚᑲᑉᓯ, ᑲᓴᓐᑐᕋ ᓇᑦᑕ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓯᕝᕙᓂ ᐊᐅᓚᔾᔪᑦ. ᐊᑖᓂ, ᓴᐅᒥᖅᖠᕐᒥ, ᔪᕕᑦ ᖁᕈᑦ, ᓕᓇ ᓇᐸᔪᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ Hᐃᓗᕆ ᐅᕐᕕᓐ.

Six graduates from Arviat and four from Rankin Inlet will soon be offering home services for expectant and new mothers in their respective communities. Pictured here are the graduates and coordinators of the Ilitaqsiniq program, which recently wrapped up in Rankin Inlet. Back row, from left, are Eva Okatsiak, Lillian Arnalak, Samantha Ussak, Martha Palluq, Tiana Gordon, Tara Green and Veronica Muckpa. Middle row, from left, are Jacqueline Malla, Debbie Baker, Quluaq Pilakapsi, Cassandra Nattar and Stephanie Aulatjut. Bottom row, from left, are Jovette Kurok, Lena Napayok and Hilary Irwin. Photo courtesy of Tara Green

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Arviat, Rankin Inlet

Eva Okatsiak is one of 10 staff trained in a new early-years program from Ilitaqsiniq to support expectant and new mothers in Arviat and Rankin Inlet.

“I wish these programs were offered when I started having kids,” said Okatsiak, part of the Arviat cohort and a mother to six of her own and seven children in total.

Six staff in Arviat and four in Rankin Inlet finished their certificates with Ilitaqsiniq on March 18 and will be beginning full-time home support jobs in their communities.

Martha Palluq, part of the Rankin Inlet trainees, said the program will be very beneficial for the community.

“There was a lot of stuff we learned over the course that I wish I knew myself as a new mom,” said Palluq, mother of two, adding she didn’t fully realize how much babies are learning even before birth.

“If I’d known they were so ‘spongy,’ I would have talked to them more, I would have interacted with them more.”

She particularly looks forward to incorporating Inuit culture with the families she supports.

Tara Green, program manager, explained that the program was founded by the Martin Family Initiative and was also informed by the Aqqiumavvik Society, Elders and learning profession-

als across Nunavut.

The two-week course consisted of 45 hours of instruction, including on Inuit child-rearing practices – focusing on teaching to the heart of the child – as well as assignments and a major project.

The graduates will be working full-time from Monday to Friday supporting up to 15 families each.

“It’s a program designed to make the lives of mothers and families easier,” said Green.

Visitors will help expectant and new mothers care for their children and develop their learning, while also providing rides to appointments, immunizations and even groceries.

“Being a mom can be hard, and just being able to provide that support, it’s going to be very beneficial to families and to the children as well,” said Green.

“And bringing the Inuit child-rearing practices back into the home, we see it as a form of reconciliation and healing. But for the most part, we just want families, expectant mothers and new moms to know that they have support and we’re there to support them in their journey.”

The program will open to applications soon.

Initially, it will be available for expectant and new mothers of children up to six months old, who will stay in the program until the age of 2.

Green said to keep an eye out for when Ilitaqsiniq opens up applications.

“We all feel like this is going to benefit the whole community,” she said.