No timeline on Baker Lake health centre Sakku School renovation

ᓴᑯ ᐃᓕᓂᐊᕐᕕᑦ ᓴᓪᓕᕐᓂ ᓄᑖᖑᖅᑎᖅᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᐳᖅ, ᓄᑖᖑᖂᔨᑎᐊᕐᓗᓂᓗ. ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐸᒪᓚ ᑯᕈᔅ ᒥᓂᔅᑕ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ . NNSL/ ᐊᔨᖁᑎ

By Stewart Burnett Northern

Health minister John Main acknowledged that Baker Lake’s health centre needs attention, but said it was second in the list of priorities to Qikiqtarjuaq’s, with no firm timeline yet of when it will be upgraded. Stewart Burnett/NNSL file photo

Facility is second in line to Qikiqtarjuaq for replacement

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services

Health minister John Main recognized that Baker Lake MLA Craig Simailak may not be satisfied with his answers on when the community would see a new health centre, as the two discussed the issue during the legislative assembly May 29.

Main told Simailak that the Baker Lake health centre is not sufficient for the community, as it was built in the 1990s and is too small and old.

“We look at a number of different factors in terms of looking at which health centres need upgrading or replacement,” he said. “We look at the age of the facility, the floor area, the population projections, and there is also facility condition that is looked at. Those are the main factors that are looked at in terms of prioritizing.

Simailak said the Government of Nunavut’s five-year capital plan does not include a health centre for the community, yet Main had mentioned “on more than one occasion” that the facility was being considered as a capital project in the near future. He asked for clarity on its status and where Baker Lake’s health centre sat in the list of priorities for his department.

Main responded that Qikiqtarjuaq is at the top right now.

“I had the pleasure of bringing the federal health minister to Qikiqtarjuaq and he saw with his own eyes how inadequate and quite sad, to be frank, that facility is,” said Main. “Not to say that the staff and the community aren’t amazing, but the infrastructure in that case is quite troubling to see with your own eyes. Baker Lake is the next facility on our list of prioritizations behind Qikiqtarjuaq.”

Simailak said he was glad Baker Lake was second on the list and noted some of the poor conditions of the health centre, such as having to walk over piles of footwear when entering, little room for health services delivery and even less room for visiting specialists.

“Meanwhile, the tuberculosis screening clinic is basically an oversized closet,” said Simailak. “The community of Baker Lake continues to grow. The need for replacement of our health centre is becoming more and more desperate. Can the minister tell this House when he anticipates Baker Lake will be opening the doors of its new replacement health centre?”

But Main could not answer that.

“I know that the member won’t be happy with this response, but I can’t give a firm a date,” he said. “I can say ‘as soon as possible’ and ‘as soon as possible’ depends on the available funding resources that we are able to secure, and also with the caveat that through the capital planning process, we have limited capital funds and so we put our priorities forward, but there are infrastructure needs in other areas.”

He added that one option being considered is repurposing the Martha Taliruq Centre across the road t make it a usable workspace with health programming as a stopgag measure.

After much waiting, Sakku School is due to receive renovations starting this fall that will make it almost into a brandnew facility.

Responding to questions from Aivilik MLA Solomon Malliki in the legislative assembly May 25, education minister Pamela Gross confirmed that Arctic Fresh earned the tender for renovations at Sakku School and will be starting this fall, with anticipation to complete in 2025-26.

“I know the firm is anticipating and excited for the work to proceed,” said Gross through interpretation. “We look forward to the work to be underway this fall, as I mentioned, and we really look forward to the brand-new school in Coral Harbour.”

The school will include two other community resources: a daycare facility and Nunavut Arctic College building in the same area as the school lot.

“The community will benefit with additional resources not just with the school but other infrastructure as well incorporated into this tender and project,” said Gross through interpretation.

Malliki referenced the ground water problems in the school’s crawlspace and asked if the “new technology” planned to address the water issues under the school has been tested yet.

Gross said she knows it has been a concern at the school for a long time and the department has been working closely with the engineering firm on this.

“The department can say that with the engineering firm, the process has been done before,” said Gross through interpretation. “It’s a technology that is newer technology and there are other measures to ensure that the problem will be resolved and that the ground water will be absorbed in the material that the member was speaking about.”

Additionally, added Gross, other infrastructure improvements like ditching on the side of the school and inserting culverts are being considered to improve the situation.

“I fully trust that the engineers and those that have worked very hard to ensure those needs are being met will be followed through and the problem will be resolved with the new technology and the new work to renovate the school,” said Gross through interpretation.

“Basically the renovation will be from the bones, the construction will go right down to the studs, and the school will basically be a brand-new school but just using the steel frame that is there currently to build it and make it a brand-new, renovated, healthy school.”

ᐅᑕᕿᓯᒪᓚᓚᐅᖅᖢᑎᑦ, ᓴᒃᑯ ᐃᓕᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃ ᓄᑖᙳᖅᑎᖅᑕᐅᓚᓕᖅᐳᖅ, ᓄᑖᙳᖅᑎᑕᐅᒪᕆᒡᓗᓂᓗ. ᓄᑖᖅ ᐃᒡᓗᕐᔪᐊᖅ.

ᐊᐱᖁᑎᖏᓐᓂ ᓴᓚᒪᓐ ᒪᓕᑭᐅᑉ ᐊᐃᕕᓕᖕᓂ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎ ᒪᐃ 25, ᐃᓕᓂᐊᕐᕕᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒥᓂᔅᑕ ᐸᒪᓚ ᑯᕈᔅ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᕗᖅ ᐋᒃᑎᒃ ᕗᕆᔅ ᐱᓕᕆᔪᑎᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖅᓴᖅᑖᓚᐅᕐᒪᑦ ᓄᑖᑯᖅᑎᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓴᒃᑯ ᐃᓕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ. ᐅᑭᐊᒃᓵ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ 2025-26. ᐱᔭᕆᖅᓯᓯᒪᔪᒪᓪᓗᑎᒡᓗ.

‘ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔪᖓ ᐃᖃᓇᐃᔭᓯᒋᐊᕈᒪᔪᒐᓗᐊᑦ, ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒍᓱᒃᖢᑎᒡᓗ ᓄᑖᖑᖅᑎᕆᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ’. ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᑯᕈᔅ ᑐᓴᔨᖃᕐᕕᒃᑯᑦ. ᓂᕆᐅᖕᓂᖃᖅᐳᒍᑦ ᐅᑭᐊᒃᓵᖅ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑕᐅᓂᐊᕐᓂᖓᓂᒃ, ᐅᖃᖃᐅᒐᒪᐃᓛᒃ ᑕᑯᔪᒪᒻᒪᕆᒃᑲᑦᑕᐃᓛᒃ ᓄᑖᕐᒥ ᐃᓕᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃᑖᕐᒥ ᓴᓪᓕᕐᓂ. ᐃᓚᓕᐅᑎᔪᑦ ᓄᑖᖑᖅᐸᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓄᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᒪᕈᒪᑎᒃ, ᐸᐃᕆᕝᕕᒃ ᓄᑕᖅᑲᓄᑦ ᐊᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᕗᑦᒥᐅᓄᑦ ᐃᓐᓇᕐᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥᑦ. ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᐅᑉ ᐊᕙᑎᐊᓂ ᓴᓇᔭᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ. ‘ᓄᓇᓕ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃᑖᑐᐃᓇᔮᖏᒻᒪᑦ, ᐊᑐᒐᒃᓴᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᒃ ᐃᒡᓗᕐᔪᐊᓕᐅᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖅᓴᖃᑲᓂᕐᒪᑕ.’ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᑯᕈᔅ ᑐᓵᔨᖃᕐᕕᑯᑦ.

ᒪᓕᑭ ᖃᐅᔨᒋᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᑲᐅᖏᓕᐅᕈᑎᐅᔪᒥᒃ ᐃᒻᒪᒃᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᓇᑎᖅ ᐊᒃᑎᓛᒃᒥᑦᑐᖅ, ᐃᓕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᒪᓴᒃᓯᒪᖕᒪᑦ ᓄᓇ ᐅᔅᓯᒃᓴᓗᐊᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ. ᐊᐱᕆᓪᓗᓂᓗ ‘ᓄᑖᖅ ᓱᕈᐃᖏᓗᐊᔭᐃᑯᑎ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᔪᒪᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᒪᖓᑦ.

ᑯᕈᔅ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔪ ᐊᑯᓂ ᓱᕈᖅᓯᒪᔫᖕᒪᑦ ᐊᒪᓗ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᑎᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᕆᔨᑯᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᔨᖏᓐᓂ.

ᐃᓕᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᔪᓐᓇᖅᐳᑦ ‘ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒋᕋᓂᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᖕᒪᑕ’, ᑯᕈᔅ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᑐᓵᔨᖃᐅᑎᒃᑯᑦ. ᐊᑐᓚᐅᖅᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᓄᑕᖑᓂᖅᓴᐅᕗᖅ, ᐊᓯᐊᒍᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓗ ᐊᑐᕈᓐᓇᖅᖢᓂ, ᓄᓇ ᐸᓂᑦᑎᐊᕋᓗᐊᕐᒪᒐᑦ ᑕᔅᓱᒧᖓ ᓱᕈᐃᖏᓗᐊᔭᐃᑯᑎᒧᑦ, ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᓵᖅᑐᒧᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᒧᑦ.

ᐃᓚᓯᕗᖅ ᑯᕈᔅ, ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅᑕᖃᑲᓐᓂᒪ ᐃᓕᓂᐊᕐᕕᐅᑉ ᐊᕙᑎᐊᓂ, ᓱᕐᓗ ᓱᓪᓗᓕᖅᓯᓂᑦ. ‘ᐅᒃᐱᕆᔭᒃᑲ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒋᐊᓂᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔭᕗᑦ, ᓄᑕᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᒧ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᖏᑲᓂᕈᑎᖃᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ

ᓄᑖᖑᖅᑎᕆᓕᖅᐸᑕ ᐃᓕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ.’ ᑯᕈᔅ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᑐᓵᔨᖃᕐᕕᒃᑯᑦ. ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᓄᑖᙳᖅᑎᖅᑕᐅᓂᖓ ᖃᓇᓗᒃᑖᖏᓐᓄ, ᓱᑲᓗᒃᑖᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᓄᑖᙳᒻᒪᕆᖕᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓕᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃ, ᐅᖃᕆᓪᓗᓂ.

Family demands excavation near gravesite stops immediately

Hamlet makes no comment

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Local Journalism Initiative Rankin Inlet

A family in Rankin Inlet issued public pleas for excavation work to stop at the sand pit across First Landing Lake.

Meagan Angidlik started an online petition, which has more than 500 signatures, sounding an alarm that excavation work was getting “dangerously close” to her grandfather Joachim Angidlik’s gravesite.

“This is a campsite for my family and has been for generations,” she wrote in the petition.

In previous communication with the Hamlet of Rankin Inlet, Angidlik said the hamlet committed to a 50-metre buffer zone between the work and the gravesite. However, Angidlik believes that buffer is not being respected, and she’s asking now for a 200-metre buffer to avoid any further disturbance to the gravesite.

“The terrain where the gravesite is located is unstable and eroding,” wrote Angidlik. “By continuing with this excavating project, it could cause damage to the gravesite, and our family’s access to our cabins. My grandfather’s intentions were to rest in this place, and when the time comes my grandmother Adele Kumaruag will also rest beside him.”

She urged the issue to be addressed immediately, saying the urgency of it seemed not to be a concern to the hamlet of Rankin Inlet.

Darren Flynn, senior administrative officer of the Hamlet of Rankin Inlet, told Kivalliq News June 2 the hamlet was working on the issue but at that time had no comment for the media. He predicted being in a position to speak to the subject after press deadline for this paper the following week, which Kivalliq News will follow up on.