Nunavut News - June 5, 2023

ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖅᐳᑦ

ᓴᓇᓐᓇ ᐅᓪᓗᖅ ᑎᓴᒪᓄᑦ, ᐳᕙᒡᓗᓂᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᕆᓂᖅ

ᐊᑐᐃᓇᐅᓗᐊᕋᓗᖏᑉᐳᖅ, ᐅᖅᓱᐊᓗᒃ ᐱᔪᑎᒋᓪᓗᒍ

ᐅᒥᖕᒪᒃ ᕗᐊᓕᒃᔅ 2023 ᐃᖃᓗᒃᑑᑎᐊᖅ, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ. ᒪᐃ 15-22, 2023.

ᑕᒻᒪᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅᓯᐅᖅᑎ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐊᕐᒥᒃ

ᐊᑲᐅᒃᓴᖏᓚᖅ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓂ

ᓱᖁᑎᒋᔭᐅᓗᐊᖏᓂᖏᓂ

ᐃᓄᓕᕆᔨᓂᑦ ᐱᔭᐅᓱᓄᑦ ᓄᑕᖃᓄᑦ

ᑎᓴᒪᑦ ᐃᖏᖅᑏᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᑦ

ᑎᑯᐊᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᖃᑕᐅᕗᑦ

Auditor general urges GN to ‘take immediate action’ to resolve child and family services ‘crisis’

Territorial government is ‘failing to protect vulnerable children and youth,’ report alleges

By Tom Taylor Northern News Services

One of the Auditor General of Canada’s two 2023 reports to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut asserts in plain language that the territorial government is “failing to protect vulnerable children and youth.”

The report, titled Child and Family Services in Nunavut, was released publicly on May 30 – the fifth day of the legislative assembly’s spring sitting.

It referred to the situation as a “crisis.”

It pointed to several areas of concern, noting that the Department of Family Services could not provide accurate numbers on the number of children in foster care in the territory, and that the department “did not respond or was slow to act in many cases” when children are at risk at home.

“The audit found failures in all areas examined, from responding to reports of suspected harm, to completing investigations and following up with children, youth and young adults placed in care in the territory or in southern Canada,” the report stated. In terms of the causes of these issues, the report pointed to “severe, chronic gaps in critical areas such as staffing, housing and office space for employees, and training of employees.” It also alleged that the department is not providing a safe work environment

for its staff.

The document did not contain any recommendations for the department, implying instead that recommendations in previous reports — the last one coming in 2014 — did not yield any results.

“This is the third time since 2011 that we have raised these concerns,” the report reads. “Recommendations in our previous two reports received agreement from the department and commitments for significant improvements that have yet to result in changed outcomes for the territory’s children, youth, and families.”

Premier P.J. Akeeagok, who had already been briefed on the auditor general’s findings, was quick to respond to the report, and promised “swift” action in a news release.

“Our government acknowledges and accepts Auditor General Karen Hogan’s findings,” he said. “Children are the future of our territory. As premier, and as a father, I am deeply disheartened by her report that says the delivery of child and family services in Nunavut is in a crisis state.”

Akeeagok went on to promise the Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs will take a “whole-of-government approach” to “provide oversight across departments for services related to the well-being of children, youth, and families.”

Family Services Minister Margaret Nakashuk also addressed the contents of the

report, stating, “I fully accept the contents of the performance audit. I am deeply committed to making the changes that need to be made.”

Nakashuk laid out plans to increase her department’s commitment to hiring qualified workers, including social workers, as well as engaging Elders and foster families in hopes of improving the situation. Staff housing, office space and software were also listed as areas where Family Services, in collaboration with other GN departments, will seek to improve.

The auditor general also released an unrelated report titled Covid-19 Vaccines in Nunavut. It was decidedly less severe, stating that “vaccinations in Nunavut were quick and equitable” and crediting GN departments for “working together and with community stakeholders to quickly give all Nunavummiut access to the vaccines”

However, the assessment did point out several areas where the GN could improve, specifically with respect to staff and nursing shortages.

“This is the third time since 2011 that we have raised these concerns,” Auditor General of Canada Karen Hogan states in her latest report on child welfare in Nunavut, which was publicly released on Tuesday. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick photo

Waste was also a problem, according to the report.

“Because of the absence of an inventory management system for tracking vaccines, the department could not account for 19,542 doses (16 per cent),” the report read. “The Department of Health reported wastage of 15 per cent, but the percentage could be as high as 31 per cent when the known wastage is combined with the doses that were unaccounted for.”

Akeeagok also addressed the Auditor General’s Covid-19 findings in a news release.

“Regarding Covid-19 vaccine distribution, recommendations will be implemented as the GN continues to ensure that vaccine rollout is effective and equitable. This evaluation reinforces the actions we took and will continue to take to improve healthcare delivery and services for Nunavummiut. Vaccines save lives, and we continue to encourage Nunavummiut to protect themselves and their communities by getting vaccinated.”

Three tuberculosis outbreaks being treated as ‘major matter,’ says health minister

By Tom Taylor Northern News Services Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Three Nunavut communities are currently facing tuberculosis outbreaks, and the disease has been a frequent topic of discussion during the spring legislative assembly sitting, which began on May 24.

Health Minister John Main assured that his department is treating the ailment as “a major matter.”

Main added that his staff have requested nursing support and human resource support from the federal government.

The minister also provided an update on the Rankin Inlet long-term care centre, which is set to open this fall, which will allow Elders to “age closer to home.”

He also laid out plans to open the Nunavut Recovery Centre in Iqaluit in 2025, which is designed to assist those battling addictions. Issues like medical travel and alcohol addiction were also discussed.

Four-day work week?

Iqaluit-Manirajak MLA Adam Lightstone inquired about the introduction of a four-day work-week in Nunavut, referring to the current five-day model as “outdated and based on a male-dominated workforce paradigm.”

Minister of Human Resources Margaret Nakashuk agreed to consider the idea as her department plans its 2024- 2028 strategy.

Minimum wage was also discussed, which has been $16 since April 2020. Minister of Economic Development and Transportation David Akeeagok unveiled plans for “a thor-

ough review of the current minimum wage to determine if it is meeting the needs of Nunavummiut.”

The final recommendation of that report should conclude in the fall, he said, and it “will determine the suitability of the current minimum wage and what changes may need to occur.”

Plans for new homes

Housing is one of the most pressing issues facing Nunavummiut and it came up often during the first and second weeks of the spring sitting.

Following a question from Netsilik MLA Inagayuk Quqqiaq, Minister of Finance Lorne Kusugak updated plans for 20 new houses in Taloyoak, which will begin construction later this year, and up to 35 in Kugaaruk, which the minister hopes will get under way “next building season.”

Kusugak also addressed plans for new houses in Naujaat and Coral Harbour.

“Looking at Naujaat, in 2022-23, there were 15 new units that were opened and moved into,” he said. “In 2024- 25, they are planning to build five additional units. In Coral Harbour, we were looking at the planned builds for this summer. We won’t be able to do that now, but we are looking constructing them in 2024-25 instead.”

Meanwhile Hudson Bay MLA David Qav-

vik revealed plans for a new federally-funded shelter in Sanikiluaq, which will provide residents with “a stable environment in which to heal and recover from trauma.”

Languages funding

Language, specifically the use of Inuktut, came up several times during the spring sitting.

Perhaps the most significant mention came courtesy of Minister of Culture and Heritage Pamela Gross, who revealed “a two-year agreement for Inuktut and French funding with the Government of Canada for 2022-24.”

“The Department of Culture and Heritage will receive $9.58 million, of which $5.1 million is for Inuktut services and $4.48 million is for French language services,” she said.

Minister of Health

John Main also emphasized the importance of ensuring unilingual Inuit are able to communicate with staff when they require health services.

“It’s very important to Health for Nunavummiut to be able to use the language of their choice,” he said.

New school buses on the way

Several concerns about education have been addressed at the spring sitting – particularly with respect to the availability of school buses across the territory.

Following a request for a new bus from Rankin Inlet North-Chesterfield Inlet MLA Alexander Sammurtok, Education Minister

Pamela Gross communicated plans to send school buses to Naujaat, Arviat, and Rankin Inlet, and stated she will attempt to send a new bus to Chesterfield Inlet in the next fiscal year. Chesterfield Inlet’s current school bus is from 2008, and was only intended to be on the road 10 years.

Sammurtok also inquired about a van with a wheelchair ramp for students who need additional supports to attend school, imploring that “education services should be inclusive of all students.”

In response, Gross stated, “We can work (toward) making sure that we do have that bus particularly ordered for the community of Chesterfield Inlet,” if a formal request is made. Nunavut on the Hill Nunavut cabinet ministers recently travelled to Ottawa for a series of meetings with their federal counterparts – an initiative nicknamed “Nunavut on the Hill.”

“Our ministers promoted the priorities of Katujjiluta,” Premier P.J. Akeeagok said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was involved in the meetings, and “his cabinet acknowledged the unique realities of our communities, where a lack of immediate investment means Nunavummiut face daily challenges with adequate housing, health and wellness, access to education, limited local economies and poor supports for the aging,” Akeeagok said. “I’m pleased to say that similar meetings occurred between Canada and the governments of Yukon and the Northwest Territories. I’m encouraged to know the North is being heard in Ottawa.”

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

LEGISLATIVE Assembly briefs with Tom Taylor

Flights from Gjoa Haven temporarily limited to medevacs

Community dealing with aviation fuel shortage

By Tom Taylor Northern News Services Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

An aviation fuel shortage in Gjoa Haven has caused flights out of the community to be limited to medevacs.

A notice to pilots and airport staff, known as a NOTAM, has been issued dictating that only flights for medical evacuations can leave the Kitikmeot community, said Petroleum Product Division director Bernard Borque. He did not specify when the NOTAM will be lifted.

Gjoa Haven is home to close to 1,300 people. However, the community’s small airport facilitates regular flights to and from other communities in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.

Canadian North, an Inuit-owned airline servicing the North, had at least one flight from the community cancelled last week.

“While the current fuel shortages in some Nunavut communities is now beginning to affect some flights, we are working to alter

our routings through Gjoa Haven as fuel has become available now in Kugaaruk, to give the aircraft the ability to refuel at other stations,” the airline stated on June 1. “This will reduce the need to uplift in the communities that have limited fuel available. However, this may trigger longer flights and may impact the payloads Canadian North can carry out of other stations.

“While these shortages remain a challenge for everyone living in the North, Canadian North is working to support our communities, and we will adjust the routings and reduce the seats/payload on the flights to adapt to the inability to get fuel. We are not expecting large-scale cancellations to occur.”

Tony Akoak, the MLA for Gjoa Haven, acknowledged the existence of the aviation fuel shortage in an email, but has not yet responded to a request for further comment.

Borque said a NOTAM had also been issued in the Kitikmeot community of Kugaaruk, also due to fuel “inventory concerns.” However, that NOTAM was not issued by his division, and it was lifted on May 27.

Three-day search brings Kugluktuk man home

such an amazing feeling once we’re able to bring anybody back from a search,’ says acting SAO

By Tom Taylor Northern News Services Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Felix Anablak’s journey from Cambridge Bay to Kugluktuk did not go the way he planned.

The Kugluktuk resident visited Cambridge Bay for the annual Umingmak Frolics, and on the morning of May 16, began the long ride home on a newly purchased side-by-side. He almost completed the journey, but as he neared his destination, his vehicle got stuck in the slush brought on by warming temperatures, and he could not continue.

By that point, it had been nearly three days since anybody had heard from him, which left community members in both Cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk with no choice to begin searching for him.

“We had our frolics going on at the time of search, but people were not hesitant to join the search,” said Jamie Taipana, acting chief administrative officer, and a key member of the search that began on Friday, May 19.

The warming weather also complicated the search for Anablak, as the widening ice leads made travelling across the land difficult. As a

result, the search quickly took to the air.

“We gathered at approximately 3:15 p.m. and we activated the search and rescue team, and contacted Nunavut Emergency Management immediately,” Taipana said. “They felt the ground search was too dangerous, and we requested an immediate air search. Approximately 15 minutes later Nunavut Emergency Management granted that approval and the GN procured aircraft to start the search.”

There were multiple aircraft involved in the search, provided by Kenn Borek Air, Air Tindi and Canadian North. The crews of those craft were aided by 10 volunteers from the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA). Canadian Helicopters also contributed a craft to the search, while the Coast Guard, RCMP and community members from both Cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk assisted on the ground.

The team searched for just shy of three hours on Friday, nine hours on Saturday, and six on Sunday, when they were “hampered a little bit by weather,” according to Taipana. It wasn’t until Monday, May 22 that the crew aboard the Air Tindi craft finally spotted Anablak near Tree River, about 70 kilometres east of Kugluktuk.

He had been pulling some gear in a sled behind his side-by-side, and had taken shelter in his tent, but was running low on supplies. And unfortunately, his ordeal was not quite over.

“We were not able to land the aircraft on the ice,” Taipana said. “The search team that was onboard the aircraft had an emergency drop bag which had water, military rations and a note that said ‘please stay where you are.’”

“The aircraft circled him, we dropped the bag from the aircraft, he walked over and picked it up, read the note, then waved to the aircraft.”

The aircraft then refuelled in Kugluktuk before returning to Cambridge Bay. On the journey back, it flew over Anablak again and jettisoned another package containing “six sandwiches and some chocolates bars,” according to Taipana.

By that time, Anablak’s position had been given to the search team in Kugluktuk, who sent a group out to locate him. They finally reached him around 3 a.m. on Tuesday, May 23.

“Once we advised the Kugluktuk search and rescue that this was his exact location, three family members and a local Elder went over on a snowmobile,” Taipana said. “They brought

a boat on a sled and actually drove over to pick him up.”

“Once they found him, they put his sled together, they got his side-by-side pulled out of the slush, and arrived back in Kugluktuk around 1:15 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.”

Anablak’s safe return home sparked a feeling of relief in both communities.

“It’s such an amazing feeling once we’re able to bring anybody back from a search,” said Taipana. “It’s a team effort from every search member.”

“We’re very thankful he was fine.”

While Anablak’s safe return to Kugluktuk is the most important thing, Taipana is hopeful the story will encourage anybody setting out on the land to take proper precautions. The surest safeguard against trouble, he says, is using a SPOT device, which can alert searchers to a person’s exact location, or an inReach device, which allows users to send messages to friends and family, no matter where they are.

“The hamlet office does have spot devices that are free to sign out, and the local hunters and trappers association have inReaches that are free to sign out as well, and we can train on the use of the devices,” he said.

‘It’s

Felix Anablak is spotted by an Air Tindi aircraft after spending several days stranded between Cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk. The search effort involved multiple aircraft, several different organizations, and members of both communities. Photo courtesy of Darcy Evetalegak An Air Tindi aircraft sets out to search for Felix Anablak. Photo courtesy of Darcy Evetalegak

Flights from the Gjoa Haven airport are currently limited to medevacs due to an aviation fuel shortage. Photo courtesy of Gordon Leggett/Wikimedia Commons

Rankin Inlet’s airport terminal building, seen here, is well underway to being replaced and upgraded. Now, the same is true for terminals in Naujaat, Whale Cove and Chesterfield Inlet.

Three Kivalliq air terminal buildings get the go-ahead

MLA raises questions over fuel quality and snowmobile filters

By Stewart Burnett

After some unsuccessful attempts to tender building new airport terminals in Naujaat, Whale Cove and Chesterfield Inlet, Pilitak Enterprises Ltd. earned the $36.7 million project in March.

“I am very pleased that this tender was recently awarded to a company to perform this work,” said Aivilik MLA Solomon Malliki in the legislative assembly Wednesday, May 24.

David Akeeagok, economic development minister, said through interpretation that he was also pleased to see the project move forward, adding that it would start this summer as construction materials arrive.

Savikataaq urges to test snowmobile fuel filters

Arviat South MLA Joe Savikataaq wanted a commitment from community and government services minister David Joanasie to test black snowmobile filters and see what might be causing buildup of substance.

“In Arviat and other Kivalliq communities, the snowmobilers have been having issues with the filter inside the fuel pump, the white filter turning black, and the snowmobile either running poorly or not running at all,” said Savikataaq through interpretation.

“When it’s warm out, it’s just an inconvenience that you have to change it, but in the colder months, it’s a safety issue. If your snowmobile can’t run and you’re stranded out on the land, then that is not good.”

He asked if Joanasie was aware of this issue.

“In this particular case around the fuel filter in skidoos and snowmobiles, it hasn’t come up per se,” he said. “I would imagine that it’s something new around our territory, depending on how much usage our equipment gets used, but I thank the member for bringing it to our attention right now.”

Savikataaq said there was something different this year about the fuel.

“The same snowmobiles, in previous years, you may change the fuel filter and the fuel pump once a year,” he said. “Mr. Speaker, there is one person from Arviat that had to change it within a few days of buying a brand-new snowmobile.”

He asked Joanasie if the Petroleum Products Department would collect some of the black filters and find out what the substance is.

“Is it coming from the gas?” asked Savikataaq. “Is it coming from the gas tank? We don’t know, but if the black substance was tested, then we can pinpoint whether it’s a gasoline issue or another issue.”

Joanasie replied that the Petroleum Products Division does sampling to test for quality and control, and he encouraged his colleagues and all Nunavummiut to report any of these types of issues to the division.

“We know that the fuel delivery in the last resupply season has been quite different and we’re not sure if this has to do with it or not, or the source of the fuel where we purchase from,” he said. “I guess we will take different factors into account when we’re doing this assessment, but again thanks for bringing it to our attention and I encourage Nunavummiut to report and bring in samples that can be collected for further testing.”

Savikataaq then wanted a commitment for a public service announcement or minister’s statement to inform people where they can take these filters and when results might be public.

“I would highly encourage the minister that the results should be made public to Nunavummiut before the next skidoo season in the fall,” he said. “I know they’re still using snowmobiles now. It’s not as cold and it’s not as critical, but we need to know what this substance was and possibly where it may have come from before the fall.”

Joanasie thanked Savikataaq for the suggestion and said he would look at some form of communication and he committed to collecting samples around the territory.

Northern News Services Nunavut Local Journalism Initiative

Stewart Burnett/ NNSL file photo

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Nunavut News presents the Amazing On-the-Land contest, generously sponsored by NCC Investment Group Inc., visit www.nccig.ca today.

The post on our page with the most reactions each week will win $100. Send in your entry to Nunavut News by Facebook messaging.

Winner! Sheila Nowdlak sent us this photo from Pangnirtung. Fishing in Iqalugaarjuit, near Pangnirtung on May 20, 2023.

Jonathan Kiguktak sent us this image from Grise Fiord. Jonathan refuels a Bell 427 helicopter while doing a polar bear survey around Cornwallis Island, taken on the cold evening of March 26, 2023.

Tonya Tagoona sent us this image from Baker Lake. Here is Sandy Tagoona Tijajuq on May 22, 2023.

Isadore Sammurtok sent us this photo from Baker Lake. Isadore’s 2 year old son enjoying last weekend’s fishing derby in Baker Lake.

Andrea Tutanuaq sent us this photo from Baker Lake. Andrea’s parents travelling home from a day of fishing with the sun setting in the late evening. Taken on May 21, 2023.

Marcia Peever sent us this image from Gjoa Haven. Camping in Gjoa Haven, 2 years ago.

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Minister discusses social challenges with beer and wine store

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By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Local Journalism Initiative Rankin Inlet

Lorne Kusugak, minister responsible for the Nunavut Liquor and Cannabis Board, mused in the legislative assembly about whether Rankinmiut would take their vote back on the beer and wine store.

“I see the real concerns in our community,” he said, answering a question from Alexander Sammurtok, MLA for Rankin Inlet North-Chesterfield Inlet Wednesday, May 24.

“I live in Rankin Inlet and I see the impacts that these alcohol facilities have. I think it’s one that people who voted for it may have second thoughts and that, but in saying that, it’s not one that we take lightly and it’s one that we will tackle with both hands and see how we can improve the alcohol services and use in our communities. It takes a whole community to deal with something like that. Alcohol reduction and harm reduction is one that should be community-driven, and I look forward to having those discussions.”

Rankin Inlet voted 75 per cent in favour of a beer and wine store in a 2017 plebiscite. But since opening late 2021, the store has faced criticism for rising crime rates, stressing local community organizations and contributing to public intoxication. Recently, Sgt. Patrick Frenette of the Rankin Inlet RCMP implored hamlet council to tackle the issue, as the social situation in the community has taxed the police force.

Sammurtok asked Kusugak in the legislative assembly whether the store has had a positive or negative impact.

“The question of if it’s positive or negative, it depends who you talk to,” said Kusugak, adding that he will be meeting with hamlet council to ensure proper steps are taken to deal with the concerns.

Sammurtok, who represents Chesterfield Inlet, said he was concerned about the impact the store has had on other Kivalliq communities. He asked if the Nunavut Liquor and Cannabis Commission is evaluating the store’s impact on neighbouring communities, not just in Rankin Inlet.

“The beer and wine store is open to people from Nunavut who are able to legally purchase alcohol products from the facility,” replied Kusugak. “Whether they take it to another community and that, that’s beyond the responsibility of the alcohol store in Rankin Inlet or in Iqaluit for that matter, but it’s something that

I would be more than happy to discuss within our department to see what kind of program that could be put in place.”

The 2023-24 fiscal year is set to include public consultations on the Liquor Act, which governs the operation of the beer and wine stores in both Rankin inlet and Iqaluit. ᓗᕆᓐ ᑯᓱᒐᖅ - ᐃᒥᐊᓗᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓚᐃᓴᖅᑖᖅᑎᑎᔨ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᖏᓐᓂ, ᑲᑎᒪᑎᓪᓗᒋ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐃᓱᒪᓕᐅᕆᕗᖅ ᓂᕈᐊᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᒥᐊᓗᒃᑖᕐᕕᒃ ᑲᔪᓰᓐᓇᓗᐊᕋᓗᐊᕐᒪᖔᑦ ᑲᖏᖠᓂᒦᑦᑐᖅ. ‘ᐊᑲᐅᖏᓕᐅᕈᑎᑕᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᓄᓇᓕᑦᑎᓐᓂ’ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᑭᐅᓪᓗᓂᓗ ᐊᓕᒃᔅ ᓴᒧᖅᑐᖅ - ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᒥ ᐅᐊᖕᓇᓄᑦ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒑᕐᔪᒃ. ᐱᖓᔪᐊᑦ ᒪᐃ 24. ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ ᓄᓇᖃᕋᒪ ᐊᒃᑐᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐊᑲᐅᖏᑦᑐᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᒥᐊᓗᒃᑖᕐᕕ ᑕᑯᓯᒪᔭᕋ. ᓂᕈᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᓪᓗ ᐃᒥᐊᓗᒃᑖᕕᖃᖁᔨᓪᓗᑎ ᐃᓱᒪᖃᑲᓐᓂᖅᖁᓕᕐᒪᑕ ᖃᓄᖅ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᑐᑦᑎᐊᖅᑕᐅᑲᓂᕈᓐᓇᕐᒪᖓᑦ ᐃᒥᐊᓗᓕᕆᓂᖅ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ.ᐱᔪᑎᒋᓪᓗᒍ ᑐᑭᒧᐊᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅᑕᖃᖁᓪᓗᒍ ᐋᕿᒃᑎᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᒥᒃ ᐃᒥᐊᓗᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ. ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᒃᑯᑦ 75 ᐳᓴᓐᒥᑦ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᓂᕈᐊᕐᓂᖃᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᖕᒪᑕ ᐃᒥᐊᓗᒃᑖᕐᕕᖃᖁᓪᓗᒍ ᓄᓇᓕᖓ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ 2021-ᒥᓂᑦ ᐱᕋᔭᓂᖅ ᐊᖏᒡᓕᓯᒪᓵᕐᒪᑦ, ᐅᓚᕕᓴᐃᕈᓗᔭᖅᐸᒃᖢᑎᒡᓗ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ, ᑎᒥᖁᑎᓂᓪᓗ

ᐊᖓᔮᓕᕋᖓᑕ.

ᓴᔨᑦ. ᐸᑐᕆᑦ ᕕᕆᓇ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ ᐸᓕᓯᐅᔪᖅ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᕗᖅ ᕼᐊᒪᓚᒃᑯᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᑕᓱᒥᖓ ᐊᑲᐅᖏᓕᐅᕈᑎᒥᒃ ᑕᑯᒋᐊᖁᔨᓪᓗᓂ, ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖅᑐᓕᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ.

ᓴᒧᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᐱᕆᕗᖅ ᑯᓱᒐᕐᒧᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᕐᕕᖕᒥᐊᑲᐅᖏᓕᐅᕈᑎᖃᕐᒪᖓᑦ ᐃᒥᐊᓗᒃᑖᕐᕕᒃ. ‘ᐃᓚᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᑲᐅᖏᓕᐅᕈᑎᖃᖅᒥᔪᖅ ᐅᖃᖃᑎᖃᕋᖓᒪ. ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᑲᑎᒪᖃᑎᒋᓂᐊᖅᑕᒃᑲ ᑲᑎᒪᖃᑎᒋᓂᐊᖅᑕᒃᑲ ᑲᑎᒪᔩᑦ ᑕᒪᓇ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐊᑲᐅᖏᓕᐅᕈᑎ ᐊᕿᒋᐊᖅᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᕐᒪᖓᑦ ᐃᖏᕋᓂᖓ ᐃᒥᐊᓗᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᑲᐅᓂᖅᓴᒃᑯᑦ.’

ᓴᒻᒧᑐᖅ, ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔨ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒑᔪᒧᑦ ᐅᖃᐳᖅ ᐊᑲᐅᖏᓕᐅᕈᑎᖃᖃᑕᓕᕐᓂᖓᓂᑦ ᑭᕙᓕᐅᑉ ᓄᓇᓕᖏᓂ. ᐊᐱᕆᓪᓗᓂᓗ ᐃᒥᐊᓗᓕᕆᔩᑦ ᓚᐃᓴᓐᑖᖅᑎᑎᔨ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᖃᓄᖅ ᕿᒥᕈᔭᐅᓂᖃᕐᓂᐊᕐᒪᖓᑦ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᑲᐅᖏᓕᐅᕈᑦ ᐃᒥᐊᓗᖕᒧᑦ, ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᑐᐃᓇᐅᖏᑦᑐᒧᑦ. ‘ᐃᒥᐊᓗᒃᑖᕐᕕᒃ ᐅᑯᐃᖓᖕᒪᑦ ᐱᑐᐃᓇᐅᓪᓗᓂᓗ ᓄ ᐊᕋᒍᖓ ᓈᓯᒪᑐᐊᖅᐸᑦ ᐃᒥᐊᓗᒃᑖᕈᓐᓇᕐᒪᑦ.’ ᑯᓱᒐᖅ ᑭᐅᕗᖅ. ᐃᒥᐊᓗᓪᓗ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᐅᑉ ᓄᓇᓕᐊᑕ ᓯᓚᑖᓄᐊᖅᑕᖅᖢᓂ. ᕿᒥᕐᕈᔭᐅᒃᑲᓂᕆᐊᓕᒃ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᓄᓇᓕᓕᓄᑦ ᐊᒃᑐᖅᓯᓯᒪᖕᒪᑦ, ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᐅᑉ, ᐃᖃᓗᐃᓪᓗ ᐃᒥᐅᓗᒃᑖᕕᖏᑦ. ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᐅᖃᖃᑎᒋᔪᒪᕙᒃᑲ ᑭᓱᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔪᒪᖕᒪᖓᑕ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᓇᔭᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᐊᑲᐅᓂᖅᓴᒃᑯᑦ.’ 2023-2024 ᐊᕋᒍᑕᒪᖅᓯᐅᑦ ᑦ ᑭᒃᑯᓕᒪᓄᓐ ᐊᖏᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐃᒥᐊᓗᒃᑖᕈᓐᓇᐅᑎ ᑐᕋᖓᔪᖅ ᐃᖃᓗᐃᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᖅ.

Disappointment expressed over fibre link funding

Intercommunity road initiative consultations to start in September

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Local Journalism Initiative Kivalliq

Nunavut Premier PJ Akeeagok expressed disappointment in not seeing the investments he was looking for in the federal budget for the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link, a proposed infrastructure project that would bring reliable internet and energy to the Kivalliq from Manitoba.

“I have been a strong and vocal supporter of the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link project, which promises to achieve transformative change in our region of the territory,” said Baker Lake MLA Craig Simialak in the legislative assembly May 25.

“Mr. Speaker, as the minister is also aware,

the Kivalliq Inuit Association is leading this project through the Nukik Corporation and I pay tribute today to the association’s leadership. Can the minister provide an update today on his department’s role in this project and its relationship with the Kivalliq Intercommunity Road Study that is currently underway?”

Akeeagok called the fibre link a “transformative project” and said he met with Kivalliq Inuit Association president Kono Tattuinee on it just recently.

“I’ve had the opportunity to go down to Ottawa as well with the invitation of President Tattuinee to do a lobby before the federal budget,” said Akeeagok. “During my most recent meeting just the other day, I think we all shared the frustration that we didn’t see the investments in the federal budget. That is something that the Nukik board, as well as

President Tattuinee was advocating for, for quite some time. On this particular project, we meet very regularly and the updates are there and we’re very supportive of this Inuit-led, Inuit-driven project that would really bring transformative changes not only to Nunavut but to Canada as we move forward.”

At the previous day’s legislative assembly, May 24, Simialak had asked economic development minister David Akeeagok for an update on the $1.6-million study to undertake a detailed analysis and assessment of the proposed Kivalliq Intercommunity Road initiative.

Akeeagok confirmed that there had been a delay on starting with consultations for that study, but said he didn’t know why, adding the people running the study have now scheduled for in-person community visits for all five communities in September.

ᒥᓂᔅᑕ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᑲᐅᖏᓕᐅᕈᑎᓂᒃ

Lorne Kusugak, minister responsible for the Nunavut Liquor and Cannabis Board, said he would be meeting with local representatives in Rankin Inlet to discuss the beer and wine store. Stewart Burnett/NNSL file photo

ᑯᓱᒐᖅ- ᒥᓂᑕ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᓕᒃ ᐃᒥᐊᓗᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓚᐃᓴᓐᑖᖅᑎᑎᔨ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᖏᓐᓂ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ

A whole lot of May fun

A sure sign of spring in Cambridge Bay is the annual Umingmak Frolics festival, which ran from May 15-22 this year.

In the popular Corporate Challenge event, Team KFS came out on top with Team CGS finishing second and the Housing Hostages winding up in third place.

Residents of

were invited to the 2023 Umingmak

May the best teams win and have fun at the 2023 Umingmak Frolics held in Cambridge Bay. One popular challenge was the tug-of-war with many teams challenging each other. Quana for the great laughs and dress ups.

Racers get set to hop on their snowmobiles during the Umingmak Frolics open class cross-country event in Cambridge Bay on Monday, May 22.

Photo courtesy of Aivgak Pedersen

Here is Team Polar Knowledge participating at the 2023 Umingmak Frolics Corporate Challenge. All dressed and ready to roll! Photo courtesy of Polar Knowledge Canada

Let’s dress up Honey! Here’s Danny Hanak and Christa Lee Koaha all set to enter the Cross Dressing Contest during the 2023 Umingmak Frolics held in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut May 15-22. Photo courtesy of Christa Lee Koaha

Breakfast of champions.

Cambridge Bay

Frolics annual breakfast hosted by Polar Knowledge Canada at the Canadian High Arctic Research Station campus. Photo courtesy of Polar Knowledge Canada

Photo courtesy of Dustyn Durette

ᓄᓇᕗ ᐃᖏᖅᑎᖏᑦ ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑕᐅᕗᑦ ᓴᓚᒃᓴᕋᓱᒃᑐᓂ

ᓇᓗᓇᐃᑯᑕᕐᓂ ᓄᓇᖃᖄᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᑐᕋᖓᔪᖅ

ᑎᓴᒪᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᖏᖅᑏᑦ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᔪᒥᑦᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᙳᓂᖅ

By Tom Taylor Northern News Services Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

ᑎᓴᒪᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᖏᑦᑏᑦ ᐊᕋᒍ 2023 ᓴᓚᒃᓴᕋᓱᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᐃᖏᖅᑏᑦ

ᓄᓇᖃᖅᖄᓯᒪᔪᑦᓄ ᐅᑯᐊᖑᕗᑦ:

ᐸᕐᓂᖅᑐᒥᐅᑕᖅ ᔪᐃ ᓇᐅᔪᖅ, ᕋᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᖅ ᓴᓇ ᓯᑎᓐᓇᒃ, ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒃ

ᐋᓐᔨᓚ ᐊᒪᕈᐊᓕᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐳᕆᑕ

ᓚᓐᑕᓇ.

ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᓂᖃᓚᖅᐳᑦ ᔪᓂ 6

ᐊᑕᕚ ᓇᓴᓇ ᐊᐅᑦᒡ ᓯᓐᑕ-ᒥᑦ.

ᐊᒪᕈᐊᓕᒃ ᐃᖏᓲᖅ

ᐃᓄᒃᑐᑦ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑐᓪᓗ

ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᑎᒃᑯᐊᖅᑕᐅᓂᖓ

ᐊᔪᕐᓇᖏᑉᐹᓕᕈᑎᒋᓴᖅᐹ

ᐃᓱᒪᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᓯᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᒥᒃ. . ‘ᓄᕙᓇᕐᔪᐊᖅ

ᑎᑎᕋᑲᑕᒋᐊᒃᓴᖅᐊᓂᒍᖅᓯᒪᓕᕋᓗᐊᖅᖢᓂ

ᐊᔪᕈᑎᑕᖃᑲᑕᓵᕐᒪᑦ, ᑎᑎᕋᐅᙳᐅᓗᐊᓵᖏᑉᐳᖓ ᐃᖏᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ.’

ᑎᑎᕋᒃᑲᓂᕈᒪᓐᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᖏᐅᓯᓂᒃ

ᑕᑯᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᖏᖅᑎᐅᖃᑎᒃᑲ, ᓱᖃᐃᒻᒪ ᑭᓇᓕᒪ ᐅᐱᒋᔭᐅᖁᓐᓇᕐᒪᑦ, ᐱᓕᕆᒃᑲᓂᕐᓇᖁᒪᓐᓇᕐᒪᑦ.’ ᐊᒪᕈᐊᓕᒃ ᑐᓇᕐᓇᕐᖤᕐᒥᒃ

ᐊᑖᑕᖓ ᑯᑭᑦᑕᐸᖅᖢᓂ

ᐃᖏᐅᓯᐅᕐᓂᑯ ᐸᓂᖕᒥᓄᑦ ᖃᓄᖅ ᓇᒡᓕᒋᑎᖏᖕᒪᖓᑦ ᐸᓂᓂ.

ᐊᖏᕐᕋᖅᓯᒪᓕᕋᖓᒥ

ᐃᖏᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᑲᖑᓱᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᕗᖅ.

ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᑲᖑᑕᐅᔪᓐᓂᕐᔪᒥᕗᖅ.

ᐃᓕᑦᑎᕙᓕᖅᐳᖓᓗ ᑲᖑᓱᖏᓐᓂᕐᒥᒃ.’

ᒪᓐᑕᓇ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ

ᐃᖃᐃᖠᓴᕐᓂᒧᑦ ᐱᖁᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᐅᓪᒪᖅᓯᒪᓂᖅᒥᒃ ᐃᒡᓗᕋᓚᕐᒥᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᑦ ᓯᓚᑕᓂ. 13-ᓂ ᐊᕋᒍᖃᖅᖢᖓ 13-ᓂᒃ ᐅᒡᔨᕆᓕᓚᐅᖅᐳᖓ ᑯᑭᑦᑕᐹᕐᓂᖅ

ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒋᔭᕋ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑎᑎᕋᑲᑕᒃᖢᓂ ᐃᖏᕐᓂᒥᒃ, ᐃᓄᒃᑐ ᖃᓪᓗᓇᑎᑐᓪᓗ ᐃᖏᓲᖅ.

‘ᓂᐱᓕᐅᖃᑦᑕᓕᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᕗᖓ ᐊᔪᕈᓐᓂᖅᓴᖢᖓ, ᐃᖏᖅᑎ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ. ᐱᖓᓱᓂ ᐊᕋᒍᑦ ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓂᕐᒥᐅᑕᐅᓕᖅᑐᖅ. ᓯᕗᓕᒥ ᐃᖏᐅᓯᓕᐊᕋ ᑐᓴᕐᓂᕆᓗᐊᕋᓗᓚᐅᖏᑕᕋ ᖃᓄᐃᖓᖢᓂᓗ. ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐊᔪᕈᓐᓂᖅᓴᖅᐸᓚᐅᖅᐳᖓ ᐃᓄᑐᓗᖓ.

ᐊᔪᖏᒥᔭᒃᑲ ᐅᑯᐊᖑᕗᑦ, ᐊᒋᐊᒐᖅ, ᓱᐳᒐᖅ, ᑯᑭᑦᑕᐸᕋᓚᖅ, ᓇᕿᑦᑕᐅᑎᓪᓗ. ‘2018-ᒥᑦ ᐃᖏᐅᓯᐅᕆᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᕗᖓ ᐊᑎᓕᒃ ‘ᐱᓱᖃᑎᒋᓂᐊᖅᐸᒋᑦ’ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐃᖃᓇᐃᔭᓚᐅᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᕋᒪ ᐃᓕᓴᐃᔨᓂᒃ ᑭᖑᓪᓕᕙᒃᖢᖓ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑕᒃᑲ ᐃᖏᐅᓯᓕᐊᓐᓂᑦ ᐃᓕᓂᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ, ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓕᖅᖢᑎᒡᓗ ᒪᓕᖕᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᖏᐅᓯᐊᒥᓂᒃ, ᖁᕕᐊᒋᓚᐅᖅᐸᖏ, ᐱᑯᒋᓪᓗᓂᒋᓪᓗ, ᕿᐊᕙᓴᕋᒥ.’

‘ᐱᑯᓇᒪᕆᕋᑐᖅ, ᖁᔭᓕᕗᖅᓗ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᑦ.

ᐊᒪᕈᐊᓕᒃ ᐃᖏᐅᙳᐅᕐᓂᖅ ᐱᒃᑯᒋᕙ ᐃᓄᒃᑐᑦ, ᐳᐃᒍᒡᔭᐃᑯᑎᒋᓪᓗᓂᐅᓪᓗ.

ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᐅᑕᖅ ᐳᕆᓐᑕ ᒪᓐᑕᓇ, ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓂᕐᒥᐅᑕᐅᓯᔪᖅ, ᑎᑯᐊᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᖃᑕᐅᔪᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᖏᖅᑎᓄᑦ ᐊᐅᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᒧᑦ ᓴᓚᒃᓴᕋᓱᒃᑐᓄᑦ

Nunavut artists enter the spotlight at Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards in Ottawa

Four Nunavut musicians are up for Inuit Artist/Group of the Year honours

By Tom Taylor Northern News Services Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Four Nunavut musicians are up for Inuit Artist/Group of the Year honours at the 2023 Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards in Ottawa: Pangnirtung’s Joey Nowyuk, Baker Lake’s Shauna Seeteenak, Iglulik’s Angela Amarualik, and Rankin Inlet’s Brenda Montana.

The award ceremony is slated for June 6 in the capital city’s National Arts Centre.

It’s a big moment for all four Nunavummiut.

Amarualik, who writes folk and pop music in Inuktitut and English, says the nomination rekindled her creative fire, which fizzled out during the pandemic.

“Since after the pandemic it’s been really tough for me to write and do music as much as I did before,” she said. “I haven’t really been motivated much.”

“[This nomination] makes me want to publish more music because all the nominees are very talented and they really deserve to be recognized. To be recognized on that platform really makes me remember how much I love music.”

Amarualik, who now lives in Laval, Quebec, grew up surrounded by music. Her father played guitar and once wrote her a song about how much he loved her. When she

was home alone, she would sing Hilary Duff songs on her sister’s karaoke machine. Initially, her shyness made it “difficult to sing on stage,” but eventually, after meeting other

local musicians and practicing her craft, she got more confident.

“I’m lucky because back home in Iglulik, there’s a lot of musicians and bands,” she said. “I feel like

they shaped me. I feel very lucky.”

“I’ve now learned to be less shy with all of these experiences connecting with people and traveling”

For Montana, childhood in Rankin Inlet was full of sports – gymnastics, hockey and soccer – and trips to the cabin with her family. She admits she “didn’t really fit in” with kids her age, but says she began to find her footing at 13, when she started playing the guitar, and writing songs in both Inuktitut in English.

“I started recording myself and practiced many times,” the pop artist said from Iqaluit, where she has lived for the last three years. “At first my singing wasn’t good but not too bad, I didn’t like how it sounded, so I practiced singing often when I was alone. Other instruments I learned are the violin, harmonica, ukulele, and piano.”

“In 2018 I wrote my first song called Pisuqatiginiaqpagit,” she added. “I used to work at the Simon Alaittuq School as a substitute teacher, and my favourite memory there was when I taught Pisuqatiginiaqpagit to the kids, it made me really happy that the kids sang the song and knew the words with out any help. I even cried.”

Montana and Amarualik – along with their fellow Nunavummiut Nowyuk and Seeteenak – will soon make their journeys to Ottawa, where they will learn if they have won this year’s award.

For Montana, a win would “mean a lot.”

“It would be a great accomplishment for me,” she said. “I never thought I would make it this far, and I’m very thankful that I had people there for me to cheer me on.”

Amarualik feels much the same way.

“If I win it, I’m going to use that to push myself even more,” she said. “I’m really going to use it to remind myself that I can do this.”

Yet for both artists, the impact of a win would extend beyond their own careers.

Montana says there is a message behind all of her songs, and an award win would give her a bigger platform to spread those messages.

“Love is All Around Us is a song I wrote for my family when we were going through a rough time,” she said as an example, adding that she wrote her song More at Ease “for women who are struggling in an abusive relationship,” and Qaujimagit to remind listeners “if you’re feeling sad, things are going to get better.”

For Amarualik, songwriting is an opportunity to protect and preserve her culture – and help put Nunavut on the music map.

“I’m very proud to talk about where I come from,” she said. “Our language is kind of going away slowly. I want to protect our language.”

“People ask me where I’m from, and I say I’m from Nunavut,” she added. “Sometimes people say ‘welcome to Canada.’ I really want to have Nunavut known as part of Canada.”

Iglulik’s Angela Amarualik, who now lives in Laval, Quebec, is one of four Nunavummiut up for for Inuit Artist/Group of the Year honours at the 2023 Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards. The award ceremony is slated for June 6 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Photo courtesy of Hitmakerz

Rankin Inlet’s Brenda Montana, who now calls Iqaluit home, is one of four Nunavummiut nominated for Inuit Artist/Group of the Year at this year’s Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards. The award ceremony is scheduled for June 6 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Photo courtesy of Hitmakerz

Escaping the darkness

Recording artist enters treatment facility to chase away the demons he’s been battling for most of his life

By Darrell Greer Northern News Services

Life hasn’t always hit the right notes for recording artist Sam Tutanuak of Iqaluit, who will soon be heading back to the capital after completing a nine-week program in the Homewood Health Centre, a trauma-treatment facility in Guelph, Ont. Tutanuak said he started being “triggered” this past December and decided it was time to address the issue.

He said he contacted a mental-health nurse in Iqaluit to initiate the process that would have him attend a trauma-treatment facility. He left Iqaluit this past April 2 and was admitted into the facility on April 4.

“I only have a couple of weeks left in the program and I’m looking forward to going back home,” said Tutanuak.

“Being triggered brought me back to incidents that happened to me when I was a kid. I simply wasn’t functioning well at that time.”

The trauma Tutanuak, now 56, experienced as a kid has led to him abusing drugs and alcohol for most of his life.

Tutanuak said his time at Homewood has been a real learning experience that he feels has benefitted him greatly.

He said the program has shown him what his patterns have been all this time and how he used to deal with any issues that would come up.

“I’ve learned new skills to help cope with the triggers in any situation that makes me uncomfortable, gets me angry, or whatever.

“When it comes to the sensitivity most musicians and/or songwriters share, I struggle with it more because of the sensitivity itself. I feel things very deeply.

“I’m hoping now, with the new tools I’ve acquired here at Homewood, that I’ll be able to be more at ease. That I’ll be able to write more music in a way that helps me to deal with what’s going on today, what’s happened in the past and stuff like that.

“I’m hoping that’s what is going to happen but, I guess, we’ll see during the next little while.”

Tutanuak said it has frustrated him in the past when most of the lyrics he was trying to write kept coming out extremely dark.

He said it’s hard to explain just how frustrated he would get when he couldn’t keep the darkness out of his music.

“I’ve got stuff in my phone that’s

just very dark material. So dark, in fact, I never felt like I should share it with anyone.

“That’s not the type of writer I am naturally, so it does put a hold on how I want to write a song. So, again, I’m hoping in the next little while I’ll be able to start writing songs – songs that are more clear through the thinking process I’ve gained here — and I’ll go from there.

“I know the dark stuff will keep trying to work itself back in and it’s going to take some time to just be able to shelf it. That’s for sure.

“It’s definitely going to take some time to figure out how to lessen the demon thoughts that come out while I’m trying to write.”

Tutanuak said he’s been preoccupied with the battle he’s been facing over the past while and, as a result, hasn’t been performing much. He said when he knew he would be entering the Homewood program, he thought that might afford him the time to write some songs during his stay. The world had other ideas, however.

“I have not put one written word on paper since I arrived here. It’s been pretty intense, you know. There can be some heavy days here when I have to face my demons and dig them out of the box that I’ve carried for so long.

“At the end of the day I would be totally burnt out. I would be exhausted to the point where I just couldn’t think about doing anything except, maybe, trying to put a puzzle together so I wasn’t thinking about the sessions I’d just had.

“It really feels like a piece of me is missing, not being up on that stage. It’s hurting me. I see a lot of talent come and go in Iqaluit and I find myself wishing I could perform with them.

“My confidence is building, though, and I’m hoping it won’t be long before I get up and join them. I see myself performing in front of a live crowd again within the next six months. I just can’t wait to be performing for people once again. I’ll know when I’m ready.”

ᑐᓂᓯᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᓕᓵᖅᑐᓄ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐱᕙᓕᐊᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᓕᕆᓂᒃᑯᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᖄᑦ ᐃᖃᓇᐃᔭᖅᑏᑦ, ᐃᓚᖏᓪᓗ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᖃᔪᒥᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ.

ᒥᓂᔅᑕ ᐸᒪᓚ ᑯᕈᔅ - ᒪᐃ 15. ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᓕᓵᖅᑐᑦ ᐱᑯᓇᓵᖅᑐᑦ ᑕᑯᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓇᓄᖅ ᐃᓕᓂᐊᕐᕕᐊᓂ ᐊᑐᖅᖢᑎᒃ

ᖃᓂᐅᔭᖅᐸᐃᑐᑦ. ᐊᑐᖅᖢᑎ ᒪᓂᒪᔪᓂᒃ.

ᐅᑭᐊᒃᓵᖅ, ᕕᑕ ᓴᒧᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃ

ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᖃᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕐᒥᒃ

ᐱᖃᑕᐅᔪᑦ, ᓇᓄᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃ

ᓂᐊᖁᙳᓂ, ᔨᒥ Hᐃᑯᒃ ᐃᓕᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃ

ᕿᒥᕐᕈᓂᖅ.

ᐃᓕᓂᐊᕐᕖᒃ ᓂᕈᐊᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᐳᒃ

ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕐᒥᒃ

ᐱᔪᑎᖃᖅᖢᒍ ᐅᑯᓂᖓᑐᕋᖓᔪᓂᒃᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔨᖃᕆᐊᖃᕋᔭᕐᓂᖏᓂ ᐊᑐᓂᒃ, ᐅᑭᑐᔪᓄᓪᓗ ᓄᑕᖑᕆᐊᖅᑕᐅᔪᒃᓴᓄᓪᓗ.

ᒐᕙᒪ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ. ᑯᕈᔅ, ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ

ᐲᔨ ᐊᕿᐊᖁᖅ, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ, ᓂᐊᖁᙴᓪᓗ ᐃᓕᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᔨᖏᑦ

ᑲᑎᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᓇᓄᑉ ᐃᓕᓂᐊᕐᕕᐊᓂ ᓂᐊᖁᙴᓂ ᑕᕿᕆᓵᖅᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᓄᑕᖑᖅᑎᒋᐊᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᓕᓵᖅᑐᓂᒡᓗ ᑕᑯᖁᔾᔨᓪᓕᑎᒃ ᐱᓇᔪᖕᓂᕐᒥᓂᒃ. ᑖᓐᓇ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᓂᐅᔪᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖅ ᐃᓗᓕᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐅᑯᓂᖓ; ᐃᑲᔫᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓂᐊᓕᓵᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ, ᐃᓕᑦᑎᕙᓕᐊᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᖃᐅᑕᒪᖅ ᐃᓄᓯᐅᑉ ᐊᑐᐊᒐᖏᓐᓂᒃ, ᖃᓄᕐᓗ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖅ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᑎᐊᖃᓗᐊᕐᒪᖓᑦ ᐊᑑᑎᓕᖕᓄᑦ, ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒌᑦᑎᐊᕋᓗᐊᕐᒪᑕᖓᕐᓗ.

ᒐᕙᒪ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ. ᐊᑯᓂᐅᓂᖅᓴᒃᑯᑦ, ᑎᒥᐅᔪᖅ ᑕᑯᒋᐊᕐᓂᖃᕐᓂᐊᖅᐳᖅ

ᑭᓱ ᐊᒃᑐᐃᓂᖃᕐᒪᖓᑦ ᑭᓱᓪᓗ

ᐊᑐᑎᖃᕐᒪᑕ ᐃᓄᒃᑐᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ

ᑐᕋᖓᔪᓂᒃ ᐱᖁᑎᓂᒃ. ᑖᓐᓇ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᐅᔪᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᓕᓵᖅᑐᓄᑦ

ᐅᒃᑐᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐃᓕᓴᐃᔨᓂᒃ, ᐃᓚᒌᖕᓂᑦ. ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᖃᓄᖅ ᑐᖃᑦᑕᖅᑎᐊᕐᒪᖓᑕᔨ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᓕᓵᖅᑐᑦ

“It’s definitely going to take some time to figure out how to lessen the demon thoughts that come out while I’m trying to write.”

Recording artist Sam Tutanuak of Iqaluit hopes to be back on stage performing for a live audience once again somewhere during the next six months. Photo courtesy Sam Tutanuak

From tundra science to animal selfies — how Parks Canada operates in the far North

Scientists monitor five distinct protected ecosystems from base in Inuvik

By Eric Bowling Northern News Services

Parks Canada isn’t just about tour guides and campground maintenance.

Across the North, the agency is a vital part of Canada’s scientific research body. Based in Inuvik, Parks Canada employees both keep watch and conduct active research in five distinct protected ecosystems: Ivvavik National Park, Tuktut Nogait National Park, Aulavik National Park, the Pingo Canadian Landmark and Saoyú-?ehdacho National Historic Site.

“Parks Canada is responsible for monitoring long-term trends in ecosystems,” said ecologist team leader Laurence Carter. “The goal is to collect data over a long period of time and monitor trends and changes to know what’s going on up there.”

In the North, Parks is concerned with two ecologies in particular — freshwater and tundra. Monitoring each requires frequent sampling of sites for analysis, which requires going out into the field. As helicopters are expensive, jobs are typically stacked up to make sure the scientists are getting the most out of their fuel.

In the water, researchers keep track of the water quality, the flow of the stream and the insects that live within the water column. As they are usually the food source for everything else, anything that affects the bugs trickles up through the food web.

On the tundra, a large number of items are tracked. Surveys of caribou, songbirds and muskox are frequently conducted and a raptor survey is in the works of being resurrected. Vegetation changes are tracked in person and by satellite, while permafrost is monitored using drones and in person surveys. Animal populations are frequently observed from helicopter.

Parks Canada pays particular attention to the lemming population as they tend to be a food source for most other predators in the region. Contrary to popular belief, lemmings do not run en mass into the ocean if their populations get to large. Usually instead their numbers are kept in check by everything else living in the park.

Community engagement is an important part of Parks Canada’s work in the North as well. Every year, the agency provides financial support for on-the-land harvest camps and assists in the annual spring goose hunt with East Three school. Parks Canada also hosts Pingo Pride each year and cultural camps at Tuktut Nogait National Park and other various community gatherings.

For example, Parks recently employed students to interview Elders about the history of Qainiruviq or Clarence Lagoon trading post, a historic site which will soon be lost to the ocean as the coast erodes around it. Students were able to collect the oral history of the building to ensure it is not forgotten.

One major project underway with Parks is monitoring the Porcupine Caribou herd and how it is responding to climate change. Using GPS and video collars, alongside plant and insect samples, scientists are hoping to get an estimate of where the herd is going as the North warms. Carter said video footage of what the caribou effectively sees will be available from some of the collars once the project has gotten underway.

Continued on page A13

A mother bear and her cubs are caught grazing on camera in Ivvavik National Park. Photo courtesy of Parks Canada

ing by a remote camera. Photo courtesy of Parks Canada

Sometimes inter-species interactions get caught on the remote cameras, such as this encounter between a grizzly bear and two wolves. Photo courtesy Parks Canada

Jacqueline Menzies shows some of the photos Parks Canada captures through its remote camera network. Photo courtesy of Alex Cheung

A caribou examines the remote camera, fastened to a post. Photo courtesy of Parks Canada

Continued from page A12

Animals pose for the camera

Another element of Parks Canada’s research is using remote cameras to catch animals in their element without disturbing them.

Resource management officer Jacqueline Menzies said the agency had 32 Reconyx cameras set up along the Firth river valley, a minimum of one kilometre apart. These cameras are able to perform in the frigid Arctic winter temperatures and track both the snowpack of each area and any animals that come within three metres of them. They are also equipped with an infrared camera for night time.

“The Firth River valley was divided into 10-kilometre square sections and a camera was put randomly in each of them,” she said. “We’ve separated them into three different categories. We have our off-ice, our canyons — more of the mountainous areas, and then the coasts.

“Each time the camera gets trigger, it will take five photos.”

Parks employees swap out batteries to the cameras twice a year, which is also when they collect the photos. Menzies said the cameras and the casing they’re in are quite durable and can withstand bites from their subject matter, though this last summer a bear managed to bend an iron post over. Swapping of cameras is done in sync with other field work to maximize fuel efficiency.

While the intent of the program is to monitor the grizzly bear occurrences, many other animals get in on the action as well.

Occurrences does not mean population, though the two factors are related. By monitoring the amount of bears sited within the range of midApril to mid-October over two-week periods, scientists can estimate the health of the population. Monitoring bears this way is necessary because of the range of bears, which makes surveying the population itself is very expensive.

Qainiruviq Trading Post, crumbling away as climate change presses on, will be recorded in history thanks to a project financed by Parks Canada paying local youth to interview Elders. Photo courtesy Parks Canada

A Reconyx camera, which Parks Canada uses for remote photography in national parks. Eric Bowling/NNSL photo

A wolf looks head-on into a remote camera in Ivvavik National Park. A recent Aurora Research Institute speaker series showcased how the wildlife of the park inadvertently pose for remote cameras set up by biologists to study them. Photo courtesy of Parks Canada

A curious canine gets caught in a shot that almost feels like a selfie. Photo courtesy of Parks Canada

Laurence Carter explains the different ways Parks Canada gathers evidence and monitors the environment in Ivvavik National Park. Photo courtesy Alex Cheung

Health of the lemming population is a strong indicator of the ecosystem as a whole. Photo courtesy Parks Canada

Meeting the challenge

Employment up, volunteerism down in Arctic Bay

Increasing available housing, school space and volunteerism within the community top the want list of Arctic Bay deputy mayor Frank May, who sees the possibility of bright days ahead for the small community.

May said the challenges facing Arctic Bay moving forward are about the same as any other small community in Nunavut and that’s infrastructure.

And, he said, improving infrastructure starts with improving housing.

“We are getting a boost this year from the sounds of it,” said May. “But we’re probably short 50 or 60 units and we’re going to get 20 that are supposed to be built by NCC Development Ltd. (NCCD).

“We also need expansion at our school, which goes from kindergarten to Grade 12 and is bursting at the seams. I say it’s been more than 20 years ago since the last expansion was

done and we’ve also packed Aboriginal Head Start in there.

“Half the population (1,000) of this town is under the age of 16 and about 30 kids a year go into the school, so, as you can imagine, they’re using every little bit of space they can.

“The hamlet operates the head-start program and we’re really lucky the school hasn’t kicked us out. They say they can really see a difference when the kids come into kindergarten but they sorely need the space.” May said Arctic Bay has been promised a small craft harbour project as part of Tallurutiup Imanga — Lancaster Sound National Marine Conservation Area negotiations.

But, he said, that seems to have run into some snags.

“It was tendered last year but all the bids came in too high for the government. It wasn’t even re-tendered this year, so I don’t know what’s going on there.”

May said in a lot of ways, the hamlet is doing really well when it comes to employment.

He said in his mind, if you want a job, it’s there.

“We have Baffinland Iron Mines next door. I don’t know just what the numbers are right now but, before Covid, there were about 50 people from this community working at that mine.

“We have a whack of construction coming in the fall due to (Igluliuqatigiingniq) Nunavut 3000 (a 10-year master partnership agreement between NCCD and the Nunavut Housing Corp. that will see NCCD deliver up to 2,000 housing units across the territory and another 1,000 through the GN), and the Lancaster Sound National Marine Conservation Area has about five guys from the community employed by the Qikiqtani Inuit Association which, I think, are headed towards full-time jobs.

“It also looks like Parks Canada will be bumping-up its staffing a bit, there’s still work to be done on the Nanisivik Naval Facility and, eventually, they’ll be building the small craft harbour, so there are jobs here.

“It’s a case of you have to want to work.”

May said one area he would like to see improve in the community is volunteerism. He said Covid really seemed to hurt the volunteer spirit because everyone had to stay home, which really hurt the habit of volunteering in the community.

“They held a mens’ hockey tournament here with six teams and we only had one referee and one linesman to do the whole darn thing.

“We have a cadet corps here that’s on its last legs if we don’t get somebody else involved and we’ve been struggling with the day care. We have work to do on the building before it starts operating and to get people to come out and help is difficult.

“The last election we didn’t have one. The mayor was acclaimed, only four of us put our names in for eight council positions and no one put their names in at all for the eight spots on the district education authority.

“If I knew for sure what was causing this I’d fix it, but we certainly have to improve our volunteerism spirit going forward.”

There’s an abundance of jobs available in Arctic Bay, says deputy mayor Frank May. Photo courtesy of Bobby Levi

By Darrell Greer Northern News Services

To 88 and beyond

Six-year-old Rankin Inlet boy raises donations for food bank

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services

Local Journalism Initiative Rankin Inlet

With visions of a popcorn party at school, six-year-old Cohen Sateana-Cormier emptied two piggy banks and raised all the donations he could for the Ikurraq Food Bank in Rankin Inlet.

Candis Cormier, his mom, said his class had a challenge to collect canned goods to donate May 25. Sateana-Cormier’s goal was 88 cans.

Asked what he had done, Sateana-Cormier said, “Get canned goods for the people that need it.”

“He has always saved his money and chooses to use it wisely,” said Cormier about her son, who’s in Grade 1 in Rankin Inlet. And the reward: “We get a popcorn party, and guess what?” he asked, about to smile, as his mother recorded a video interview of him. “We’re going to get a pizza party.”

His mom said, “Cohen asked if we can collect cans and also requested to use his money to buy more. He emptied two piggy banks and totalled over $140.”

He was also given more donations and electronic money transfers.

Before the final results had been revealed, Cormier said, “He is excited because he knows that this will benefit our community members and his class can win a popcorn party. There are donations from community members as well as others from social media. He is also very thankful for the donations.”

In the end, Sateana-Cormier amassed 99 cans.

“We just picked up the last donation request now – we are both exhausted,” wrote Cormier. “The last house, he knew he was past his goal. As we were leaving her house, he said, ‘I think I’m going to cry.’”

She said the rest of the class had an overflowing amount of gifts too.

Cohen Sateana-Cormier emptied two piggy banks and drummed up help to donate as much goods to the food bank as he could. Photo courtesy of Candis Cormier

Six-year-old Cohen Sateana-Cormier pays for cans of soup with rolls of coins. Photo courtesy of Candis Cormier

Iqaluit student wins silver medal for public speaking at Skills Canada competition

By Tom Taylor Northern News Services

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Iqaluit’s Katie Yu won a silver medal in public speaking at the Skills Canada National Competition 2023 in Winnipeg.

The competition, a multi-trade and technology contest for students and apprentices from across the country, occurred on May 25 and 26. Yu, who attends Inuksuk High School, was one of 11 students representing Nunavut in the competition.

Yu’s speech was intended to “encourage people to enter the trades and technologies to address the current worker shortage,” she explained. All competitors had the same theme.

To win a silver medal in a competition she describes as “intense” was an experience she will not forget.

“I feel very excited and proud,” the 17-year-old said. “Running up to the podium and receiving my medal was a super exciting.”

Yu, who was also part of a territorial competition in April, had been honing and practicing her speech for months, and

despite being hindered by dental surgery in May, was well prepared by the time she arrived in Winnipeg.

“I practised my speech quite a bit before the trip by recording myself and rehearsing in front of other people,” she said. “I definitely made the most of the time I had.”

A central objective of the Skills Canada national competition is to help “tomorrow’s workforce discover new and exciting careers,” according to the organization’s website.

Yu isn’t sure what career she will pursue when the time comes, but is interested in journalism and media as well as biology and environmental science, and may seek out a job that provides “a combination of the two.”

Whatever she ends up doing, she feels better prepared than ever after her medal win.

“I think that being able to communicate ideas clearly to an audience and think critically on the spot are such important life skills,” she said. “Public speaking has also taught me a lot about the importance of practice and perseverance, and bouncing back from any mistakes I make.”

“No matter what career I pursue, I believe that public speaking is a really beneficial skill that I can use.”

While Yu was the only Nunavummiut to win a medal at this year’s competition, all 11 competitors had a great time in Winnipeg, as did the 12 other students that joined them on the trip to participate in a career symposium, according to Skills Canada Nunavut executive director Janis Devereaux.

“When Katie’s name and the Nunavut Flag appeared on the screen, the energy from our small group was electrifying,” said Devereaux.

Devereaux says there were over 11,000 students from across Manitoba in attendance at the competition – not to mention the competitors from other parts of Canada. To be around so many people was unfamiliar experience for the youths in her care, but they persevered.

“Our students experience unique challenges at the national competition,” she said. “They had to adjust quickly to complete their projects with so many people watching. I am proud to say, every single one of our students pushed through their doubts and fears, and completed their competitions. This in itself gave them something to be proud of.”

‘When Katie’s name and the Nunavut Flag appeared on the screen, the energy from our small group was electrifying,’ says Nunavut’s executive director

From foreground, Nunavut’s Daniel Tapatai and Katie Yu cheer on their fellow students at the Skills Canada National Competition in Winnipeg. Tapatai and Yu were joined by 21 other Nunavummiut students on the trip. Photo courtesy of Skills Canada Nunavut

From left, Katie Yu of Iqaluit, Lukas Rae of Alberta and Henry Heinicke of British Columbia pose with the flags of their jurisdictions. All three students won public speaking medals at the Skills Canada National Competition in Winnipeg late last month. Photo courtesy of Skills Canada

Climate change could mean fewer ‘date nights’ for Arctic ground squirrels: study

Females coming out of hibernation earlier than males

As temperatures rise in the North, scientists say it’s affecting how Arctic ground squirrels hibernate — and it could have serious consequences for the species.

The furry critters survive the harsh Arctic winters by burrowing underground and hibernating for eight months before emerging in the spring ready to eat and breed. As the males go through seasonal puberty every year, they normally wake up about a month earlier so they are ready to mate when the female Arctic ground squirrels resurface.

But in a new study published in Science, researchers found that over the past 25 years, female squirrels

have been ending hibernation about 10 days earlier in response to earlier spring thaw while the males have not.

“If this continues, females are going to be ready to mate with males before males are physiologically able to mate with females,” said senior author Cory Williams, assistant professor in the department of biology at Colorado State University, who has been studying Arctic ground squirrels for more than 15 years.

Researchers said that could mean fewer “date nights,” which could affect reproduction.

Williams said because male squirrels end hibernation early, they are less responsive to environmental

cues than females. He said so far, the changes among female hibernation patterns haven’t affected squirrel populations and, in the future, males could adapt to stay in phase with females.

“Predicting the long-term ecosystem consequences of climate change is incredibly difficult due to ecological interactions, but it is clear that Arctic systems are rapidly changing,” he said.

Other potential consequences of a shorter hibernation season are that squirrels could increase their exposure to predators such as foxes, wolves and eagles. However, it’s not all bad news. It

could also mean squirrels will not have to use as much stored fat and energy during hibernation. Beginning foraging earlier could also lead to healthier offspring.

Other changes researchers observed are that squirrels are delaying the timing and duration of heat production during hibernation in response to slower freezing of the permafrost. While squirrels drastically reduce their lung, heart, brain and body functions during hibernation, they do use some energy to generate heat from stored fat to keep from freezing, even as their body temperature drops below 0 C.

The study’s authors analyzed 25

years of air and soil temperatures from two locations in the Alaskan Arctic. They also measured the abdominal and skin temperatures of 199 squirrels over the same period.

“These Arctic systems are changing relatively rapidly,” Williams said, noting other studies have found it is warming four times faster than the global average.

“Our study really indicates that this is happening and it’s happening rapidly, and we should expect for these ecosystems to change across time.”

—By Emily Blake, The Canadian Press. This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.

An Arctic ground squirrel pokes its head out of a burrow. As Northern regions rapidly warm, scientists say it’s affecting how Arctic ground squirrels hibernate and it could have serious consequences for the species. The Canadian Press/Ho, Oivind Toien, University of Alaska Fairbanks

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