Nunavut News, March 20, 2023 edition

$120 ᒥᓕᐊᓐ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᐃᔾᔪᑎᒃᓴᑦ

$120

million to support harvesters and food security

Federal funding announcement will benefit 112 Northern and remote communities

ᐊᓂᒍᖅᑕᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᑦ ᐊᓂᒍᐃᔪᓐᓇᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᑦ

Cambridge

Tologanak/NNSL photo

ᐃᖃᓗᑦᑑᑦᑎᐊᕐᒥ ᑭᐅᕋᓐ

ᖃᒧᔪᒃ, ᕼᐊᖅᑯᓚᖃᑎᒌᑦ

ᕿᓚᐅᔾᔭᖅᑎᖏᑦ, ᓯᕗᒃᑲᑕᖅᑎᐅᔪᖅ 8-ᓂᒃ

ᐅᑭᐅᓕᒃ ᑐᓐᓄᒃᕼᐊᒃ ᐳᕌᓐᑕᓐ

ᑰᕼᐊ, ᐃᙱᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ

ᓯᕗᓕᕕᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ.

Hacked government website encourages people to gamble

MLA calls for better medical interpretation service

Commissioner’s Art Award goes to Zacharias Kunuk

ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᑲᔫᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᐳᑦ 112-ᓄᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐅᖓᓯᒋᔭᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓄᑦ

Bay’s Karen Kamoayok, of the Huqqullaaqatigiit Drum Dance Group, leads 8-year-old Tunnukahak Brandon Koaha, who follows the songs of his Inuit ancestors. Navalik

By Stewart Burnett

ᕿᓂᖅᖢᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᑳᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒥᑦ ᐊᔪᖅᓴᕐᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᐋᔩᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᕐᒥ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᑎᒍᑦ ᕿᓚᒻᒥᐅᔪᒥ ᑐᕌᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᐊᖅᐳᖅ www.makiliqta. ca−ᒧᑦ.

ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐸᐅᔪᒥ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᓯᒪᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐃᓂᒋᔭᖓᓂ ᐅᖃᓕᒫᕐᓂᖃᖅᐳᖅ, “ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᑳᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒥᑦ ᐊᔪᖅᓴᕐᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᐋᔩᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᖅ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᑎᒍᑦ

ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓄᑦ ᐱᙳᐊᕈᑎᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥ.”

ᐅᓂᒃᑳᕆᕗᖅ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᐅᔪᒥ ᐊᖏᓛᖑᔪᒥ

ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕈᑕᐅᔪᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐊᔪᖅᓴᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ

ᐊᒻᒪ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᖁᑦᑎᒃᑐᒥ

ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᖃᙱᓐᓂᐅᔪᓂ ᐅᓄᕐᓂᐅᔪᓂ.

ᐋᖅᑭᒍᑎᒃᓴᖅ?

“ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᓅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᔪᖅᓴᕐᔪᐊᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ, ᓇᓂᓯᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᓂᓂᖓᓂ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᐳᖅ,” ᐅᖃᓕᒫᕐᓂᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᓯᒪᓂᐅᔪᒥ

ᓯᕗᓂᐊᓂ ᒪᕐᐱᒐᖓᓐᓂ ᐃᑭᐊᖅᑭᕕᖕᒥ.

“ᐊᑕᐅᓯᐅᔪᒥ ᓂᕈᐊᒐᒃᓴᐅᔪᓂ ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓯᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᒥ

ᐊᑲᐅᙱᓕᐅᕈᑕᐅᔪᒥ ᐊᔪᖅᓴᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᑎᒍᑦ

ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓄᑦ ᐱᙳᐊᕈᑎᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥ. ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂᒃ

ᐱᙳᐊᕐᓂᖃᑦᑎᐊᕈᑎᒃ, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᖅᓯᔪᓐᓇᖅᐳᖅ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᖓᓂᖓᓂ ᐱᐅᓂᖅᓴᐅᔪᒧᑦ. ᑎᑭᐅᑎᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᔮᒃᐹᑦᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓵᓚᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂ ᐊᖏᔪᒻᒪᕆᐊᓗᖕᒥ ᐊᓯᔾᔩᔪᓐᓇᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᒥᓱᓂ ᐃᓅᓯᐅᔪᓂ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᕆᐊᖃᖅᐳᖅ.”

ᐅᖃᓕᒫᖅᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔪᓐᓃᖅᑕᐅᕗᑦ

ᐊᒃᓱᕈᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᖏᓐᓂ ᖃᕋᓴᖏᓐᓂ, ᐃᓱᒪᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐅᓇ

ᐃᖏᕐᕋᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᐅᔪᒥ 2200−ᒥ ᑐᕌᒐᕆᔭᐅᓂᖓᓂ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᑕᒪᒃᑭᓕᒫᖅ ᓴᒡᓗᓂᐅᓂᖓᓂ

ᒪᓕᒃᑐᒥ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᓯᒪᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐅᖃᓕᒫᕐᓂᖃᖅᐳᖅ, “ᐱᒻᒪᕆᕐᔪᐊᖑᕗᖅ ᐱᐅᔪᒥ ᑐᕌᒐᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓄᑦ ᐱᙳᐊᕈᑎᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥ,” ᐊᒻᒪ ᐅᖃᕆᐊᓪᓚᒃᐳᖅ

ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓯᓇᓱᐊᖅᐳᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᖓᓂᐅᔪᒥ

ᐅᓂᒃᑳᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᓪᓗᐊᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂ

ᒥᑭᑦᑐᓂ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂ ᐃᓕᓯᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐆᒃᑐᕐᓗᑎᒃ

ᐊᓪᓕᒌᙱᑦᑐᓂ ᐱᙳᐊᕐᓂᐅᔪᓂ. ᑭᖑᓂᐊᒍᑦ

ᒪᒃᐱᒐᕐᒥ, ᐃᑭᐊᖅᑭᕕᒃ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᓯᒪᓂᖃᖅᐳᖅ

ᐃᒪᐃᖁᔨᓂᐅᔪᓂ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᑎᒍᑦ ᑲᓰᓄᓂ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ

ᑮᓇᔭᓂᒃ ᓵᓚᖃᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂ.

“ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᕗᑦ ᐊᖏᖅᓯᒪᓂᖃᖅᐳᑦ

ᑭᒡᓕᐅᔪᒥ ᐊᔪᖅᓴᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐱᕈᖅᓴᐃᓂᕐᒥ

ᓱᓕᙱᑦᑐᓂ ᖃᓄᐃᓐᓂᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᐅᕘᓇ

ᑲᒪᒋᔭᖃᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᒥ

ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓄᑦ ᐱᙳᐊᕈᑎᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥ,”

ᐅᖃᖅᓯᒪᓂᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᓯᒪᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐃᓱᐊᑕ

ᖃᓂᒋᔭᖓᓂ. ᐃᓂᒋᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᑎᑦᑎᓂᖃᖅᐳᖅ

ᓇᓗᓇᐃᒃᑯᑕᖓᓐᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᑳᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒥᑦ

ᐊᔪᖅᓴᕐᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᐋᔩᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ (GN). ᒪᑭᓕᖅᑕ ᐊᑎᓪᓚᕆᐅᒋᕗᖅ

ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᕙᒃᑐᒥ ᒫᓐᓇ−ᐃᒃᓯᖕᓇᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᒥ

ᐃᓅᖃᑎᒌᖑᔪᓄᑦ ᓯᐊᒻᒪᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᐅᔪᒥ

ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᑎᑕᐅᓂᐅᔪᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓂ, ᐊᒻᒪ www.makiliqta.ca ᑎᑎᕋᖅᓯᒪᕗᖅ

ᖃᐅᔨᒋᐊᕐᕕᒃᓴᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᒪᒃᐱᒐᖓᓂ 2017-2022

ᒪᑭᒪᓂᖅ ᐸᕐᓇᐅᑎ 2−ᒥ.

“ᑕᑭᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓇᓗᓇᖅᖢᓂ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᕐᓂᐅᕗᖅ,”

ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᓕᓐᓯ ᑑᕐᓄᕐ, ᑐᑭᒧᐊᒃᑎᑦᑎᔨ ᐊᔪᖅᓴᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒥᒃᖠᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓇᓱᐊᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ

ᐊᕕᒃᑐᖅᓯᒪᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ, ᑕᐃᒪᐃᓚᐅᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᐃᑭᐊᖅᑭᕕᖓᓂ. ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᓵᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᓂᖓᓂ, ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ

ᑕᐃᒪᐃᓐᓇᒐᓚᒃ. ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᓗᐊᕈᒪᓚᐅᙱᓚ

ᐊᑯᓂᐅᔪᒥ, ᓂᐊᖁᖓ ᐅᑯᓪᓗᓂᐅᒃ ᑲᙳᑦᑎᓐᓂᖓᓄᑦ

ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᔪᖅ ᓴᖅᑭᑕᐅᒐᒥ.

“ᐱᓕᕆᓇᓱᐊᖅᐸᕗᑦ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ

ᐊᐱᕆᔭᐅᒐᙵ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ

ᐅᑎᖅᑎᑦᑎᓇᓱᐊᕐᒪᖔᑦ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓂᐅᔪᒥ.

ᒫᑦᔅ ᓵᓐᐹᑲᓐ, ᑐᑭᒧᐊᒃᑎᑦᑎᔨ ᐊᑐᐊᒐᕐᓄᑦ

ᐅᖃᓘᑎᕋᓛᒥ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᔪᖅ www.makiliqta.ca−ᒥ. ᐅᓇ ᐱᓪᓚᕆᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓂ ᐃᑭᐊᖅᑭᕕᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᕗᖅ. ᒫᓐᓇ, ᐊᖅᓵᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᕗᖅ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᑐᓲᖑᕗᖅ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᑳᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒥᑦ ᐊᔪᖅᓴᕐᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᐋᔩᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᖅ ᑐᕌᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐳᓚᕋᖅᑐᓂ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓄᑦ ᐱᙳᐊᕈᑎᖃᕐᓂᐅᔪᓂ ᐃᓂᐅᔪᓄᑦ.

A screenshot from www.makiliqta.ca. This once was a legitimate Government of Nunavut website. Now, it has been taken over and uses the language of the Nunavut Roundtable for Poverty Reduction to redirect visitors to gambling sites.

ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᑎᒍᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥ ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᖓ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᕗᖅ ᐃᓵᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓂᖓᓂ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐱᓕᕆᓇᓱᐊᖅᐳᑦ ᐲᖅᑕᐅᑎᑦᑎᓇᓱᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓇᒋᖅᑕᐅᓂᖓᓂ ᐊᓯᐊᓂ ᐃᑭᐊᖅᑭᕕᐅᔪᒥ. “ᐅᖃᖃᑎᖃᖅᓯᒪᕗᒍᑦ ᑳᓐᑐᕌᒃᑎᐅᔪᒥ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓱᐃᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂ ᐲᖅᓯᓂᖓᓂ ᐊᒻᒪ

ᐃᓇᖏᖅᓯᓂᖓᓂ ᐆᒥᖓ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᓵᓐᐹᑲᓐ. “ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᕋᔅᓯ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ, ᓲᖃᐃᒻᒪ ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᑭᐊᖅᑭᕕᖕᒥ ᑕᒻᒪᖅᓯᒪᕗᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᖃᓄᑐᐃᓐᓇᑦᑎᐊᖅ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᑎᑦᑎᓂᖃᙱᓚᖅ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᐅᓂᐅᔪᓂ ᐃᓄᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓂ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐊᔪᖅᓴᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒥᒃᖠᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓇᓱᐊᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐊᕕᒃᑐᖅᓯᒪᓂᐅᔪᒥ.”

Hijacked Nunavut poverty site promotes gambling

Web page encourages Nunavummiut to visit online casinos; GN says it’s attempting to rectify the situation

By Stewart Burnett Northern

Searching the Nunavut Roundtable for Poverty Reduction on the internet will quickly lead one to www.makiliqta.ca.

The first headline on the site reads, “Nunavut Roundtable on Poverty Reduction Through Online Gambling.”

It goes on to explain that one of the biggest challenges in Nunavut is poverty and that the territory is coping with high unemployment rates.

The solution?

“When people live in extreme poverty, finding the way out of it can be a challenge,” reads the text on the front page of the website. “One of the options that can solve the problem of poverty is online gambling. If they gamble responsibly, individuals can change their financial situation for the better. Hitting the jackpot and winning the sum so big it can transform many lives is always possible.”

Readers are forgiven for racking their brains, wondering if this is some sort of progressive 21st century approach to poverty or if the whole thing is a hoax.

The next line writes, “It is very important to have a positive approach towards gambling,” and it goes on to explain how people should start with small bets and try different games. Later on the page, the website lists suggestions for online casinos where people can win money.

“Our organization is committed to reducing the level of

ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᑳᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒥᑦ ᐊᔪᖅᓴᕐᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᐋᔩᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᖅ ᑐᕌᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐳᓚᕋᖅᑐᓂ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓄᑦ ᐱᙳᐊᕈᑎᖃᕐᓂᐅᔪᓂ ᐃᓂᐅᔪᓄᑦ.

A screenshot from www.makiliqta.ca. This once was a legitimate Government of Nunavut website. Now, it has been taken over and uses the language of the Nunavut Roundtable for Poverty Reduction to redirect visitors to gambling sites.

poverty in Nunavut Provine (sic) through responsible online gambling,” states a line near the end.

The site bears the logos of the Nunavut Roundtable for Poverty Reduction and Government of Nunavut (GN). Makiliqta is also a real name used on now-abandoned social media profiles by the GN, and www.makiliqta.ca is listed as the contact page in the 2017-2022 Makimaniq Plan 2.

“It’s a long and complicated story,” said Lindsay Turner, director of the poverty reduction division at the GN, about what happened to the website.

She said it had essentially been hacked, or something along those lines. She was not eager to discuss it for long, lowering

her head in shame that the subject was raised.

“We’re working on it,” she said when asked if the GN was trying to regain ownership of the site.

Mads Sandbakken, director of policy and planning with the Department of Family Services, stated in an email to Kivalliq News that the department is aware of the hijacking and working to get it removed and replaced with another website.

“We have been in contact with a contractor that will assist in removing and replacing this,” stated Sandbakken.

“Thanks for flagging and, of course, the information on the website is inaccurate and does in no way reflect the views of Family Services or the Poverty Reduction Division.”

News Services

Local Journalism Initiative Nunavut

ᓴᖅᑲᓕᐊᓯ

ᑯᓄᒃ ᐱᔪᖅ 2022−ᒥ ᑲᒥᓴᓇᐅᑉ

ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ

By Trevor Wright Northern News Services Nunavut

ᐃᓅᓯᓕᒫᖑᔪᒥ ᓯᕗᒻᒧᐊᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ

ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᖓᓐᓂ ᑕᕐᕆᔭᒐᒃᓴᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᒫᔾᔨ 9−ᒥ, ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᑲᒥᓴᓇ ᐄᕙ ᐋᕆᐊᖅ ᑐᓂᓯᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᖕᒥᐅᑕᒥ ᑕᕐᕆᔭᓕᐅᖅᑎᒥ ᓘᒃᑖᖅ ᓴᖅᑲᓕᐊᓯ ᑯᓄᖕᒧᑦ 2022−ᒥ ᑲᒥᓴᓇᐅᑉ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓵᓚᖃᐅᓯᐊᖓᓐᓂ. ᓵᓚᖃᐅᓯᐊᖅ ᐃᓚᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᒥ ᓵᓚᖃᐅᓯᐊᖑᔪᒥ

$10,000−ᒥ.

ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᓛᖑᔪᒥ ᑐᑭᒧᐊᒃᑎᑦᑎᓂᖓᓂ

ᐊᑕᓈᕐᔪᐊᑦ: ᐅᕿᓚᔪᒥ, ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐸᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᑕᑭᓪᓗᓂ ᑕᕐᕆᔭᓕᐊᖑᔪᒥ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ

ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᐃᓐᓇᑦᑎᐊᖅ, ᑯᓄᒃ ᐱᓕᕇᓐᓇᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ

ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᑕᕐᕆᔭᓕᐅᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᐅᔪᒥ, ᒪᓕᒃᑯᒥ

ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐸᐅᔪᒥ ᑕᕐᕆᔭᓕᐊᖓᓂ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑕᐅᓂᐅᔪᓂ

ᓅᑦ ᕌᔅᒥᐅᓴᓐᒧᑦ, ᒪᕐᕈᖓᓂ ᑕᑭᓪᓗᓂ

ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᒥ 2006−ᒥ.

“ᐅᕙᖓᑐᐊᖑᙱᑦᑐᖅ, ᑕᒪᒃᑭᐅᒪᔪᒥ ᑲᑎᙵᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᖃᖅᐳᖓ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑯᓄᒃ, ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᓪᓗᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᔨᐅᔪᓂ, “ᑕᐃᑲᓃᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅᐳᖓ, ᑐᑭᒧᐊᒃᑎᑦᑎᔨᐅᕗᖓ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᖑᑎᐅᓪᓗᖓ ᐃᓱᒪᓕᐅᕆᓂᖃᖅᐸᒃᖢᖓ.”

ᑯᓄᒃ ᐱᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑕᕐᕆᔭᓕᐅᕐᓂᕐᒥ

ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᕆᔭᖓᓂ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᓂᖓᓂ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ

ᑕᑯᓐᓇᕋᒃᓴᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓂ ᐊᐱᖅᓱᖅᐸᒃᖢᓂ

ᐃᓄᑐᖃᕐᓂ, ᐹᖅᓯᒐᒥ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐃᓚᑰᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᐅᔪᒥ. “ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓱᐃᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑭᐳᒧᐊᕋᑦᑕ ᑕᕐᕆᔭᓕᐊᖑᓯᒪᔪᖃᙱᓚᖅ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂ, ᐅᕙᓐᓂ ᐊᐅᓚᑎᑦᑎᓂᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥ ᑕᐃᔅᓱᒪᓂᑐᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒋᑦᑎᐊᖅᑕᕋ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᓕᐅᕆᓪᓗᖓ,”

ᓵᓚᖃᐅᓯᐊᖓᓐᓂ

ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂ ᐊᑐᖅᑐᒃᓴᓂ

“ᐱᓪᓚᕆᐅᓇᓱᓲᖑᕗᒍᑦ, ᐊᑐᕋᓱᓲᖑᕗᒍᑦ

ᓄᑲᐅᙱᑦᑐᓂ (ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ) ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᓂᑦ.”

ᐊᕐᕌᒍᒐᓵᓗᖕᓂ, ᓴᖅᑲᓕᐊᓯ ᓱᓕ

ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᓛᖑᕗᖅ ᐊᑕᓈᕐᔪᐊᑦ: ᐅᕿᓚᔪᒥ, ᐃᒻᒥᓄᑦ

ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᓪᓗᓂ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒍᑎᖃᕐᓂᐅᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ

ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑕᐅᓂᖓᓂ.

“ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᓴᓇᙳᐊᖅᑕᐅᓂᐊᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ

ᓄᓇᙳᐊᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᑎᔪᒪᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ

ᑕᕐᕆᔭᓕᐊᒥ, ᑕᐃᒫᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᓚᐅᖅᐸᕗᑦ ᐅᕿᓚᔪᖅ.

ᑕᐃᑲᙵᑦ ᓄᖅᑲᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᙱᓚᒍᑦ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ. ᑯᓄᒃ ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖓ ᑕᐃᒎᓯᖃᖅᐳᖅ

ᑕᒻᒪᖅᑐᒥ ᐅᐃᒋᔭᐅᔪᖅ. “ᐅᐃᒃᓴᖃᖅᑎᑕᐅᕙᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ, ᓱᕈᓰᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᕙᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᐅᓇ ᐅᐃᒃᓴᕋᔭᐅᓂᖓᓂ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᓄᓕᐊᒃᓴᐃᑦ. ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅᑐᐊᕆᔭᕋ, ᐅᓇ ᐊᕐᓇᖅ ᐅᐃᒃᓴᖃᑦᑎᑕᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᐆᒧᖓ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᒧᑦ

ᐊᖑᒻᒧᑦ, ᐊᐅᓪᓚᖅᓯᒪᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑕᖕᒫᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ

ᐊᐃᑉᐸᖓᓂ ᐅᐃᓂᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ.”

“ᐊᑐᕆᕗᖓ ᑕᕐᓂᓂ ᐅᕙᓂ ᑕᕐᕆᔭᓕᐊᖑᔪᒥ,

ᑕᒃᓯᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᕐᓇᖅ, ᖃᓪᓗᐱᓪᓗᒃ, ᑐᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᓂᕐᓂᖅ

ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᒪᕈᕐᓄᑦ ᑕᕐᓂᖅ. ᐱᙳᐊᖃᑎᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᐱᐅᔪᓂ

ᑕᕐᓂᓂᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐱᐅᙱᑦᑐᓂ ᑕᕐᓂᓂᑦ, ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᕗᖅ

ᑕᕐᕆᔭᓕᐅᕐᓂᕐᒥ.” ᑐᓂᓯᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᒃᓴᐅᔪᒥ ᒪᒃᑯᖕᓂᖅᓴᓄᑦ

ᐱᐅᓯᖃᑎᒌᖑᔪᓄᑦ, ᑯᓄᒃ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ

ᐅᓇᑕᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓄᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑐᒃᓴᓄᑦ ᑭᒃᑯᓕᒫᑦ

ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇᑦᑕᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᖕᒪᑕ. “ᐊᑯᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᐅᕗᖅ ᑕᕐᕆᔭᓕᐅᖅᑎᐅᓪᓗᓂ, ᐊᑎᕐᓂ ᐱᕈᖅᓴᐃᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᐳᑎᑦ. ᑕᕐᕆᔭᓕᐅᕐᓂᕐᒥ

ᑮᓇᐅᔾᔭᒃᓴᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᒥ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᑉᐳᖅ,”

ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑯᓄᒃ. “ᐊᑕᐅᓯᐅᔪᒥ ᐊᕕᒃᑕᐅᓯᒪᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐃᓚᖓᓐᓂ

ᐱᔭᕐᓂ, ᐊᓯᖓ ᐊᖑᑎ ᐱᔾᔮᙱᑕᖓ.

ᐅᓇᑕᕆᐊᖃᖅᐳᑎᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᔪᒃᓴᓂ

ᑲᒥᓴᓇᐅᑉ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓵᓚᖃᐅᓯᐊᖓᓐᓂ.

Trevor Wright/NNSL photo

Iglulik director Zacharias Kunuk says a few words in Inuktitut after accepting the Nunavut Commissioner’s Art Award. Trevor Wright/NNSL photo

ᓱᓕᓂᓕᐅᕐᓗᑎᑦ, ᑕᒪᓐᓴ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᓐᓂᐅᕗᖅ.”

ᐸᐸᑦᑏᓐᓇᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᖓᓐᓂ ᓯᕗᓂᒃᓴᒧᑦ ᐱᐅᓯᖃᑎᒌᖑᔪᓄᑦ ᓴᖅᑲᓕᐊᓯᒥ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᑎᑦᑏᓐᓇᖅᐳᖅ.

“ᐱᓕᕆᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅᐳᒍᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐸᐸᑦᑎᓇᓱᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑦ 100−ᓂ ᐊᓂᒍᖅᐸᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᐊᖅᐳᑦ ᐅᑯᓂᖓ ᑕᕐᕆᔭᓕᐊᖑᔪᓂ.”

Zacharias Kunuk recipient of 2022 Commissioner Arts Award

Iglulik director encourages young Inuit filmmakers to fight for their budgets

talking about, that drove me to recreate the past and I love doing that,” he said. “We try to be authentic, we try to use old (Inuktitut) words.”

A lifetime of bringing forth Inuit culture onto the silver screen was recognized on March 9, when Nunavut commissioner Eva Aariak awarded Iglulik filmmaker Dr. Zacharias Kunuk with the 2022 Commissioner’s Art Award. The award also came with a cash prize of $10,000.

Most well-known for directing the Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner, the first feature film spoken entirely in Inuktitut, Kunuk remained active on the Nunavut film scene, following up his first movie with The Journals of Knud Rasmussen, a second feature released in 2006.

“It’s not just me, I have a whole team working with me,” said Kunuk, highlighting his crew, “I’m just there, I’m the director and just the guy who comes out with these ideas.”

Kunuk got his filmmaking career started with the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation interviewing Elders, when he encountered a knowledge gap facing him in the process.

“When we go to the editing table there’s no footage of what they’re

After all these years, Zacharias is still most well-known for Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner, which according to him was to celebrate the creation of Nunavut.

“Nunavut was going to be carved out of the map and we wanted to come out with a film, which is why we did The Fast Runner. From there we never stopped,” he said.

Kunuk’s current project is titled Wrong Husband

“They used to have arranged marriages, children would be taught this is your future husband or wife. The story I’m doing is, this girl who’s been promised to this young man, who was out of the camp and married another.”

“I’m also using spirits in this film, the fog lady, the troll, the caribou spirit and wolf spirit. Playing with good spirits and evil spirits, it’s a part of filmmaking.”

When passing on a message for younger filmmakers, Kunuk said to fight for your budgets because everyone else is doing the same thing.

“It’s a long process being a film-

maker, you have to build your name. In the film financing world that’s how it is,” said Kunuk.

“(The) One slice of the pie you get, the other guy is not getting. We have

to fight for the budgets and do the process. To create, to make reality, that’s the fun part.”

The preservation of Inuit culture for future generations is what keeps

Zacharias going.

“We’re just doing our job trying to preserve our culture because a hundred years from now they’ll study these films.”

Nunavut Commissioner Eva Aariak presents the Commissioner’s Art Award to Zacharias Kunuk. Trevor Wright/ NNSL photo

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NNSL

Rankin Inlet captures 2023 Polar Bear Plate Squad defeats

ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᐱᙳᐊᖅᑎᖏᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᒃᓴᖅᐳᑦ ᑭᖑᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥ 4-0−ᓂᒃ ᓵᓚᒃᓴᖃᑕᐅᓇᓱᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓂ 2023−ᒥ ᓇᓄᙳᐊᓂᒃ.

Iqaluit 4-0 in championship game

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Rankin Inlet Local Journalism Initiative

After Iqaluit bested Team Nunavut last December, Rankin players got their revenge in a 4-0 domination of the team from the capital to win the 2023 Polar Bear Plate Sunday, March 12.

“I’ve been waiting for this my whole life, since I started playing hockey,” said Makpa Uluqsi as his team celebrated on the ice.

Defenceman Xzavier Kubluitok was excited too.

“The amount of adversity I had to go through this weekend, it’s just a pleasure winning gold and all that hard work paying off,” he said.

Kubluitok added that he had been hit in the head in the first game of the tournament and was dealing with headaches all weekend.

“This game, I just left everything behind me,” he said.

Coach David Clark said he was excited to see the tournament getting bigger and bigger.

“It just goes to show the positive impact hockey has on our community and our territory,” he said. “I’m just so thrilled for these players and so excited.”

He added a huge thank you to everyone involved in making the event happen.

“This is such a beautiful sport,” said Clark. “To see communities come together and enjoy it, what else can you ask for?”

With Iqaluit earning silver, Naujaat defeated Salliq 7-4 to collect bronze.

Before he had played a game, Salliq player Kalai Saviakjuk talked to Kivalliq News about the hockey scene in his hometown.

“We need a bigger arena,” he said. “(The players) have all kinds of styles. There’s lots of pro people.”

Gabriel Sanertanut, in the stands as a fan, said he was always at the arena because of his son being in U11 hockey.

“It’s awesome,” he said about the tournament. “We get to watch hitting, and it was fun to watch some fights too yesterday.”

ᑰᑉ ᑕᓄᔭᖅ ᒎᓗᑖᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᒡᓃᑯ ᐄᒍᓪ ᕼᐋᑭᕐᕕᐅᑉ ᓵᑦᑎᐊᖓᓂ.

ᒪᒃᓯᒨᓯ ᐊᒫᖅ ᓯᐊᕐᕆᔮᖅᑐᖅ ᓇᓴᕐᓂᒃ ᓇᓴᕐᓂᒃ ᓇᓴᕐᓂᒃ ᓇᓴᕐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓯᐊᕐᕆᔮᖅᑎᓂᒃ ᓯᑯᒦᖦᖢᑎᒃ ᐱᙳᐊᖅᑎᖏᑦ ᒎᓗᑖᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.

Nous reconnaissons l'appui financier du gouvernement du Canada.

Maximus Ammaq skates amid strewn helmets and sticks after Rankin Rock clinched the gold medals. Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

Rankin Rock players embrace after the final buzzer, securing their 4-0 championship win over Iqaluit in the 2023 Polar Bear Plate. Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

Rankin Rock players gather as final awards and medals are given out. Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

Kobe Tanuyak skates to receive his gold medal in front of a packed Agnico Eagle Arena. Stewart Burnett/ NNSL photo

ᐊᑭᑎᖅ ᖁᐊᓴ ᓇᒃᓯᐅᔾᔨᕕᒋᓚᐅᖅᑖᑎᒍᑦ ᑖᔅᓱᒥᖓ ᐊᔾᔨᙳᐊᒥᒃ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᖕᒥ ᕚᓗᕆ ᖁᐊᓴᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᑭᐅᕕᓐ−ᓕᐅᓐ ᐃᒡᓗᕋᓛᓕᐊᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓪᓗᑎᒃ, 5 ᒥᓂᑦᒥ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᖕᒥᙶᖅᑐᑦ. 2021−ᒥ ᐱᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᓂᐅᕙᓕᒃ ᑕᐃᔭᐅᓪᓗᓂ.

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ᕕᓕᐊᒻ ᒥᑭᐅᓪ ᓇᒃᓯᐅᔾᔨᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑖᔅᓱᒥᖓ ᐊᔾᔨᙳᐊᒥᒃ ᓇᐅᔮᓂᑦ,

ᓖᓴ ᕙᓂᓴ ᐊᖅᑲᖅ ᓇᒃᓯᐅᔾᔨᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑖᔅᓱᒥᖓ ᐊᔾᔨᙳᐊᒥᒃ ᑕᓗᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᓯᕿᓐᓂᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᒫᔾᔨ 5, 2023-ᒥ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᓪᓗᓂ.

ᐊᔾᔨᙳᐊᒥᒃ ᒥᑦᑎᒪᑕᓕᖕᒥ (ᒥᑦᑎᒪᑕᓕᖕᒥ) ᓯᕿᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᔭᐅᔪᒥᒃ ᒫᑦᓯ 13−ᒥ ᐅᓐᓄᒃᓴᒃᑯᑦ.

William Mikhail sent us this photo from Naujaat, a picture-perfect of a sunset on March 4.

Bernard Maktaaq sent us this photo from Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet) of a sundog taken on March 13 afternoon.

Akittiq Quassa sent us this photo from Iglulik of Valerie Quassa and Kerwin-Leon heading out to the cabin, a five-minute ride from Iglulik. It was taken last 2021 in the place called Aniuvalik.

WINNER! Jomu Kaki sent us this photo from Gjoa Haven, enjoying a midnight walk with the crunch of -49 C snow beneath me on Feb. 17. Taken by Kitty Murphy.

Lisa Vanessa Aqqaq sent us this photo from Taloyoak of a sunset, taken on March 5, 2023.

ᐊᔾᔨᙳᐊᒥᒃ−ᐊᔾᔨᙳᐊᒥᒃ ᓯᕿᓐᓂᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᒫᑦᓯ 4−ᒥ.

William Mikhail sent us this photo from Naujaat, a picture-perfect of a sunset on March 4.

Spring returns, along with visitors to Cambridge Bay

Teaching youth culture is very important with Inuit and passing on knowledge and song and dance is an important way. Here is Karen Kamoayok drum dancing of the Huqqullaaqatigiit Drum Dance Group in Cambridge Bay along with eight-year-old Tunnukahak Brandon Koaha following the songs of our Ancestors at the feast held by MP Lori Idlout and the INAC committee members held on March 14, Tunnukahak is already teaching his younger friends the importance of drum dance and songs. He will be a great leader. Navalik Tologanak/NNSL photo

Town welcomes Elders and politicians

HALUU IQALUKTUUTIAMIT. INUIN

NAAMAINNAQTUT. HILA ALIANAQHIJUQ

HIQINIQ QAUMALIQMAN. QUANA INUIN

AUDLAAQPAKTUT. IPAKHANI INUTUQAIT

KATIMAJUT IQALUKTUUTIAMI. QUANA

PULAAKTUT INUIN. NUTAQQAT NAAMAINAQTUTLU. ILIHAGIALIQPAKTUT QUANA. ULAPQIVINGMI ALIAHUKPAKTUT QUANA.

HUQQULAATUT

INUIN PIHIIT

NALAGIAMI

NAGUJUQ. NUTAQQANNUIT ILIHAKHUTIK

NUMIQTUNIKLU QUANA

TAUTURIAMI.

NAAMAJAVUT

TAPKUAT INUIN

CAMBRIDGE BAY TEA TALK

with Navalik Tologanak email: helent@qiniq.com

AANIAQTUT TAKTILIQIJUT. PITIAQPAKLUHI. AJUQNAKMAN ILAIJAGAGNAT. QINIQPAKLUGIT ILATIT. QUANA INUIN TAVANI

ARVIAMITLU KIVALIQMIT TUKTUHIUKPAKTUT. ILANI TUKTUT QANGIKLIVAKTUT KIILINIKMUN. NANUQHIULIQPAKTUTLU

UMINGMAKHIULIQPAKTUTLU INUIN. QUANA TUNIKHAIVAKTUT NIQINIK INUNGNUN. AUDLAKPANGNIALIQMIJUN INUIN QUANA IILA.

Greetings from Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. Land of sunshine and spring will soon arrive. It’s already March and daylight and sunshine is very welcoming after a cold few months of winter. Weather here seems to be a lot milder than usual, March is usually stormy and blizzards as spring is closer to arriving on the island. People are busy travelling in and out on the land. Soon spring arrives and many will head out to their cabins and shovel out all the snow from winter build up. Our hunters and fishers are busy hunting for muskox and other game. This time of year we get sport hunters coming from different parts of the world. We hope everyone will be safe while out on the land, the beauty of our land.

Cambridge Bay had some special visitors the past few weeks. The Elders from the Kitikmeot region held a meeting in Cambridge Bay having a consultation gathering for an Elder’s strategy for the Government of Nunavut. We also had visitors from

the members of parliament with Nunavut MP Lori Idlout and members of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs come to meet with the community of Iqaluktuutiak. They met with Elders, local rangers, Kitikmeot Inuit Association, Nunavut Arctic College Campus, CHARS-Polar Knowledge, the Red Fish Ivitaaruk Arts Studio and did tours around some beautiful places. They even had a tour on the ice road to West Arm, held a feast and watched some drum dancing. We hope all our visitors had a great time while in beautiful Cambridge Bay. It is pretty special when visitors come and support our community. It is a friendly community and fast growing with so many opportunities for our youth who will become our leaders someday. It is a place to remember and welcome to come back to our community.

Quana everyone for coming and we hope you all have safe flights wherever life takes you, our Elders will always remember whom they met. Polar Knowledge held a luncheon at the CHARS campus for community members. Great food and the campus has an awesome tour with many important sites to visit with such great art work built into the building. A world-class site to visit and remember.

Quana Lori and members for coming to see Cambridge Bay. It was so heartwarming to have our Elders be with us in our community from the outlying communities. We had a nice drum dance at the Elder’s palace with Netsilingmiut dancers and Nilaulaaq’s pihiq, very soothing and calming to hear the songs of our Ancestors.

With spring coming, Easter will soon be here and the school students will have a break from April 6-11,2023. Enjoy the weather everyone. Be safe when out on the ice road and the sliding hills out at West Arm are once again busy with families and many children out enjoying the outdoors and sunshine.

Jessie Lyall and her grandchildren and other cabin owners have once again opened up their cabins and shoveled snow buildups out at West Arm which means spring is just around the corner. Stay well everyone.

God Be With You Son.

Keeping Alaskan traditions alive in Nunavut; family and ancestry is important for Helen Kimnik

Klengenberg of Kugluktuk, wearing a beaver atigi made from old fur coats purchased from second-hand stores down south and designing a warm coat for traveling to go out on the land. It is trimmed with caribou hide patches and fur trim made from wolverine and fox. She was in Cambridge Bay to interpret for the Elder’s meetings held March 7-9, 2023.Navalik Tologanak/NNSL photo

An evening of good food and drum dancing for MP Lori Idlout and the committee members in Cambridge Bay, including Jerry Puglik of HUQQULLAAQATIGIIT drum dance group performing for visitors and teaching youth to drum dance and to perform on March 14. Navalik Tologanak/NNSL photo

ᐃᖏᕐᕋᓂᖃᙱᑦᑐᒥ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑑᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ

ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᐸᖅᑭᔭᐅᓂᖓᓂ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓚᖅ, ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎ

By Trevor Wright Northern News Services Nunavut

ᐅᖅᑯᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎ ᒥᐊᕆ ᕿᓕᖅᑎ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᖃᙱᓗᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᑭᐅᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑑᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ

ᓄᓇᕘᑉ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᐸᖅᑭᔭᐅᓂᖓᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᓯᖓᓂ

ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᒫᔾᔨ 13−ᒥ.

“ᐅᖃᖅᑏ, ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑦ 7−ᖑᓚᐅᖅᑐᓂ ᖄᖏᖅᓯᒪᓕᖅᑐᓂ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐊᒥ

ᓄᓇᕘᑉ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᓄᑦ ᑲᒥᓴᓇᖓᓂ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐅᕙᓂ

ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᕐᕕᖕᒥ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᕿᓕᖅᑎ. “ᓯᕗᓂᐊᓂ ᒪᒃᐱᒐᐅᔪᒥ ᐅᖃᖅᓯᒪᕗᖅ, ᐋᔩᖃᑎᖃᕈᓐᓇᙱᒃᑯᕕᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᕕᓕᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᒥ, ᐋᓐᓂᐊᕕᓕᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐊᑦᑕᓇᖅᑐᒦᑉᐳᖅ.”

“ᐅᖃᓪᓚᒍᓐᓇᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᓪᓚᕆᖓᓂ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᐱᕆᓂᖃᙱᓚᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓱᐃᓂᐅᙱᓚᖅ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᐸᖅᑭᔭᐅᓂᖓᓂ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔨᕐᔪᐊᖑᔪᓂ ᐊᒻᒪ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᖑᔪᓂ, ᐊᑲᐅᙱᓕᐅᕈᑕᐅᕗᖅ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂ, ᐊᑦᑕᓇᔾᔭᐃᖅᓯᓯᒪᓂᕐᒥ, ᐱᐅᓂᖓᓂ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᒃᑎᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᕐᓂᐅᔪᓂ,” ᑲᔪᓯᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ, ᐅᖃᓕᒫᖅᖢᓂ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐊᒥ.

ᑕᒪᑐᒪᓂ ᐊᕐᕌᒎᔪᒥ, ᐃᖏᕐᕋᓂᖃᙱᓗᐊᖅᓯᒪᕗᖅ,

ᐃᓚᒋᐊᖅᓯᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ.

“ᐃᓄᒃᑐᑦ-ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᒥ ᐅᖃᖅᑎᐅᔪᓂ ᓱᓕ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᖅᐸᒃᐳᑦ ᐱᓂᕐᒥ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᕐᓂᐅᔪᓂ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᓪᓚᕆᖓᓐᓂ.”

ᑭᖑᓂᐊᒍᑦ ᐊᐱᖅᓱᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᐅᔪᒥ, ᕿᓕᖅᑎ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑐᐊᕕᕐᓇᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐃᒻᒥᓂᒃ ᐅᐸᒋᐊᖃᓚᐅᕐᓂᖓᓂ, ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓱᐃᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᖃᖅᑐᒥ ᑐᓵᔨᖃᙱᓗᐊᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᐅᓐᓅᔪᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᐅᑉ ᓄᙳᐊᓂ.

“ᑐᐊᕕᕐᓇᖅᑐᒥ ᓴᖅᑭᑦᑐᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐅᓐᓄᖓᓂ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᔭᕆᐊᖃᓚᐅᖅᐸᕋ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ, ᑭᖑᓂᐊᒍᑦ ᐃᓚᒋᐊᖅᓯᓪᓗᓂ “ᐱᐅᓯᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᑎᑕᐅᓂᖓᓂ ᐱᐅᔪᒥ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᐸᖅᑭᔭᐅᓂᖓᓂ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᓪᓚᕆᒋᔭᐅᔪᒥ, ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᒧᑦ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐊᑐᓕᖅᑎᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᒐᕙᒪᓕᒫᖑᔪᒧᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᐱᓗᐊᖅᑐᒥ ᐃᓗᐊᓂ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᕕᖁᑎᑦᑎᓐᓂ.”

ᐱᑕᖃᙱᓗᐊᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᐱᓪᓚᕆᐅᔪᒥ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᑐᕌᖅᑎᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᐳᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᓄᑦ ᑲᒥᓴᓇᖓᓄᑦ.

State of Inuktitut interpretation in healthcare unacceptable, says MLA

ᐅᖅᑯᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ

Uqqummiut MLA says she had to help with an emergency due to lack of interpreters at health facilities

By Trevor Wright Northern News Services Nunavut

Uqqummiut MLA Mary Killiktee said not enough is being done to address access to Inuktitut interpretation in Nunavut’s healthcare system at the Nunavut Legislature on March 13.

“Mr. Speaker, seven years ago a report by Nunavut’s Languages Commissioner was tabled in this house,” said Killiktee.

“On the front cover it states, If you cannot communicate with your patient, your patient is not safe.

“Being able to speak in one’s mother tongue when it concerns health is not asking a favour of healthcare professionals and organizations, it is a basic issue of accessibility, safety, quality and equality of services,” she continued, reading the report.

As of this year, there hasn’t been enough progress, she added. “Inuktut-language speakers still struggle to receive health services in their mother tongue.”

Later during question period, Killiktee referred to an emergency she herself had to attend to, to assist with language due to the lack of interpretation in the evenings and weekends.

“An emergency arose in the evening, and I had to deal with that,” she said, later adding “in order to improve the active offer of quality health care services in the official languages, a culture change must be implemented across our government, and especially within the department of health and our health facilities.”

Language minister Joanna Quassa referred to recently released Microsoft Inuktitut translation as one example of ongoing language translation work and later said any lack of critical language services can be directed to the Nunavut Languages Commissioner.

Uqqummiut MLA Mary Killiktee says a culture change needed to better prioritize critical services. Trevor Wright/ NNSL photo

Iqaluit Housing Authority staff prepare to go on strike

Employees leaving to find better paying jobs, says union

By Trevor Wright Northern News Services Iqaluit

Staff of the Iqaluit Housing Authority, who are part of the Nunavut Employees Union (NEU), announced intentions to go on strike last week.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the NEU served notice of impending strike action on March 13, with plans to walk off the job days later.

Proposed wage increases of 1.25 to 1.5 per cent are not enough to keep up with increasing costs in an inflationary environment, according to the union.

“The cost of living in Iqaluit has dramatically increased over time, more so in the last year. We are looking for a fair increase in salaries to be able to afford the increasing cost of living,” said Nicky Nauyuk, Iqaluit Housing Authority plumber and PSAC/NEU bargaining member.

A January strike vote was “overwhelmingly re-validated” by unionized housing authority staff who are seeking better compensation, according to a news release by the NEU.

“No one wants to be outside picketing, especially if it gets brutally cold again here in Iqaluit,” said NEU president Jason Rochon. “However, when you are dealing with an employer who has shown no signs of any honest commitment to reaching a fair agreement on wages, you are

left with no options and that is why we are where we are at this point.”

Rochon added the Iqaluit Housing Authority (IHA) has “serious recruitment and retention issues” as employees are leaving to find other, better jobs in Iqaluit.

“We asked Iqaluit to support our members and to understand that this fight is not only for the employees of IHA, but a fight to ensure the long-term ability to provide housing services and support all those who call Iqaluit home,” stated Rochon earlier in the week.

The Nunavut Housing Corporation initially declined to comment, but released a statement later in the week indicating that the IHA is independent from NHC’s public housing program and that services at NHC public housing will continue.

On March 16, the union announced that the IHA served a lockout notice to PSAC – also being given a 72-hour notice. The aforementioned strike action involving unionized employees was expected to start on Friday March 17, the NEU said in a statement to Nunavut News, prior to IHA’s lockout deadline.

Non-unionized employees such as managers and office staff will not be impacted by the lockout or strike.

In an open letter to Nunavut Housing Minister Lorne Kusugak, the union asked him to step in to help resolve the impasse.

The letter, from Rochon and Lorraine Rousseau, executive vice-pres-

ᐅᖃᖅᑐᑎᒃ ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᖅ ᐸᕐᓇᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐊᑭᑦᑐᕆᐊᕐᓂᐅᔪᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔾᔭᒃᓵᓄᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᖏᒻᒪᑕ ᐊᖑᒻᒪᑎᓂᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᑭᑦᑐᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ.

ident of the PSAC’s North region, stated, “This was done after exhausting all attempts to reach a fair agreement on behalf of the unionized workers of the IHA and was not done lightly.

“This is not just an Iqaluit issue,” the letter later reads. “Local housing organizations (LHOs) throughout Nunavut are in the same dire position.”

The union added an updated NHC

mandate, fair economic compensation and better working conditions “is the only way that LHOs will be able to provide Nunavut with the much needed access to a range of affordable housing options.”

The Nunavut Employees Union announced planned strike action last week for its membership within the Iqaluit Housing Authority, saying the current planned increases to wages are not enough to keep up with inflation. NNSL file photo

ᐱᔭᐅᔪᒪᕐᔪᐊᓗᐊᒧᑦ,

ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥ

ᒪᒃᑯᖕᓂᖅᓴᓂ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ

ᓗᐊᐃᒃ ᓛᓕᐅᕐ, ᐅᓇᑕᖅᑐᒃᓴᙳᐊᕐᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᓴᐃᔨᐅᔪᖅ ᐊᒻᒪ

ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᔪᒥ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐸᐅᔪᒥ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐅᓇᑕᖅᑐᒃᓴᙳᐊᓂ ᑲᑎᙵᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᔭᓗᓇᐃᕝᒥ, ᓇᒃᓴᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᒪᒃᑯᖕᓂᖅᓴᓂ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐅᓇᑕᖅᑐᒃᓴᙳᐊᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔪᒥ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒧᑦ ᕕᕗᐊᕆᒥ, ᐃᓱᒪᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ 30−ᒐᓚᖕᓂ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓂ ᓴᖅᑭᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂ.

“ᐃᓱᐊᓂ 95−ᒐᓚᖕᓂ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓂ ᓴᖅᑭᑦᑐᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᓐᓄᕌᒃᓴᓂ

ᓄᖑᕈᑎᓚᐅᖅᐳᒍᑦ

ᑐᓂᓯᓂᕐᒥ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ, ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ

ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐱᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᑲᐅᙱᓕᐅᕈᑕᐅᕗᖅ.

“ᐱᐅᔪᒻᒪᕆᐊᓘᓪᓗᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᓂᐅᕗᖅ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐱᒋᐊᑦᑎᐊᕐᔪᐊᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ, ᐅᓄᕐᓂᖅᓴᐅᔪᓂ ᓂᕆᐅᒋᓚᐅᖅᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᓱᓕᓪᓗᖓ.”

ᓛᓕᐅᕐ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐸᕐᓇᐅᑎᒃᓴᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᓯᒪᕗᑦ ᐊᑯᓂᐸᓗᖕᒥ ᓇᒃᓴᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᒪᒃᑯᖕᓂᖅᓴᓂ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐅᓇᑕᖅᑐᒃᓴᙳᐊᓂ (JCR) ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᒧᒥ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒧᑦ, ᐅᓇᑕᖅᑐᒃᓴᙳᐊᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᓂᖃᖅᑐᓂ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐸᐃᑉᐹᓕᕆᓂᖅ ᒫᓐᓇᓕᓴᐅᔪᒥ ᐱᔭᕇᖅᑕᐅᑕᐃᓐᓇᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ

ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᒻᒥᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᑲᑎᙵᓂᕆᔭᖓᑦ ᐳᓚᕋᕈᓐᓇᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓄᑦ

ᓄᖑᕈᑎᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᐅᕕᕈᕐᓂ

ᐅᓇᑕᖅᑐᒃᓴᙳᐊᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔪᒥ ᑕᑯᕗᖅ ᖁᑦᑎᓛᖑᔪᒥ ᐱᔪᒪᓂᐅᔪᒥ

ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᕗᖅ. ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᒃᓴᖏᓐᓂ ᐱᔪᒪᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅᐳᒍᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᓕᒫᖏᓐᓂ. ᐃᓱᐊᓂ ᑐᕌᒐᒃᓴᕆᔭᖓ ᐆᒪᙵᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔪᒥ ᐅᕙᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥ ᐅᖓᓯᒃᑐᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓄᓇᓕᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᓗᑎᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔪᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐱᓕᕆᓗᓂᔾᔪᒃ.” ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥ, ᐃᑲᔪᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐱᓕᒻᒪᒃᓴᐃᓂᕐᒥ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓂ ᐅᓇᑕᖅᑐᒃᓴᓂ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕈᑕᐅᔪᓂ, ᐱᓕᒻᒪᒃᓴᓂᐅᔪᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓴᓇᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓅᑦᑎᐊᕋᓱᖕᓂᖏᓐᓂ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓅᖃᑎᒌᖑᔪᓂ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕐᓂᐅᔪᓂ ᐱᐅᓯᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐅᒃᐱᕈᓱᖕᓂᖏᓐᓂ ᐃᓄᓕᒫᓂ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᖕᓂᐅᔪᓂ. ᐊᖑᓇᓱᖕᓂᖅ, ᐃᖃᓪᓕᐊᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᑐᖃᖅᑎᒍᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕐᓂᐅᔪᓂ ᐊᐅᓚᑕᐅᔪᓂ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᕗᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔪᒥᑦᑕᐅᖅ. “ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᑦ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒋᕐᔪᐊᓚᐳᖅᐸᖓ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᓛᓕᐅᕐ. “ᓱᒃᑲᔪᐊᓗᖕᒥ ᐊᔪᕈᓐᓃᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ. ᑲᒪᕐᔪᐊᓚᐅᖅᐳᖓ ᖃᓄᖅ ᓱᒃᑲᓂᖓᓂ

“ᓄᓇᓕᐅᔪᖅ ᑲᒪᓇᕐᔪᐊᖅᐳᖅ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ, ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓱᐃᕐᔪᐊᓚᐅᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂ. “ᐱᐅᕐᔪᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓄᐊᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓱᐃᖃᑕᐅᓂᖏᓐᓂ.” ᖁᑦᑎᒃᑐᒥ ᐱᔪᒪᓂᐅᔪᒧᑦ, ᓛᓕᐅᕐ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᓄᓇᓕᒃ ᐱᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᐊᖅᐳᑦ ᐅᓄᕐᓂᖅᓴᓂ ᐅᓇᑕᖅᑐᒃᓴᙳᐊᓂ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥ ᑕᒪᒃᑭᓂ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓂ. ᐊᖏᔪᖅ ᑐᕌᒐᒃᓴᖅ ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᒥ ᑐᙵᕕᓕᐅᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᕋᓛᖑᔪᓂ ᑲᒪᒋᓂᖏᓐᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔪᒥ – ᖃᓄᑎᒋ ᑲᑎᒪᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᐊᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂ, ᑭᓱᓂᒃ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕈᑕᐅᔪᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᖏᓐᓂ, ᐃᖏᕐᕋᓂᖓᓂ ᖃᓄᐃᓐᓂᖓᓂ.

ᓛᓕᐅᕐ ᐃᔨᒋᓯᒫᓂᒃᐳᖅ ᖃᔅᓯᒐᓚᖕᓂ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᑲᑎᓐᓂᐅᔪᓂ ᒪᒃᑯᖕᓂᖅᓴᓄᑦ ᐅᓇᑕᖅᑐᒃᓴᙳᐊᓄᑦ ᑎᑭᑉᐸᓪᓕᐅᔪᓄᑦ, ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᓚᖏᑦ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥᐅᑕᓂ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓂ ᐃᓚᐅᑐᐃᓐᓇᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂ. “ᐃᒃᐱᒍᓱᐊᓂᒃᐳᖓ ᑲᒪᓇᖅᑐᐊᓘᓪᓗᓂ ᓄᓇᓕᐅᓂᖓᓂ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥ ᐆᒥᖓ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔪᒥ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ. “ᐱᔭᒃᓴᖃᕐᔪᐊᖅᐳᑦ ᓯᕗᓂᐊᓂ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᑕᒪᒃᑭᑦ ᑐᙵᕕᐅᔪᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ ᑐᙵᕕᖓᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᑦᑎᐊᖑᕐᔪᐊᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᒥ ᑕᐃᑲᓃᕌᓂᒃᐳᖅ.” ᓛᓕᐅᕐ ᐃᓚᒋᐊᖅᓯᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᖏᓐᓇᐅᔭᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᖕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔪᒥ ᑭᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᒧᑦ ᐃᓴᒍᒪᔪᓄᑦ.

So successful, they ran out of shirts Baker Lake Junior Canadian Rangers program sees sky-high interest

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Local Journalism Initiative Baker Lake

When Loic Lollier, Ranger instructor and part of the 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group in Yellowknife, brought the Junior Canadian Rangers program to Baker Lake in February, he thought 30 or so youth might show up.

“I think we ended up with 95 kids and ran out of clothing to give them,” he remarked, saying that’s a good problem to have.

“It’s a great program and it actually took off pretty good, more than we expected to be honest.”

Lollier said plans have been in the works for a while to bring the Junior Canadian Rangers (JCR) program to Baker Lake, which already has a Rangers program, but the paperwork was finally completed recently and he and his team were able to visit the community to get it off the ground last month.

“It’s really driven by the community,” Lollier said about the JCR program. “It’s a really flexible program. We want the community to input as much as possible. The ultimate goal of this program is for us to run it from afar and the community just runs the program and does it.”

In Baker Lake, he helped train youth on military activities, doing drills with them and building their discipline, as well as running social activities to improve their confidence in public speaking. Hunting, fishing and traditional activities driven by the community are part of the program too.

“The kids really enjoyed it,” said Lollier. “They took to it really fast. I was impressed how fast they learned it.”

He added that the school, community facilities and local businesses were all very helpful too.

“The community is amazing,” he said, mentioning that the school was extremely supportive. “It’s always great when you go into a community and the school is on board.”

For the high degree of interest, Lollier said the community

is going to need more Rangers to manage all those youth. The big goal now is to solidify the adult committee to oversee the program – how often they meet, what activities they do, what the tempo is like.

Lollier already has his eye on a couple of national gatherings for junior rangers coming up, which he said some Baker Lake

youth might be attending.

“I feel like it’s an amazing community to start to this program,” he said. “There’s a lot of work ahead to do, but all the base and foundation for a great program is there.”

Lollier added that he’s always available to talk about the program for anyone who wants to reach out.

Ninety-five Baker Lake youth took part in a Junior Canadian Rangers program in February. It was about triple the interest that organizers expected. Photo courtesy of Loic Lollier

Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal announces $120 million in funding for community food; harvesting programs

Funding intended to strengthen food security

By Trevor Wright Northern News Services

During a Rankin Inlet visit on March 14, Northern Affairs Minister Daniel Vandal announced the signing of grant agreements with 24 regional Indigenous governments, expected to amount to over $120 million and affect up to 112 Northern and isolated communities for traditional hunting, harvesting and community food programs.

“These initiatives are central to our government’s response to food security in the North and Arctic and will help strengthen food sovereignty,” said Vandal.

The money is for the Harvesters Support Grant and the new Community Food Programs Fund and it will be doled out over two years.

The Harvesters Support Grant provides

funding for traditional harvesting and sharing of country food. Launched in 2020, over 5,500 harvesters have been given funding.

The Community Food Programs Fund supports work like school and Elder meal programs. Both programs have input from the federal government and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, said NTI vice-president Paul Irngaut.

“The Harvesters Support Grant and Community Food Programs Fund are initiatives that were co-developed between the Government of Canada and Inuit and are recognized deliverables on the food security work plan under the Inuit–Crown Partnership Committee,” said Irngaut.

The Harvesters Support grant has its origins in Nunavut during the pandemic, where Covid19 related public health measures highlighted the need to support local food systems and the market for those systems.

On March 14, Northern Affairs Minister Daniel Vandal announced new funding for harvesters and community food programs.

Rankin Inlet

Former Sanikiluaq health centre burns down

The old Sanikiluaq health centre is considered to be a total loss following a destructive fire on the night of March 14. Photo courtesy of RCMP

Fire not considered suspicious, RCMP says

By Trevor Wright Northern News Services

Sanikiluaq RCMP responded to a raging fire at the old health centre the night of March 14 at 10:50 p.m.

The severe damages have rendered

the building a total loss, despite the efforts of the Sanikiluaq Fire Department. The Mounties determined that the blaze was not suspicious in nature.

No further details were disclosed. The structure was being used by

the medical travel team on the upper levels and for probation and mental health purposes on the first floor. Sanikiluaq is still served by the community’s new health centre, which opened its doors during the summer of 2021.

Federal government announces funding for five solar projects in Nunavut

Arctic Bay, Clyde River, Pond Inlet, Grise Fiord and Whale Cove receive support for initiatives

By Trevor Wright Northern News Services Baker Lake

Northern Affairs Minister Daniel Vandal announced funding for five clean energy projects in five communities, over $4 million to help integrate solar energy. The communities are Arctic Bay, Clyde River, Pond Inlet, Grise Fiord and Whale Cove.

“These five Inuit communities are among a growing list who are leading the way in the energy transition,” said Vandal.

All of Nunavut’s power plants run on diesel energy and the federal government hopes these investments will reduce the use of diesel, saving money while emitting fewer greenhouse gases.

The funding breakdown is $780,000 for Arctic Bay; $766,700 for Clyde River; $1,000,000 for Pond Inlet; $754,592 for Whale Cove and $807,000 for Grise Fiord.

The Arctic Bay solar project generating 120 kW will be on the community arena and it is expected to reduce 83,160 kg of greenhouse gases and 31,500 litres of diesel while generating $44,000 per year for the hamlet. Clyde River’s project is for a 150 kW solar PV project expected to be completed in three years, it is expected to reduce greenhouse gasses by 100,000 kg per year and diesel by 38,000 litres per year and generate $32,878 a year.

“The community of Arctic Bay and its residents care about clean energy, climate change and the environment,” said Moses Oyukuluk, mayor of Arctic Bay. “The community will own its own clean energy source with no noise, no emissions, and no vibrations. Clean electricity is crucial in reducing diesel use.”

Pond Inlet is also constructing a 150 kW solar PV project reducing green house gas consumption by 85,300 per year and diesel by 38,000 litres a year. It is expected to generate the community up to $52,900 in revenue annually.

Whale Cove’s arena is also getting a 120 kW solar project on its community arena, greenhouse gasses are expected to be reduced by 91,000 per year and save 35,000 litres of diesel, it is expected to generate revenue but a specific amount was not listed. Two community members will also be hired and trained during the installation of Whale Cove’s solar project. “The solar panels going on our arena are more than welcome in our community. Not only will they lower our energy consumption and dependence on diesel but will also lower our production of greenhouse gas and aid in reducing global warming,” said Whale Cove mayor Percy Kabloona.

Grise Fiord’s solar initiative is a 100 kW PV project to be constructed over three years. It is expected to reduce greenhouse gases by 94,000 kg a year, save up to 38,000 litres of diesel of year and generate up to $30,000 a year in revenue.

Funding for these projects came from the federal Northern

REACHE program, which is meant to help support Northern and Indigenous communities in transitioning toward more sources of clean and renewable energy. It’s currently funding projects in the Yukon, NWT, Nunavut, Nunavik and Nunatsiavut.

Nunavut Homeowner Fuel Rebate starting April 1

New rebate to help offset fuel costs associated with federal carbon tax

This is meant to help offset the costs of new rules regarding the carbon tax with Nunavut being unable to directly subsidize fuel using carbon tax revenues anymore.

Starting on April 1, Nunavut’s Homeowner Fuel Rebate provides Nunavut homeowners with $1,000.

Nunavut finance minister Lorne Kusugak made the announcement at the Nunavut Legislative Assembly on March 13.

“Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes that Nunavut plays an important role in Canada’s efforts to combat climate change. We must also ensure, however that our participation in these efforts (do) not adversely harm Nunavummiut, who already have the highest cost of living and the fewest energy

alternatives in the country,” said Kusugak. Application forms for the Nunavut Homeowner Fuel Rebate will be made available on April 1 and people will be able to apply through the Government of Nunavut website or in-person at government liaison offices in the communities.

Iqaluit Fire Department staffed by allfemale team on International Women’s Day

Fire department observes International Women’s Day for second year

By Trevor Wright Northern News Services Iqaluit

For the second year in a row, the Iqaluit Fire Department celebrated International Women’s Day (March 8) by having the department entirely staffed by women.

According to the City of Iqaluit, 35 per cent of the city’s firefighters are women, as opposed to three per cent nationally.

The origins of International

Women’s Day go back to 1909-1910, when socialist organizations in New York City, USA, and Denmark observed the first days in February 1909 and August 1910, respectively. In subsequent years, the event was observed by various countries generally around late February and March.

In 1977, the United Nations officially declared March 8 as International Women’s Day. Since then it has been accepted as the date for International Women’s Day.

New surgeries available in Iqaluit, says health minister

New available procedures shows government’s committment to healthcare, says John Main

By Trevor Wright Northern News Services Iqaluit

Hysterectomies can now be performed in Iqaluit, among other surgeries, said Nunavut Health Minister John Main, giving a minister’s statement on March 13 during the Nunavut Legislature.

A 2022 obstetrician-gynecologist program led to the first laparoscopic hysterectomy this January. The Iqaluit hospital can also now perform the implanting of heart-monitoring devices with the first such surgery being done in February.

“The small device, placed just under the

Government still working on Taloyoak’s Netsilik School

Action plan to determine opening to be planned after air sampling tests are done

skin with a minor surgery, allows doctors to monitor the heart for abnormal heartbeats for up to three years. It detects and records abnormal heart rhythms automatically and can alert doctors if there is a problem,” he explained.

“Demonstrating our commitment to quality accessible care in Nunavut is the recent expansion of surgical procedures Qikiqtani General Hospital is able to perform,” added Main.

“Mr. Speaker, having these procedures available in-territory means shorter travel times to access treatment. For the cardiac procedure, it also means less frequent travel for testing.”

By Trevor Wright Northern News Services Taloyoak

Since Feb. 7, Taloyoak’s Netsilik School has been closed due to a fuel spill in the school. Netsilik MLA Joeseph Quqqiaq at the March 13 Legislative Assembly asked the minister of community and government services David Joanasie (who maintains government buildings) why the repairs are taking so long.

“My department has been working closely with the de-

partment of education, in consultation with the department of health’s environmental officers (they have) indicated that before occupation further air sampling testing is required,” responded Joanasie.

Quqqiaq, when asking for a specific time when the school is going to be reopened, Joanasie responded that an action plan as to when the opening will occur will be determined once air testing is finished.

“We have been working with the environmental consultants

is wondering when a school in his constituency will finally be reopened. NNSL file photo

in getting assessments to make sure it’s safe and healthy for not just students, but the people that work in the school,” said Joanasie.

“Our students are anxious to get back to school. Their parents and families would also like them to resume their education

Netsilik MLA Joseph Quqqiaq

From left, firefighter/medics Brianna Kovacs, Casey Warren, Amelia Martin and dispatcher Mam Ousmane.

ᓴᐅᒥᐊᓂ, ᖃᑦᑎᕆᔨᑦ/ ᐃᖢᐊᖅᓴᐅᑎᑦ

ᑯᕙᔅ, ᑲᐃᓯ ᐅᐊᕋᓐ, ᐊᒦᓕᐊ ᒫᑎᓐ ᐊᒻᒪ ᑭᐅᔨ ᒪᒻ ᐆᔅᒪᓐ.

By Trevor Wright Northern News Services Nunavut

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