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Reviews
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Kivalliq: 2007 - The Year in Review
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
JanuaryRookie goldRookie skier Kenny Sivanertok of Repulse Bay captured two gold medals at the annual Northern region cadet biathlon in Yellowknife. End of era Nunavut politician MP Nancy Karetak-Lindell announced she would be stepping away from federal politics when the next national election is called. Lindell has represented Nunavut in the House of Commons since June 1997. New commanding officer Jennifer Perry became the commanding officer of the 3055 Repulse Bay Canadian Army Cadet Corps. Perry replaced Leonie Aissaoui, who had been the only CO in the history of the Repulse corps. Saving lives More than 100 students from Grades 10 to 12 at John Arnalukjuak high school in Arviat learned to save lives by learning CPR and first-aid skills. Guilty verdict Adrian VanEindhoven, 32, was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of second-degree murder in the death of his common-law spouse, Leanee Irkootee, 23, on April 23, 2004, in Rankin Inlet. Cop returns A familiar face to Nunavut became the new RCMP detachment commander in Coral Harbour when Cpl. Chris Coles was assigned to the Kivalliq community. Coles had spent time in Iqaluit, Pangnirtung, Cape Dorset, Qikiqtarjuaq and Kimmirut before becoming an instructor at the RCMP Training Academy in Regina. First baby Marsha Kringuk of Repulse Bay gave birth to the Kivalliq's first baby of 2007 when her daughter, Ginovive, was born at the Kivalliq Regional Health centre in Rankin at 5:34 p.m. on Jan. 13. Outrage over cuts An air-traffic specialist with Nav Canada claimed a decision by Rankin Inlet hamlet council to curb overtime hours at the local airport was putting people in danger. Double trouble Noel Kaludjak of Coral Harbour became a grandfather two times over in a scenario of deuces being wild in his family. The two babies, Kylan and Kaylen, were born two days apart to Kaludjak's twin daughters, Geela (Kylan) and Geena (Kaylen). Award night Nunavut Commissioner Ann Meekitjuk Hanson presented 18 Commissioner's Awards in the hamlet of Baker Lake. Hanson presented 15 awards for bravery, two for volunteering and one for special skills.
February
Rules to live by The Rankin Inlet District Education Authority (DEA) introduced its revamped discipline policy for all three schools in the community. The discipline policy is one component of the DEA's school-improvement strategy, which tackles issues across the entire spectrum of education in Rankin. Going with youth The hamlet of Rankin Inlet opted for the vigour of youth over experience when it named David Clark, 19, as its new recreation co-ordinator. Major blizzard The meanest blizzard of the winter ripped through the Kivalliq region, closing schools, daycares, stores and airports for two or three days in every community. New community constables Albert Kimaliakyuk and Warren Kusugak were sworn in as community constables in Rankin Inlet after passing their training program in Iqaluit. Royal welcome The hamlet of Chesterfield Inlet welcomed four members of the British High Commission and two members of the Cape Farewell project to Victor Sammurtok school. Victor Sammurtok was among 12 schools from Canada, the U.S.A. and Germany to participate in the global project to highlight the issue of global climate change. Striking gold Female soccer teams from Coral Harbour put in their strongest showing at Nunavut's territorial championship, taking gold in the Under-13 and Under-15 divisions and winning bronze in the Under-17 class. Teacher award Victor Sammurtok teacher Glen Brocklebank of Chesterfield Inlet was named Science Teacher of the Year by the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of the NWT and Nunavut. New jail for Rankin Rankin Inlet was officially named home to the new Nunavut correctional facility. Justice Minister Paul Okalik promised most of the 35 jobs at the new jail will go to local residents during the announcement. RCMP newsletter The Coral Harbour detachment of the RCMP launched the first community newsletter ever produced by the RCMP in Coral. Defending the crown The Rankin Inlet Miners successfully defended their Avataq adult recreational hockey tournament championship by nipping Arviat 4-1 to a sold-out arena in Rankin. The Avataq is one of the North's most prominent adult recreational tournaments.
March
Communities keep committees Voters in Baker Lake and Chesterfield Inlet chose to maintain alcohol education committees in their communities. A total of 225 people went to the polls in Baker, with 126 voting for the community to become unrestricted, while 99 voted to maintain the current system. In Chester, 68 per cent of the voters chose to keep their committee. A "yes" vote of at least 60 per cent is required for change to occur. Banking on the future The Rankin-based Atuqtuarvik Corp. entered into a memorandum of understanding with the First Nations Bank of Canada to make banking available in a number of Nunavut hamlets. Land skills The Kivalliq Inuit Association organized a 10-day winter survival skills camp for nine young men on the land near Repulse Bay. Pushing the envelope Thieves made off with a large volume of mail in Rankin Inlet after forcing their way through a door at the M and T cargo building. Atom champs Arviat defeated Rankin Inlet in the championship game to claim the first annual Arctic Atoms hockey tournament in Baker Lake. Team Kivalliq defeated Baker to claim bronze at the inaugural event. Big numbers A total of 1,589 students from across the Kivalliq region took part in the Science, Engineering and Technology Challenge. Chief honoured Rankin Inlet fire Chief Alan Stebbing was informed he had been awarded the Royal Canadian Humane Association's bronze medal for bravery for his role in saving three young adults who were in a severe car crash near Merritt, B.C. Company bought Baker Lake Contracting and Supplies announced it had bought out Umingmak Supply Ltd. of Rankin Inlet in a major Kivalliq business purchase. Solid showing Competitive athletes in Rankin Inlet's Aqsavniit Utauttaq gym club put in an outstanding effort at their first gymnastics competition in Yellowknife. The event helped prepare the young gymnasts for their first appearance at a major tournament in Ontario later in the year. Midget champs Rankin Inlet edged a combined Repulse Bay and Coral Harbour squad 3-2 in a thrilling shootout that went down to the final player to capture the Nunavut territorial midget hockey championship.
April
Fire training A total of 20 volunteer firefighters from across Nunavut spent 10 days in Rankin Inlet training to meet the challenges faced by a volunteer fire service, as well as the responsibilities of a fire officer. Hudson Bay Quest Renowned Kivalliq dog musher David Oolooyuk of Rankin Inlet took second spot in the 400-kilometre 2007 Hudson Bay Quest dog sled race from Churchill, Man., to Arviat. Quincy Miller took top spot at the event. Kivalliq Cup Coral Harbour's Southampton Islanders thumped host Rankin Inlet 8-3 to capture the 2007 Kivalliq Cup old-timers championship. The Islanders went undefeated at the tournament. Female champs The Chester Thunder defeated Repulse Bay 8-7 to capture the Young at Heart female hockey championship in front of a loud hometown crowd. Junior champs Team Kivalliq demolished Team Kitikmeot 12-4 to claim its fifth straight Challenge Cup Junior 'C' championship in front of a large hometown crowd. An Arviat first The community of Arviat opened its first indoor playground at the site of the hamlet's old curling rink. The Arviat Daycare Society donated $67,000 to the project, while another $64,000 came from the Community Initiatives program. Chamber awards North Central Development of Thompson, Man., and the municipality of Rankin Inlet shared the Kivalliq Chamber of Commerce's (KCC) 2007 Thomas Kudloo Memorial award for their contributions to the environment. Peter's Expediting of Baker Lake was presented with the KCC's Business of the Year award, while Charlie Panigoniak was presented with the Keith Rawlings award for his contributions to the arts. Better path The Uqausiliriniq (Working with Words) conference was held in Rankin Inlet to look at ways to improve the curriculum at community learning centres. Golden skills Baker Lake's Bobby Tagoona (web-page design), Arviat's Karen Aglukark (graphic design) and Repulse Bay's Kelly Tuktudjuk (carpentry) won gold medals at the Territorial Skills Canada Nunavut competition in Iqaluit. Spreading the word Hundreds of Christian worshippers gathered in Rankin Inlet as that community hosted the non-denominational Arctic Bible Conference for the first time.
May
Kiv exchange A group of 14 students from Bishop Allen Academy in Toronto, Ont., brought the magic of books with them during an exchange program with students at Maani Ulujuk high school in Rankin Inlet. The students brought 30 boxes of books to Rankin that they collected during a book drive at their school. Teacher award Rankin Inlet teacher Steve Faulkner was named as the Nunavut recipient of the Canadian Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance's Physical Education Teaching Excellence award. Dancing with fire The Wildfire Dance Theatre thrilled Arviat residents with a number of workshops and public performances during its one-month stay in the community. Peewee champs Rankin Inlet defeated Arviat 4-3 in front of a noisy hometown crowd to capture the 2007 Powerful Peewee championship. Quest queen Grade 12 student Denise Malliki, 19, of Repulse Bay shocked the mushing world when she captured the 2007 Nunavut Quest traditional dog race. Malliki completed the gruelling 400-kilometre race in 32 hours and 24 minutes. Circle champs The Repulse Bay A team humbled Iglulik 9-3 in front of a boisterous hometown crowd to capture the 2007 Arctic Circle Cup. Strong showing Kivalliq students Mary Lou Angidlik of Rankin Inlet, Teal Kreuger of Baker Lake and Douglas Aggark of Chesterfield Inlet put in a solid showing at the Canada-wide Science Fair in Truro, N.S. Kreuger picked up two bronze medals and a Youth Foundation award at the event, while Angidlik captured the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada award. Science winners Shawna Sammurtok of Victor Sammurtok school in Chesterfield Inlet and Michael Putulik of Tusarvik school in Repulse Bay captured the 2007 Kivalliq Science Educators Community (KSEC) Student Science Awards. Legacy continues A week of fun-filled activities to improve literacy culminated with the Peter Gzowski Invitational for Literacy golf tournament in Rankin Inlet. More than $6,000 for literacy programs was raised during a silent auction at the event. Anniversary bash The hamlet of Baker Lake celebrated its 30th anniversary with a two-day celebration of games, feasts and dances. June
Climate ambassador Grade 12 student Dorianna Sammurtok of Victor Sammurtok school in Chesterfield Inlet was selected to take part in the Cape Farewell project - a global project to highlight the issue of climate change. A total of 12 schools from England, Canada the U.S.A. and Germany participated in the endeavour. Seven awards Kivalliq News captured seven awards at the Manitoba Community Newspaper Association awards in Winnipeg, Man., including Best Environmental Story of the year for a piece on the avian cholera that killed thousands of ducks near Coral Harbour. Modern life Coral Harbour's Adina Leger was awarded a $7,000 grant from the Canada Council to complete her movie script on modern Inuit life tentatively entitled, This is what I look like. Don't drive Students at Maani Ulujuk high school in Rankin Inlet stopped traffic in the community for a brief period of time to raise awareness on climate change by holding a special, Don't-drive-for-five promotion. Stranded Casey Paniyuk, Ricky Nakoolak, Tommy Paliak and David Paliak were stranded on the land near Coral Harbour for three days when a freak June blizzard dumped about 20 centimetres of snow on the Coral area. Funding lessons Recreation co-ordinators from across the Kivalliq region gathered in Rankin Inlet with Nunavut government workers to learn how to better access funds for activities in their communities. Choir heads east The Arviat Imngitingit Choir from John Arnalukjuak high school travelled to St. John's, Nfld., to perform traditional songs and throat singing at Festival 500. Large class The Nunavut Teacher Education program had its largest class graduate in Arviat when 14 students put on the caps and gowns for a gala graduation ceremony. Ten of the graduates completed the full four-year degree program to receive a bachelor of education from McGill University. Hockey Down Under Rankin Inlet's David Clark, Pujjuut Kusugak and Amauyaq Lindell were selected to join the Canadian Moose hockey team for a two-week tour to promote hockey in Australia. Permits granted Conservation groups were up in arms after uranium exploration permits were issued for areas regarded as caribou calving grounds near Baker Lake.
July
National fair Arviat's Gwendalyne Ishalook, Gloria Pameolik and Mary Ulimaumi were among five Nunavut students selected to represent the territory at the National Historica Fair at Lethbridge Exhibition Park in Lethbridge, Alta. Found guilty Joseph Kavik, 28, of Rankin Inlet was sentenced to 40 months in a federal prison after being found guilty of sexual assault during a sitting of the Nunavut Court of Justice. The guilty verdict stemmed from an incident that happened on Nov. 11, 2005. Running success The first annual Midnight Sun Run exceeded organizers' expectations in Rankin Inlet when $15,000 was raised to purchase running shoes for local youth. More than 100 participants took part in the inaugural event. Food bank Arviat health workers continued to feed between 700 and 1,000 people a month with their volunteer operation of an impromptu food bank in the community. Girl gets her first bear Katelyn Tatty, 18, of Rankin Inlet brought down her first polar bear when she won a game of spin the bullet organized by the local Hunters and Trappers Association to deal with a problem bear that refused to leave the Thompson Island area just outside of the community. Call for resignation Rankin Inlet MLA Tagak Curley called for Premier Paul Okalik's resignation shortly after the premier allegedly referred to Nunavut Association of Municipalities CEO Lynda Gunn as a "bitch" during a public event. Victor's playground An intellectually-challenged man in Rankin Inlet, Victor Towtongie, celebrated a proud day with friends and family when a playground in his home community was named after him for all the time he has spent supervising and playing with kids at the playground. Commissioner's award Thomas Iksiraq of Baker Lake and John Towtongie of Rankin Inlet each received $5,000 after being named co-winners of the first Nunavut Commissioner's Art Award. Takes command The cadet program in Rankin Inlet was back on solid ground after Dorothy Tootoo passed her basic officer qualification course and took command of the Rankin corps. Chopper down Chris Jones, 34, of Coral Harbour was one of three men who survived when the Bell 206 long-range helicopter they were in went down while flying supplies to a research camp about 25 kilometres outside of the community.
August
Beach masters Toota Tatty and Holly Mercer of Rankin Inlet successfully defended their senior womens Territorial Beach Volleyball Championship crown in Yellowknife. The win marked the third time the duo has claimed the championship. Rumble time More than 200 people came out to cheer for their favourite style of meat in Rankin Inlet as Team Cooked Meat defeated Team Raw Meat 10-7 in a road hockey game that was taped by the Versus TV Network to air as part of its 2008 Road Hockey Rumble TV series. Tragic death The 2007 Kivalliq Inuit Summer Games ended in tragedy in Chesterfield Inlet when a single-vehicle accident claimed the life of Kelly Apsaktaun, 17, of Kugaaruk, who had competed in the junior female category. Anniversary bash The hamlet of Coral Harbour held a music festival and numerous games and activities to mark its 35th anniversary as a hamlet. Family gathering More than 100 family members came together in Repulse Bay to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of elder Pujjuut Emmanuel. Among the generations to attend the event were members of the Kusugak, Tulugak, Mapsalak, Nanordluk, Kaunak, Tinashlu and Manitok families. Health survey The Nunavut stage of the largest health survey ever conducted on Canadian Inuit (Qanuippitali - How about us, how are we?) arrived in the Kivalliq. Successful hunt The narwhal hunt in Repulse Bay ended with every tag issued being used on a successful hunt. Repulse was issued 72 tags for the hunt, while Rankin Inlet and Coral Harbour each received 10 tags, and Whale Cove and Chesterfield Inlet had five each. Taking a stand Baker Lake's Nancy Attanik appeared on a local phone-in talk show and organized a walk to Prince River and back to raise awareness in the community on the problem of solvent abuse. Group arrives Arviat's Billy Ukutak and the Ukutak Daughters were in Rankin Inlet to host and perform in six days' worth of talent shows aimed at helping youth to feel good about themselves. Elders group The Elders Traditional Counselling program was formed in Rankin Inlet for local elders to be able to provide guidance to those in the community in need of traditional advice.
September
Successful program Tusarvik school in Repulse Bay reported big success with its second-year program, Handwriting Without Tears, for younger students. The program uses a unique curriculum design to make legible and fluent handwriting an easy and automatic skill for young students. Billboard unveiled International recording star Susan Aglukark was at home in Arviat as the community celebrated its 30th anniversary as a hamlet and unveiled the long-awaited billboard honouring Aglukark's career and contributions to Inuit culture. Arts and dolls Artisans from across the Kivalliq region had their artwork on display during the Kivalliq Arts and Crafts Festival and Kivalliq Inuit Doll Festival and Exhibition in Rankin Inlet. Coral invention Jake Netser of Coral Harbour had his snowmobile-part invention (the X-Flo intake manifold) brought to market by After Market products. The product increases horsepower and fuel economy. Elder grad Elder Jacob Ikinilik joined the 2007 graduating class at Jonah Amitnaaq secondary school in Baker Lake as the first honorary elder graduate in the school's history. Celebrating youth More than 50 people took part in the annual Youth Celebration Camp in Coral Harbour, with eight participants being from outside the community. Hip hop The unique and innovative BluePrint for Life Co. brought the world of hip hop to youth in Rankin Inlet in the form of a week-long program that also encourages Inuit youth to be proud of their culture. Empty shelves Residents of Whale Cove were growing increasingly frustrated with the state of affairs at their local Issatik Co-op when the store went more than a month without having its shelves restocked. Science and culture A total of 28 students from across the Kivalliq attended the seventh annual Kivalliq Science Culture Camp in Chesterfield Inlet. The camp is organized and delivered by the Kivalliq Science Educators Community. Making guitars Internationally acclaimed guitar maker George Rizsanyi of Halifax, N.S., led a two week guitar-making program in Coral Harbour that was organized by the Kivalliq Outreach program. Rizsanyi said he was impressed by the talents of the 12 Coral residents who took the program.
October
Turning pro Dustin (Dusty) MacDonald of Rankin Inlet became the first Inuk goaltender to sign a professional contract when he inked with the Mon Valley Thunder of the U.S.A.'s Mid-Atlantic Hockey league. Private affair The former head of Nunavut's Legal Aid program announced he would be starting a private practice in the territory. Patrick Smith will have an Arctic law office in both Iqaluit and Hamilton, Ont., and will travel extensively to other Nunavut communities. Crazy Canuck Chad Taipana of Rankin Inlet was selected to the Ontario-based Crazy Canucks hockey team that travelled to Europe on a tour of Stockholm, Sweden and Helsinki, Finland. V-ball champs Repulse Bay successfully defended its mens crown at the seventh annual Laura Gauthier Memorial volleyball tournament in Rankin Inlet. Iqaluit's Qikiqtaaluk knocked off the defending champion Rankin V Team to claim the female crown. Warm memories Grade 1 students at Leo Ussak elementary school in Rankin Inlet received the annual shipment of handmade toques from Ann Shiplette of North Battleford, Sask. Shiplette has been sending the toques to the school for the past decade in memory of her daughter, Heather Solomon, who taught at the school from 1991-97. New hockey head Donald Clark of Rankin Inlet became the first Kivalliq-based president of Hockey Nunavut in the past decade when he was voted in during the territorial sporting organization's AGM in Rankin. Potter winner Terrie Kusugak, 13, of Rankin Inlet travelled to Toronto to a reading by Harry Potter author JoAnne (J.K.) Rowling after winning a contest sponsored by the Nunavut Literacy Council. Flu campaign The annual flu shot campaign began in the Kivalliq with everyone who received the vaccination being entered into a draw for free airline tickets. People First The first Nunavut chapter of a national advocacy group for intellectually- and physically-challenged individuals, People First of Nunavut, was launched in Rankin Inlet. Hunters found A pair of successful search and rescues were held in Arviat and Baker Lake, leading to the safe return of two hunters (Baker) and two ATV riders (Arviat) to their communities.
November
Let 'em play The hamlet of Rankin Inlet eliminated ice-rental fees for minor hockey in an attempt to allow more kids to play the game who otherwise may not be able to afford it. The hamlet also cut fees in half for recreational players and old-timers. Board appointments Arviat's Elizabeth Copland was appointed to the Nunavut Planning Commission, while Patricia Enuapik of Whale Cove was appointed to the Nunavut Impact Review Board. Helping out Grade 3 students at Leo Ussak elementary school in Rankin Inlet used their proceeds from the hamlet's recycling program to present a $100 cheque to the Deacon's Cupboard Food Bank. Building up The Naujat Co-op in Repulse Bay took on two large construction projects in the community, agreeing to build the new office building for Parks Canada and its own four-plex for Co-op staff housing and rentals. Milestone The Beverly and Qamanirjuaq Caribou Management Board celebrated its 25th anniversary with a gala celebration and meeting at the Victoria Inn in Winnipeg. National stage Rankin Inlet cadets Tracey Kanayok, Mary Kaput and Pamela Napayok hit the national stage when they throat sang and performed ayaya at the Aboriginal People's Choice Awards at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg before taking part in the Grand Entry of the Manito Ahbee International Powwow Competition. Barging blues A late season Northern Transportation Company Ltd. barge limped into Rankin Inlet covered in ice and listing badly, while two others had to dock in Rankin after being turned away from Baker Lake due to bad ice conditions. Life honoured People from across the Kivalliq came to Chesterfield Inlet to participate in a special memorial dance in honour of the memory of Marcel Maktaar. Hit and run A Baker Lake man was in intensive care in a Winnipeg hospital after he and two companions were struck by a driver while walking along a road in their community. The driver fled the scene of the accident, but was apprehended by RCMP the following day. Special show The Matchbox Gallery in Rankin Inlet was invited to present a retrospective exhibition of works from Rankin at the National Gallery in Ottawa, Ont. The new jail is scheduled to open in 2011.
December
On the air Nunavut Arctic College's Kivalliq campus in Rankin Inlet graduated its fifth intake of students in the Community Aerodrome Radio Station observer communicator training program. The event put the number of students to receive their diploma at 26 since the program moved to Rankin from Fort Smith in 2005. Called up Rankin Inlet's Dustin MacDonald got a brief taste of life in the Central Hockey League when he was called up by the league's Youngstown Steelhounds. MacDonald is playing with the Pennsylvania-based Mon Valley Thunder of the Mid-Atlantic Hockey League. Accidental death An accident at the Ferguson Lake exploration project claimed the life of Doug Owen of Thompson, Man., when the D4 Cat he was operating broke through the ice on Ferguson Lake. Birdie bashers Paula Piryuaq of Baker Lake, David Paliak of Coral Harbour and Gary Tinashlu and Alexander Tuktudjuk of Repulse Bay earned spots on Team Nunavut's badminton squad for the 2008 Arctic Winter Games in Yellowknife. Committee formed Representatives from six of seven Kivalliq communities met in Rankin Inlet to form a regional liaison committee for the Kiggavik uranium project near Baker Lake. Tootoo unveiled A framed tribute to Nashville Predators forward Jordin Tootoo was unveiled at the Rankin Inlet community centre during Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.'s annual general meeting in the hamlet. Hockey camp Former Los Angeles Kings goalie consultant Andy Nowicki was in Repulse Bay to conduct a hockey skills development camp in the community. The rain in Spain Arviat Grade 12 student Jon Pameolik travelled to Barcelona, Spain, to take part in the United Nations conference on the rights of children and adolescents. New era The Kissarvik Co-op completed the purchase of the Siniktarvik Hotel in Rankin Inlet in co-operation with Arctic Co-operatives Ltd. Communication breakdown A special meeting was held between Baker Lake hamlet council and representatives of Baker's alcohol education committee when the seven members of the alcohol committee did not receive the hamlet's request for the annual ban on shipments of alcohol into the community during the holiday season until Dec. 10. The problem was resolved and the hamlet promised better communication in the new year.
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