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Around Kivalliq: Happy (belated) birthday to Dorothy Tootoo

Well-known Kivalliq personality Dorothy Tootoo celebrated a milestone when she lit the candles for her 65th birthday this past Saturday, June 13.

Dorothy Tootoo displays one of the gifts she received while celebrating her 65th birthday this past Saturday, June 13.
Photo courtesy Qunngaataqn Fotheringham

Tootoo is well-known in the Kivalliq, across Nunavut, and beyond for her stellar performance as the commanding officer for the 3019 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps (RCACC) in Rankin Inlet for more than a decade.

Then Cadet 2nd Lieut. Dorothy Tootoo signed over command of the 3019 RCACC to Lieut. (Navy) Matt Ayres in Rankin Inlet in November of 2017.

Under normal circumstances, a commanding officer will only serve for three years with a corps, although there is the possibility of an extension or two.

Tootoo oversaw the 3019 RCACC for an impressive 12 years before finally being relieved by Ayres.

Tootoo is also well known for her many years of work as a student counsellor on the Kivalliq campus of Nunavut Arctic College in Rankin.

Grads list
Rankin Inlet

Listed below are the confirmed graduates for the Class of 2020 at Manni Ulujuk Ilinniarvik in Rankin Inlet.

Shannel Angutetuar

Brittany Aggark

Hunter Alogut

Joshua Curley
Shanti Dias

Trinity Hickes

Dwayne Innukshuk

Vanessa Innukshuk

Bonnie Irkootee

Quintien Issaluk

Kailee Karlik

Hayley Kolit

Shayla Manernaluk

Tiana Manernaluk

Elinor Mercer

Katherine Nasook

Manuel Netser

Kimberly Pilakapsi

Chase Powell

Misiraalaaq Powell

Methuselah Qiyuk

Kevin Sediwa

Crystal Sammurtok

Brayden Subgut

Tanya Tugak

Gerard Uluqsi

Airline support
Nunavut

As of June 9, the Government of Nunavut (GN) has provided $24 million to Calm Air and Canadian North during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic to help support the two airlines.
To date, the GN has provided more than $15 million in support to Canadian North and $8.9 million to Calm Air.

During the June 9 announcement, GN Minister of Finance George Hickes reminded Nunavummiut that the territory’s travel restrictions will be one of the last public health measures lifted.

“I can’t emphasize enough that non-essential travel outside of the territory is still not recommended,” said Hickes. “Right now, travel to Nunavut represents the single biggest risk of Covid-19. The travel ban and the 14-day-isolation requirements for returning Nunavummiut are meant to mitigate this risk and keep our territory safe.”