After Chris Eccles ended a 30-year teaching career in Rankin Inlet, he started looking for different things to do and ways to contribute.
“As a teacher, you don’t have time really to do much other than teach,” said Eccles, who is originally from Montreal but moved to Rankin Inlet to teach and fell in love with the town. “Now being retired gives you a chance to try some different things that maybe you thought about in the past.”
When a spot on hamlet council opened up, due to the passing of Coun. Justin Merritt over the holidays, Eccles submitted his name for contention.
Hamlet council voted on several options to join their team for the remainder of the term at the Feb. 13 council meeting, the same way council had previously voted in Coun. Megan Pizzo-Lyall and Coun. Patrick Tagoona in 2022. Eccles beat out David Kakuktinniq Jr. in final voting 4-3 to take the spot on council. The current council term expires on Oct. 23 this year.
“It was suggested to me and, you know, you love the community and want to see it grow and head in the right direction,” he said.
Eccles said the community is amazing already and has had great leadership, so it’s not a matter of him wanting to do anything major, but he does think he has an understanding of youth needs – after teaching in high school for so long – and would like to push homeownership.
He called Rankin Inlet “ripe” for homeownership to help make it more affordable and feasible for young couples and new families to live and thrive in town.
“That’s something I’d like to see happen more often,” said Eccles.
Hamlet council also received applications for the position from Johnny Ayaruak, Bernard Krako, Scott Saddler, Haley Alakan White and Art White-Sateana.
Congratulations! You’ll do great in your new career, being one of the most logical person I know. Not being prejudice in anyway, love you xxx auntie.
A large part of the best solution to our housing problems. Not a priority for NHC. Too bad as I know public housing does not work. Many Nunavumiut have the resources to maintain their own home but cannot and will never be able to afford to buy or build one. NHC should be giving material packages away to people who can afford to build them. This would cut their mortgage in half and leave them money to operate their home and have money left over to live. NHC in turn gets the public housing unit they were living in back as an available public housing unit. Basically NHC would be partnering with a private entity to get work done with the private entity putting in funding too. Even if unfortunately the homeowners are not able to keep the house up it is still a house and could be re-sold or be put into the public housing program. This could all be detailed in the original agreement.
I bet pretty much every politician if not living in staff housing own their home. How did they get it. Through a very well funded home ownership program.
Public housing should be the last priority when funding is allocated. Anything build under this program continues to cost the government and the people of Nunavut forever.
It’s no secret I manage a contracting company in Kinngait. I have for almost 20 years. The Housing Corporation policies at this time do not encourage the establishment of local business as all work is done in house by southern hires who occupy public housing units, use public housing assets to complete their work and train no one. Basically all the benefit except the actual result go south. Nothing is left here for the local people.
NHC has no vision, this is why they have not changed anything in 35 years. The new initiative is designed to change that but I do not have much hope that it will. Anyone who operates a small private business in Nunavut I only have praise for you. Thank you. You are the future. I welcome your input and comments good or bad.