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Three Kivalliq air terminal buildings get the go-ahead

MLA raises questions over fuel quality and snowmobile filters
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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. Stewart Burnett/NNSL file photo ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᐅᑉ ᒥᑦᑕᕐᕕᖓ ᑕᑯᔭᓯ ᒪᓂ, ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᖅ ᓄᑕᖑᖅᑎᖅᑕᐅᓪᓗᓂᓗ. ᒪᓇᐅᔪ ᒥᑦᑕᕐᕕᑦ ᓇᐅᔭᓂ , ᑎᑭᕋᕐᔪᐊᓂ ᐊᒪᓗ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒑᕐᔪᒥ ᒥᑦᑕᕐᕕᑦ ᓄᑕᖑᖅᑎᖅᑕᐅᕗᑦ .

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.

ᐊᔪᕈᑎᖃᑲᑕᓚᓚᐅᖅᖢᑕ ᐱᓕᕆᔪᑎᒃᓴᒧᑦ ᑐᒃᓯᕋᐅᑎᓕᐅᖁᔨᔾᔪᑎᒥᒃ ᒥᑦᑕᕐᕕᒃᑕᕈᑎᒥᒃ ᓄᑖᓂᒃ, ᓇᐅᔮᓂ, ᑎᑭᕋᕐᔪᐊᕐᓂ

ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓗᓕᒐᕐᔪᒥ. ᐱᓕᑦᑕ ᐃᓐᑐᐳᐃᔅ ltd. 36.7 ᑐᓐᓂᕆᔭᐅᕗᖅ.

,ᐅᐱᒍᓱᒃᐳᖓ ᑖᓐᓇ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᑎᒃᓴᓂ ᑐᒃᓯᕋᐅᑎᓕᐅᖁᔨᔪᑎ ᒪᓂᖕᒪᒃᑎᑕᐅᖕᒪᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᔭᒃᓴᖃᖁᓪᓗᒍ ᐅᖃᖅᐳ

ᐊᐃᕕᓕᒃ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎ ᓴᓚᒪᓐ ᒪᓕᑭ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᕐᕕᖕᒥ. ᐱᖓᔪᐊᑦ ᒪᐃ 24.

ᑕᐃᕕᑎ ᐊᕿᐊᕈ, ᒥᓂᔅᑕ ᐱᕙᓕᐊᔪᓕᕆᔨᑯᓐᓄ ᐃᖏᕋᔪᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓄᓪᓗ, ᐱᒃᑯᒍᓱᒃᐳᖅᑕᐅᖅ ᑲᔪᓯᓂᐊᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖅᓴᖅ. ᐊᐅᔭᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᒥ ᐱᒋᐊᕋᔭᖅᑐᑦ, ᕿᔪᐊᕐᔪᒃᓴᑦ ᑎᑭᑉᐸᑕ.

ᓴᕕᑲᑖᖅ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖁᔨᕗᖅ ᖃᒧᑕᐅᔭᐅᑉ ᓱᕈᓗᐊᕐᔭᐃᑯᑎᕕᖏᓐᓂ.

ᐊᕐᕕᐊᑦ - ᓂᒡᖏᖅ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎ ᔪ ᓴᕕᑲᑕᖅ ᐋᔨᖃᑎᖃᖁᔨᕗᖅ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓂ, ᐱᔨᑎᕋᖅᑕᐅᕕᒥᓗ. ᑕᐃᕕᑎ

ᔪᐊᓇᓯ. ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᖃᖁᓪᓗᒍ ᑭᓱ ᕿᕐᓂᖅᓯᑎᑎᑲᑕᖕᒪᖓᑦ ᖃᒧᑕᐅᔭᐅᑉ ᓱᕈᓗᐊᔾᔭᐃᑯᑕᖏᑦ.

‘ᐊᕐᕕᐊᓂᓪ, ᑭᕙᓪᓕᐅᓪᓗ ᓄᓇᓕᖏᑦᓱᕈᓗᐊᔭᐃᑯᑕᖏᑦ ᐱᐅᖏᓴᑲᑕᖕᒪᑕ, ᐅᖅᓱᐊᓗᖃᐅᑎᒡᕕᐊᒍ. ᓱᕈᓗᐊᔾᔭᐃᑯᑎ

ᕿᕐᓂᖅᓯᕙᒃᖢᓂ, ᖃᒧᑕᐅᔭᑦ, ᐱᐅᔪᓐᓂᑲᑕᒃᖢᑎᒃ, ᓱᕋᑦᑎᐊᒪᕆᒃᖢᑎᒡᓘᓐᓂᑦ.’ ᓴᕕᑲᑖᖅ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ.

‘ᓯᓚᕗᑦ ᐅᖁᓇᖅᓯᒐᖓᑦ, ᓇᒻᒪᒍᓐᓂᑲᐅᑎᒋᕙᒃᖢᑎᒃ. ᐅᑭᐅᑯᑦ ᐅᓗᕆᐊᓇᕈᑎᐅᕗᖅ ᐃᖏᕋᔪᓇᐃᓕᑐᐃᓐᓇᕋᔭᕐᒪᑦ. ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᑲᐅᖏᑉᐳᖅ.’

ᐊᐱᕆᕗᕐᓗ ᔪᐊᓇᓯᒧᑦ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᑐᓴᓚᐅᒪᖓᒍ ᖃᒧᑕᐅᔭᓪᓗᐊᕿᓂᖅ.

‘ᐱᔪᑎᒋᓪᓗᒍ ᖃᒧᑕᐅᔭᑦ ᓱᕈᔪᐃᑦᑐᖃᕐᕕᐊᕋᔭᖁᖏᒻᒪ’. ᐃᓱᒪᒋᕙᕋᓕ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᑕᑯᔭᕆᐅᕋᑦᑎᒍ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᖁᔭᓕᕗᖓ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ

ᓴᕿᑎᒃᑲᕕᐅᒃ. ᐃᓱᒪᒋᓂᐊᖅᐸᕗᑦ.

ᓴᕕᑲᑕᖅ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᕋᒍᔪᒥ ᐅᖅᓱᐊᓗᒃ ᐊᔾᔨᐅᖏᑦᑐᓴᕐᒪᑦ.

‘ᐊᕋᓂᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᖃᒧᑕᐅᔭᑦ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᐅᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᓱᕈᓗᐊᔭᐃᑯᑎᖏᑦ ᐊᓯᔨᕆᐊᖃᖅᐸᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ’.’ᐅᖃᖅᑎᑎᔨ, ᐊᕐᕕᐊᕐᒥᐅᑕᑦ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᖅᓯᔭᕆᐊᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᓱᕈᔪᐃᑦᑐᖃᕐᕕᐊᓂ ᐅᓪᓗᖅ ᐊᒥᓱᖏᑦᑐᑦ. ᓄᑕᖑᒐᓗᐊᖅᐊᑦ ᖃᒧᑕᐅᔭᖅ’

ᔪᐊᓇᓯᒧ ᐊᐱᕆᕗᖅ ᐅᖅᓱᐊᓗᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᑎᑎᓂᐊᕐᒪᖓᑕ ᑕᒪᑐᒥᖓ ᕿᕐᓂᖅᓯᑎᑎᑲᑕᒃᑐᒥᒃ ᖃᒧᑕᐅᔭᐅᑉ ᓱᕈᓗᐊᕐᔭᐃᑯᑎᑯᕕᐊᓂ.

‘ᐅᖅᓱᐊᓗᖕᒥᖓᖅᐸ? ᐊᐱᕆᕗ ᓴᕕᑲᑕᖅ, ᐅᕙᓗᓐᓂᑦ ᐅᖅᓱᖃᐅᑎᑯᕕᖓᓂᖓᖅᐸᓪᓗᓐᓂᑦ?. ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᒃᐸᑦ ᐳᔪᕐᓗᒃ, ᑎᑯᐊᓕᕈᓐᓇᕋᑦᑕ ᓇᑭᒐᕐᒪᖓᑦ.’

ᔪᐊᓇᓯ ᑭᐅᕗᖅ ᐅᖅᓱᐊᓗᖃᕐᕕᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᖃᓱᖑᕗᑦ ᐅᖅᓱᐊᓗᖕᒥᑦ, ᐊᒪᓗ ᐃᖃᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᖃᑎᖏᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒥᐅᓗᒃᑖᑦ ᐊᑲᐅᖏᓕᐅᕈᑎᖃᖅᐸᑕᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᖁᔭᐅᕗᑦ.

‘ᐅᖅᓱᐊᓗᒃᑕᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᕗᑦ ᐊᕋᓂ ᐊᔨᒋᑦᑎᐊᓴᖏᒻᒪᒍ, ᑕᓱᒥᖓ ᐱᔪᑎᖃᖅᐳᖃᐃ, ᐊᒪᐃ, ᐅᕙᓗᓂ ᐅᖅᓱᐊᓗᒃᑖᕐᕕᒋᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔭᑦᑎᓐᓂ.’

‘ᕿᒥᕈᓇᓂᖃᕐᕕᒋᓕᕈᑎᒍ ᐊᔨᒋᖏᑦᑐᓂ ᐱᔪᑎᖃᖁᖅᐳᖅ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒥᒃ ᓴᕿᑎᑐᓇᕋᕕᐅᒃ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ. ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᑦ ᐊᑲᐅᓕᐅᕈᑎᖃᖅᐸᑕ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᑲᑕᖁᔭᐅᕗᑦ.

ᓴᕕᑲᑖᖅ ᐋᕿᒃᓯᖁᔨᕗᖅ ᑐᓴᖅᑕᐅᔪᑎᒥᑦ ᓇᑭᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕈᑎᓂᒃ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕐᒪᖓᑦ.

ᐅᑭᐊᒃᓵᖑᓚᐅᖏᓐᓂᖓᓂ, ᒥᓂᔅᑕ ᖃᐅᔨᖅᑕᐅᓂᖓ ᓴᕿᑕᐅᖁᕙ ᑭᓱ ᕿᕐᓂᖅᓯᑎᑎᑲᑕᒪᖓᑦᖃᒧᑕᐅᔭᓂᒃ. ᔪᐊᓇᙳ ᖁᔭᓕᕗᖅ.