More homes needed
Kivalliq
The MLA for Rankin Inlet North and Chester field Inlet, Cathy Towtongie, said the territory’s housing shortage is taking a mental health toll on people, and called on Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. to build more homes.
Signing on
Rankin Inlet
Sakku Investments Corp. took a major step towards becoming the first fully Inuit-owned renewable energy provider in the Kivalliq, when the investment arm of the Kivalliq Inuit Association signed a memorandum of understanding with Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. and the Whitehorse-based Northern Energy Capital for the construction of a three-turbine wind farm at the company’s Meliadine mine near Rankin Inlet.
Skills workshop
Rankin Inlet
Nunavut Literary Council’s Ilitaqsiniq program ran a traditional foods making workshop from June 10 to 21.
Workshop participants learned how to make mikku, paqqut, punniriniq and contemporary caribou dishes.
Female fishing champs
Arviat/Rankin Inlet
The top five winners in Rankin Inlet’s cod derby were women, with Kayla Katrokra capturing the top prize of $10,000 with her catch measuring 23 7/8″.
Meanwhile, Natasha Komakjuak took home $10,000 for coming first in the Arviat cod derby with her catch measuring 69.5 cm.
Photo milestone
Rankin Inlet
A Facebook page dedicated to showcasing the beauty of the North hit a milestone earlier this year when it reached 10,000 followers.
The page was started by Rankin Inlet resident Thomas Angoshadluk in 2013, following negative press Inuit communities received in the wake of the European seal ban.
Tough topics
Rankin Inlet
Students in Grade 7 and 8 at Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik took part in the school’s second annual health fair on June 6, with their projects tackling such tough topics as addiction, sexual health and balanced diets among others.
Water woes
Whale Cove
It could be at least another two years until the community of Whale Cove can finally say goodbye to boil water advisories for good.
The news that Whale Cove could be waiting until 2021 for its aging treatment plant to be replaced came to light during a sitting of the legislative assembly when Arviat North-Whale Cove MLA John Main asked Minister of Community and Government Services Lorne Kusugak for an update on the situation.
Big donations
Rankin Inlet
Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM) marked the opening of its second mine (Meliadine) in Nunavut on June 19 and 20 by donating $1 million to two community groups in Rankin Inlet.
On June 19, AEM board chairman Jim Nasso presented a cheque for $250,000 to the Rankin Inlet Fire Department and another $750,000 to the Ilitaqsiniq Nunavut Literacy Council.
Pitching roads
Kivalliq
The Department of Economic Development and Transportation submitted a proposal to fund a survey outlining the case for potential routes linking Chesterfield Inlet, Rankin Inlet, Whale Cove and Arviat through the federal government’s National Trade Corridors Fund.
Connection woes
Rankin Inlet
Northwestel announced plans to reimburse Rankin Inlet customers who had been experiencing extended service outages for months in the community.
Customers complained about periodic outages in cellular and internet connectivity, which lasted anywhere between a few minutes to 12 hours at a time, on an almost daily basis for almost three straight months.