Above & Beyond | Canada's Arctic Journal 2019 | 04

The Inflight Magazine for First Air

2019 | 04 YouRs To KeeP

In the Footsteps of our Ancestors The Heartbeat of the Canol Trail

underwater Monuments Ice Diving Around Baffin Island

Celebrating Nunavut’s 20th Communities and Northern Icons

Underwater Exploration

Polar Regions Teem with Life

PM40050872

o www.arcticjournal.ca

Dear Guest ᑐᕌᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᑭᒪᔪᓄᑦ,

I typically like to highlight some of our accomplishments and partnerships or to mention new service improvements, which are all very important. But I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge those who make these service improvements possible, those who work to make our accomplishments and partnerships a reality — our employees.

This last year has been especially busy as we head into the merger of our airline with Canadian North. With that in mind, I would like to sincerely thank all employees for their hard work, their commitment and the passion they bring to work every single day. Running an airline in the North is no easy feat. Our employees work in harsh weather, fix airplanes outside at -30 C, load cargo in winter storm conditions, and operate in remote communities where southern conveniences are not readily available. I am incredibly proud of the work and service level our employees are able to provide; we have true professionals at First Air. Whether they have been with us for 30 years or they have just started their journey recently, they have a full understanding of our mission and our values and it is evident in the dedication they show in their work.

I take pride in knowing that our employees have a unique connection to the communities we serve. What happens in the communities trickles down through our ranks. All our employees believe as strongly as I do that the communities we serve and our customers are at the core of our company. Customer service is such an important element for us when we are a fabric of the very communities we serve.

When we compare ourselves with larger companies in the South, they sometimes forget the importance of customer service since their company can be anonymous to the people they serve. We do not have anonymity. What we do is seen and heard in the communities and our employees are known on a first name basis in many communities and that is something I would never want to change.

We want to build a customer service culture, a community first and caring culture. Our employees are at the centre of this and we are building the culture together. I am proud to know that our employees will lead this mission with full hearts and passion.

Thank you for choosing First Air for your flight today. I hope we were able to make your journey a great one and we hope to see you aboard again soon.

Chris Avery First Air President & CEO

Chris Avery fE{ ∑KE

Johnny Adams ÷i ≈bu Executive Chairman of the Board, First Air ᐃᓱᒪᑕᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᐃᒃᓯᕙᐅᑕᕆᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᓂ, ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐊᕐ

ᐃᓚᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᓯᒪᔭᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᖃᑎᒋᔭᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᓯᒪᔪᒪᕙᒃᑐᖓ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᓄᑖᓂᒃ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᕈᑎᒋᕙᒃᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐱᐅᓯᒋᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᓯᒪᓂᖏᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᕈᒪᒐᒃᑲᒪ, ᑕᒪᕐᒥᒃᓗ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᑎᐅᕙᒃᓱᑎᒃ. ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓗ ᑕᒪᑐᒪᓂ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᓯᒪᔪᒪᔭᒃᑲ ᑕᐃᒃᑯᐊ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᕈᑎᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐱᐅᓯᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᓯᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓂᖃᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ, ᑕᐃᒃᑯᐊ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᓯᒪᔭᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᖃᑎᖃᕐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᓴᖅᑮᔨᐅᑎᑦᓯᔪᓐᓇᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ — ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ.

ᑕᕝᕙᓂ ᐅᑭᐅᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᕗᑦ ᐊᒥᓱᑲᓪᓚᐅᓚᐅᕐᒪᑕ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᓪᓗᒍ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖅᑎᓕᕆᔨᑦᑕ ᑲᑎᓐᓂᖃᖃᑎᖃᕐᓂᐊᕐᓂᖏᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖅᑎᖏᓂᒃ ᑲᓃᑎᐊᓐ ᓄᐊᔅᑯᓐᓂᒃ. ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᓗᒍ, ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᒋᔭᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕈᑎᖃᖅᓯᒪᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᕈᒪᕗᖓ, ᐱᓕᕆᑦᓯᐊᓚᐅᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᕿᐊᒋᓇᒋᑦ ᖃᐅᑕᒫᑦᓯᐊᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᒥᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᖃᖅᓯᒪᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ. ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖅᑎᓂᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᓂᖃᕆᐊᒥᒃ ᐱᔭᕆᑐᔫᒻᒪᑦ. ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᒋᔭᕗᑦ ᓯᓚ ᓂᒡᓚᓱᒃᑐᒻᒪᕆᐅᒐᓗᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐱᓕᕆᕙᒻᒪᑕ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᐅᔪᓂᒃ, ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓱᐃᕙᒃᓱᑎᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓂᒃ ᓯᓚ -30 C-ᒥᒃ ᐃᒃᑮᕐᓇᖅᑎᒋᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᐅᓯᔭᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐅᓯᓕᖅᑐᐃᕙᒃᓱᑎᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᒥ ᐱᖅᓯᕐᑐᐊᓘᒐᓗᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᖓᓯᒃᑐᒥᐅᓂ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᓂᖃᖅᐸᒃᓱᑎᒃ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑦ ᓄᓇᖏᓐᓂ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᑎᑕᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᐱᑕᖃᖖᒋᒃᑲᓗᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍᓗ. ᓴᕆᒪᒋᒻᒪᕆᒃᑕᒃᑲ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᕙᒃᑕᖏᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᕈᑎᖏᑕ ᖁᑦᓯᑦᓯᐊᖅᑎᑉᐸᒃᑕᖏᓂᒃ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᑎᑦᑎᓐᓂᑦ; ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐊᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖅᑎᖏᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᒻᒪᕆᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᖃᕐᒪᑕ. 30-ᓄᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᓄᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᐅᓯᒪᓕᕋᓗᐊᕈᑎᒃ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᖃᑕᐅᓕᓵᕋᓗᐊᕐᓂᕈᑎᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖅᑎᑦᑎᓐᓂ, ᐃᓗᐃᒃᑲᐅᑦᓯᐊᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᑐᑭᓯᐅᒪᓂᖃᕐᒪᑕ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᕆᕙᒃᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᑐᕐᓂᖃᖅᑎᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᒻᒪᑕ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᕙᒃᑕᖏᓐᓂ. ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᒋᔭᑦᑕ ᐊᔾᔨᖃᖖᒋᑦᑐᑎᒍᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᕐᕕᒋᕙᒃᑕᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᑕᕝᕕᖃᑦᓯᐊᖅᑑᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓴᕆᒪᒍᓱᒻᒪᕆᒃᐳᖓ. ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕐᓂᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᕙᒃᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᐅᔪᓂ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᕙᒻᒪᑕ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕐᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᖁᑦᓯᖕᓂᕆᔭᖏᑎᒍᑦ. ᑕᒪᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᕗᑦ ᐅᒃᐱᕈᓱᓪᓚᕆᒻᒪᑕ ᓲᕐᓗ ᐅᕙᑦᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᒋᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᕐᕕᒋᕙᒃᑕᕗᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑭᒪᕙᒃᑐᑦ ᑲᒻᐸᓂᒋᔭᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᑐᕐᓂᖃᒻᒪᕆᖕᓂᖏᑕ. ᐃᑭᒪᕙᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᖅᑎᐅᕙᓐᓂᕐᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔪᑦ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᑎᑉᐸᒃᑲᑦᑎᒍ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᓄᓇᓕᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᖅᑎᐅᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂ. ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖅᑎᓕᕆᔨᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᖃᓕᕌᖓᑦᑕ ᐱᒧᔾᔪᑎᒋᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᖏᓂᖅᓴᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᑲᒻᐸᓂᒋᔭᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑦ ᓄᓇᖓᓐᓂ, ᐃᓱᒪᒃᓴᐃᓗᐊᖅᐸᖖᒋᒻᒪᑕ ᐃᑭᒪᕙᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᖅᑎᐅᕙᓐᓃᑦ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᔫᖃᑕᐅᓂᖏᑕ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᓪᓗᒍ ᑲᒻᐸᓂᒋᔭᖓᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᖖᒋᒻᒪᑕ ᐃᓄᖏᓐᓂᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᕐᕕᒋᕙᒃᑕᒥᓐᓂᑦ. ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᖖᒋᑦᑑᖖᒋᓐᓇᑦᑕ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖅᑎᐅᔪᑎᒍᑦ. ᐱᓕᕆᓂᕆᕙᒃᑕᕗᑦ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᕙᒻᒪᑕ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᔭᐅᕙᒃᓱᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᐅᔪᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᑦᑕ ᐊᑎᖏᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᒻᒪᑕ ᐊᒥᓱᓂ ᓄᓇᓕᒋᔭᐅᔪᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᑦᓯᐊᕐᓂᕗᑦ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᖁᖖᒋᓐᓇᒃᑯ. ᐱᕈᖅᑎᑦᓯᓯᒪᓕᕈᒪᒐᑦᑕ ᐃᑭᒪᕙᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᕈᑎᒋᕙᒃᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ, ᓄᓇᖅᑲᑎᒌᖑᔪᑦ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐸᐅᑎᑕᐅᕙᒃᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᒃᐱᒍᓱᑦᓯᐊᖅᑑᕙᓐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᖃᓕᖅᓯᒪᓂᕐᒥᒃ. ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕐᑎᒋᔭᕗᑦ ᕿᑎᐊᓃᓪᓚᕆᖕᒪᑕ ᑕᒪᒃᑯᓇᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᕈᖅᑎᑦᓯᕙᓪᓕᐊᖃᑎᒌᒃᑲᑦᑕ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᕆᓂᐊᖅᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᓂᖃᕐᓗᑕ. ᖁᕕᐊᒋᓪᓚᕆᒃᐸᒃᑲ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᑦᓯᐊᕐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᒋᔭᕗᑦ ᑕᒪᑐᒥᖓ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎᒋᔭᐅᓂᐊᕐᓂᖏᑕ ᐃᒃᐱᒍᓱᑦᓯᐊᖅᑑᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᕿᐊᒋᓇᒋᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᕆᔭᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ.

ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᒃ ᐅᓪᓗᒥ ᓂᕈᐊᖅᖠᓚᐅᕐᓂᑦᓯᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᑭᒪᔪᒪᓪᓗᓯ ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐊᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖓᓂ. ᖃᖓᑕᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᓚᐅᕐᓂᓯ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᑎᓪᓗᑕ ᖃᓄᐃᖖᒋᑦᓯᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᓯᒪᖁᓪᓗᒍ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᑰᑎᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᒫᕐᒥᒐᑦᑕ ᕿᓚᒻᒥᐅᔪᖅ.

ᑯᕆᔅ ᐄᕗᕆ ᕘᔅᑎᐊᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖅ & ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᔨᒻᒪᕆᒃ

ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᐅᑉ ᐅᔾᔨᕆᔭᐅᑎᑕᐅᓂᖓ

Employee Spotlight | Iqqanaijaqtiup Ujjirijautitauninga

ᑐᕈᐃ ᐳᕉᒪᓐ | Troy Broman ᑐᕈᐃ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓂ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᖖᒍᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᕗᖅ ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᕐᒥ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓕᕆᔨᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᒍᐃᓂᐲᔨ, ᒫᓂᑑᐸᒥ ᔪᓚᐃ 1995-ᖑᑎᓪᓗᒍ. ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐊᒃᑯᑦ ᓂᐅᕕᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᒻᒪᑕ ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᕐᒥ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖅᑎᖏᓂᒃ 1997-ᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑐᕈᐃ ᐊᑕᐃᓐᓇᕈᓐᓇᖅᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᒪᑦ ᑕᐃᑲᖖᒐᑦ, ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐊᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᒋᔭᐅᓕᖅᓱᓂ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᖓᓂ. (ᕗᔅᑦ ᐃᐊᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖅᑎᖏᑦ ᑐᕈᐃᒥᒃ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᑖᕈᒪᓗᐊᒥᓐᓄᑦ, ᑲᒻᐸᓂᒋᔭᐅᔪᒥᒃ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕐᕕᖓᓐᓂᒃ ᓂᐅᕕᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᒻᒪᑕ!) ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᕐᒥ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖅᑎᖏᓐᓂ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᖖᒍᕋᒥ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᖃᓕᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᒥᒃ ᓱᓗᒻᒪᖅᓴᐃᔨᒋᔭᐅᓪᓗᓂ, ᑐᕈᐃ ᓄᒃᑎᓕᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᕗᖅ ᕙᐃᑦ)ᐊᔅ, ᔫᑳᓐᒧᑦ, ᐅᑭᐊᒃᓵᖓᓂ 1996 ᐃᑭᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᓄᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑎᒋᔭᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᒃᑎᓕᕆᓪᓗᓂ ᔭᓗᓇᐃᒧᑦ ᔮᓄᐊᕆ 1997-ᒥ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᒥᓂ ᖁᒻᒧᒃᐸᓪᓕᐊᓯᒪᑎᑕᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᐅᓯᔭᐅᔪᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑭᔭᖅᑐᕐᕕᒻᒥ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᔨᒋᔭᐅᓕᖅᓱᓂ.

Troy began his airline journey with NWT Air in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in July 1995.

First Air acquired NWT Air in 1997 and Troy remained on, becoming a First Air employee during the transition. (First Air wanted Troy to work for them so badly, they bought the company!) Beginning his career with NWT Air as an Aircraft Groomer, Troy transferred to Whitehorse, Yukon, in the fall of 1996 as a Ramp Attendant and then on to Yellowknife in January of 1997 where he worked his way up to the Cargo & Ramp Manager position. ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᔨᒋᔭᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᒃᓴᔾᔪᑎᒋᓇᓱᐊᕐᓱᒋᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᓂᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ, ᑐᕈᐃ As a Manager in the Commercial Operations ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖃᖅᑎᑕᐅᓯᒪᕗᖅ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᒋᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᒃᓴᖖᒋᑦᓯᐊᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ team, Troy’s main function is to ensure ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᖅᑮᔪᓐᓇᖅᑎᑉᐸᒃᓗᒋᑦ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂᒃ ᑲᒻᒪᐱᐅᔪᒥ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᐅᔭᕆᐊᓖᑦ ᒪᓕᒃᑕᐅᑦᓯᐊᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᑐᕈᐃ employee satisfaction as well as accountability to ensure all company ᓇᐅᑦᓯᖅᑐᐃᔨᒋᔭᐅᕗᖅ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂᒃ ᐅᓯᔭᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑭᔭᖅᑐᕐᕕᒻᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᖅᑎᒋᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᔭᓗᓇᐃᒥ procedures are adhered to. Troy oversees the entire Cargo and Ramp ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑲᒪᔨᒋᔭᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᓂᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᑭᒋᔭᐅᕙᒃᑐᑦ team in Yellowknife and is responsible for the administration and ᐊᐅᓚᑕᐅᕙᓐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ. ᑐᕈᐃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖃᖅᑎᑕᐅᓯᒪᒻᒪᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᓂᖃᕐᓂᐅᑉ ᖁᑦᓯᖕᓂᖅᐸᐅᔪᑎᒍᑦ ᐱᔾᔪᑎ- budgetary responsibilities and cost control. Troy is responsible for ᐅᓗᐊᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᓄᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᓯᒪᕙᒋᐊᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥᓂ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕐᕕᒻᒥᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒪᓕᒐᖁᑎᐅᔪᓂᒃ the operational excellence in meeting the key performance indicators ᒪᓕᑦᓯᐊᖅᑎᑦᓯᕙᒋᐊᖃᕐᓂᕐᓂ, ᐃᓚᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐅᓯᔭᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᓈᓴᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᓂᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂᒃ, ᑭᖑᕙᖅ- of the department and upholding the regulatory requirements, which include Cargo inventory control, on-time performance, bagᑎᑕᐅᓯᒪᓇᑎᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᖃᖅᐸᒋᐊᖃᕐᓂᕐᓂᒃ, ᐱᖁᑎᒋᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᑭᒪᔪᓂᑦ ᐅᓯᔭᐅᕙᓐᓂᖏᓐᓂ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᕈᑎᐅᔪᑦ gage delivery, and service level expectations with respect to freight ᖁᑦᓯᖕᓂᕆᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᑕᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᓗᒋᑦ ᐅᓯᔭᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᑦ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᑦᓯᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᒋᐊᖅᐸᓐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ. ᑐᕈᐃ movement. Troy is accountable to ensure his team is meeting the ᓴᖅᑮᔪᓐᓇᕆᐊᖃᕐᒪᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᖅᑎᒋᔭᓂ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᕐᕕᐅᔪᑦ ᓂᕆᐅᓐᓂᖃᕐᕕᒋᔭᖏᑦ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᑦᓯᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᕙᓐᓂᖏᑕ customer service level expectations and performance needs for all ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᐸᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓄᑦ ᐅᓯᔭᐅᕙᒃᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᖁᑎᒋᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᓅᑎᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᕙᓐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ cargo and baggage movement for scheduled, ad hoc and charter ᖃᖓᑕᕝᕕᐅᔪᒃᓴᐃᑦ ᐋᖅᑭᒃᑕᐅᕙᒌᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᒪᓕᒃᓗᒋᑦ, ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᓂᐅᑲᓚᐅᖅᐸᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓵᑐᑎᒍᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᓂᐅ- operations out of Yellowknife. Troy’s team also performs third party ᕙᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᔭᓗᓇᐃᒥᑦ. ᑐᕈᐃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᖅᑎᖏᑦ ᐱᖓᔪᕆᔭᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᖅᑎᐅᕙᒻᒪᑕ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᕈᑎᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᓴᒥᑦ handling services for Summit Air and other ad hoc requests as ᐃᐊᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖅᑎᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᓂᐅᑲᓚᐅᖁᔭᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᑐᒃᓯᕋᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᓄᑦ ᐱᔭᕆᐊᖃᓕᕌᖓᑕ. required. ᔭᓗᓇᐃᒥ ᐅᓯᔭᐅᔪᒃᓴᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᕐᕕᐅᓪᓚᕆᒃᐳᖅ, ᐅᓯᔭᐅᖁᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᕙᒃᓱᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᓯᐅᑎᑎᒍᑦ Yellowknife Cargo is a hub, receiving freight from trucks for distribution ᐊᒃᔭᖅᑐᒐᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᕿᑎᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᐊᕕᒃᑐᖅᓯᒪᓂᖏᓐᓂᕐᒥᐅᓄᑦ. ᐋᖅᑭᒃᑕᐅᕙᒌᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᕙᒃᑐᑦ to the Kitikmeot region. Scheduled services out of Yellowknife serve ᔭᓗᓇᐃᒥ ᐃᑦᒪᓐᑕᓐᒧᑦ, ᕼᐊᐃ ᕆᕗᕐᒧᑦ, ᕗᐊᑦ ᓯᒻᓴᓐᒧᑦ, ᖁᕐᓗᖅᑑᕐᒧᑦ, ᐃᖃᓗᒃᑑᑦᑎᐊᕐᒧᑦ, ᐅᓗᖅᕼᐊᖅᑑᕐᒧᑦ, Edmonton, Hay River, Fort Simpson, Kugluktuk, Cambridge Bay, Ulukhaktok, Gjoa Haven, Taloyoak and Kugaaruk. ᐅᖅᕼᐅᖅᑑᕐᒧᑦ, ᑕᓗᕐᔪᐊᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑰᒑᕈᖅᒧᑦ. ᑐᕈᐃᑉ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᒻᒪᕆᐅᓂᕐᒥᓂ ᐱᕈᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓯᒪᕗᖅ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᐅᓂᓕᒫᒥᓂ ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐊᒃᑯᓐᓂ. ᑐᕈᐃ Troy’s professional growth has continued throughout his tenure with ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᒃᓴᕆᓯᒪᔭᒥᓂᒃ 17-ᓂᒃ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᑕ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᔨᐅᓂᕐᒥᓂ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ First Air. Troy has successfully completed 17 personal and management development courses over the past 15 years. Highlights include ᐱᔭᕇᖅᓯᓯᒪᓕᕐᐳᖅ 15-ᖑᔪᓂ ᐅᑭᐅᓂ. ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ ᐃᓚᖃᖅᐳᑦ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᓯᒪᓂᕐᒥᓄᑦ IATA-ᑯᑦ ᐅᓯᔭᐅᕙᒃhis participation in an IATA Cargo and Ramp Safety Management ᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑭᔭᖅᑐᕐᕕᐅᔪᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᑦᓯᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᕙᓐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᔨᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ course as well as a Dangerous Goods instructor’s course. Troy’s ᐅᓗᕆᐊᓇᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᓯᔨᐅᑉ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᒃᓴᖏᓂᒃ. ᑐᕈᐃᑉ ᐃᓛᒃᑰᖓᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕐᕕᒻᒥᓂ commitment to individual and departmental growth has ensured he ᐱᕈᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᑎᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖃᑎᖏᑦᑕ ᖁᑦᑎᖕᓂᖅᐸᐅᔪᑎᒍᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓂᖃ- and his team retain the highest knowledge and skills relevant to his ᓕᕈᑎᒋᓯᒪᒻᒪᒋᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᔪᖖᒋᑦᓯᐊᓕᖅᓯᒪᔾᔪᑎᒋᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᑐᕌᖓᔪᓄᑦ ᓴᓇᕝᕕᖕᒥᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᓯᒪᓕᖅᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᓕᖕᓄᑦ. industry and needs. ᑐᕈᐃ ᓄᖅᑲᐅᔾᔨᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᒻᒪᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᒥᓂᒃ ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂ 2012-ᒥ ᐊᑯᓂᐅᖖᒋᑦᑐᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᑲᐃᓐᓇᕋᒥ Troy left First Air in 2012 briefly to take on a role leading a freight ᐅᓯᔭᐅᔪᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᓯᕗᒻᒧᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᔨᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᕐᕈᑎᓕᕆᔨᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᔭᓗᓇᐃᒥ. ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓂᖃᑦᓯᐊᖅᑑᓂᖓ forwarding and logistics team in Yellowknife. His experience working ᐅᓯᔭᐅᕙᒃᑐᑦ ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓱᖅᑕᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᕙᓐᓂᖏᓐᓂᑦ ᐊᒃᔭᖅᑕᐅᕙᓐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᖅᑎᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᓂᖃᕐᕕᖏᓐᓄᑦ with a full scope freight preparation through to delivery of the ᐃᑲᔪᕈᑎᐅᓯᒪᕗᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᓂᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᖁᑦᑎᖕᓂᖅᐹᑎᒍᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᖃᖅᐸᒍᓐᓇᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᐃᓚᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᑐᕐᓂᖃᒻᒪ- mining operations supports his attention to operational excellence as well as gaining valuable experience with Ice Road operations. ᕆᒃᑐᑎᒍᑦ ᐃᓕᓯᒪᓕᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᓯᑯᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᖅᑯᑎᓕᐊᖑᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᑕᐅᕙᓐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ. ᑐᕈᐃᑉ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᒥᓂᒃ ᖁᕕᐊᒋᔭᖏᑦ ᐃᓚᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᖃᐅᑕᒫᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᒋᖖᒋᑕᖏᓂᒃ ᐱᔭᒃᓴᖃᓕᖅᐸᓐᓂᕐᒥᓂᒃ. One of the things that Troy loves best about his job is that every day ᓱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖃᖖᒋᓐᓂᖅᑕᖃᖅᐸᖖᒋᑦᑐᖅ! ᓴᓗᒪᑦᓯᐊᖅᑐᒥᒃ, ᐃᓗᓕᖃᕈᖕᓃᖅᓯᒪᔪᒥᒃ ᓯᕐᓗᐊᖃᓕᕆᐊᖅ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᐅᑉ is a different challenge. There’s never a dull moment! Having a clean, ᐃᓱᐊᓂᑕᒫᑦ ᐊᖏᔪᐊᓗᒻᒥᒃ ᖁᕕᐊᒋᕙᒃᑕᖓ. ᐊᓯᐊᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᒥᓂ ᐱᐅᒋᓪᓚᕆᒃᐸᒃᑕᖓ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᔪᓐ- empty warehouse at the end of each week also gives Troy a huge sense of satisfaction. Another best part of his job is that he works ᓇᕌᖓᒥᒋᑦ ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᕐᒥ ᐆᒪᔪᕐᓂᒃ ᑲᒪᔨᐅᕙᓐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᓕᒫᒥ ᐆᒪᔪᖁᑎᓂᒃ ᐊᓐᓇᐅᒪᑎᑦᓯᒋᐊᖅᐸᓐᓂᕐᓄᑦ very closely with the NWT SPCA saving animals across the North. ᑐᕌᖓᔪᓂᒃ.

From the Flight Deck Thunderstorms By the time that you are reading this, summer should have arrived at all of the locations across our network. While the warm summer weather is often seen as a welcome event, it does also bring with it impressive weather phenomenon — thunderstorms.

During the warm summer days, I am sure that most of you have seen little puffy, white, clouds dotting the sky. Those clouds are known as cumulus clouds. If you mix in some humid air and introduce a bunch of heating to the air (really, some typical summer weather) the cumulus clouds have the potential to start growing upwards. As a cumulus cloud grows upwards it will transition from a cloud that looks like a cotton ball to one that looks more like a tower. (When that happens, the meteorologists call it a towering cumulus cloud.) If the conditions persist, that towering cumulus cloud could keep growing upwards and can grow into what is called a cumulonimbus cloud — or a thunderstorm cloud.

A cumulonimbus cloud is generally very tall (they can grow to be 30 000’, or over 9 km tall) and have a fairly distinctive mushroom or anvil shape to them. As the cloud grows upwards, the top of the cloud can reach areas of extremely strong winds, which is why you will often see the top of the cloud being blown into a tail behind the cloud.

When the cloud grows to be that big, it can hold a great deal of energy. That energy is why thunderstorms can generate some fairly spectacular weather images but it is also the reason why pilots have a simple philosophy about thunderstorms — fly around them, not through them!

© Stefano Garau / fotolia.com

Our flights are planned with routes around forecast thunderstorms and we will deviate from our planned flight paths when we are airborne to avoid any cumulonimbus clouds as they develop. We have several tools to help us avoid them while we are in flight.

Sometimes avoiding them is simple — since the clouds have a distinctive shape, we just look out for them and fly around them. This works well on days without too many clouds or when we are flying in clear skies above a layer of clouds. In those cases, the tall clouds stand out and are easy to spot. Sometimes there are other clouds that we are flying through so we can’t see what is ahead of us.

In those cases, we make use of the weather radar that is on board the aircraft to identify the cumulonimbus clouds and plan a route around them. The air traffic controllers can also help us. Since all of the other aircraft in the airspace also want to avoid flying through the thunderstorm, once the first aircraft in a

line of traffic starts to deviate, the air traffic controllers can start adjusting the flight paths of the following aircraft to help minimize the changes that we have to make ourselves.

Depending on how big the thunderstorms are, we might have to make some large changes to our route which may make the flight a fair bit longer. (In other cases, when a thunderstorm is right over the airport, we may also be required to delay our landing to allow the storm to pass.) Unfortunately, those delays are part of flying in the summer but, hopefully, the other benefits of summer weather far outweigh that inconvenience.

Captain Aaron Speer Vice President, Flight Operations First Air

If you are curious about a specific topic regarding flying and aircraft operations, let us know what you’d like to learn about and we’ll try to include it in a future column.

Email: editor@arcticjournal.ca

The Inflight Magazine for First Air

2019 | 04 YOURS TO KEEP

In the Footsteps of Our Ancestors The Heartbeat of the Canol Trail

Underwater Monuments Ice Diving Around Baffin Island

Celebra'ng Nunavut’s 20th Communi'es and Northern Icons

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July | August 2019 Volume 31, No. 4

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Underwater Exploration

Polar Regions Teem with Life

Celebrating Nunavut’s 20th

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Sandra Clopp hovers with her camera above the colourful sea floor off the Labrador coast. © Jill Heinerth

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Features

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Underwater Exploration

Underwater exploration enthusiasts can find themselves sharing the water with a variety of different creatures. — Ian Stalker

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In the Footsteps of Our Ancestors

Capturing the heartbeat of the Canol Trail.

— Text and photos by Nicholas Castel

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Underwater Monuments

Mythical deep divers, bearded seals chatting, sea angels swimming and underwater monuments lure ice divers to Arctic waters. — Françoise Gervais

09 Destination Focus 14 Living Above&Beyond 21 Resources 38 Science Permafrost Mapping — Leighann Chalykoff

40 Sport Recreation North Training Program — Amanda Grobbecker and Caroline Sparks

Celebrating Nunavut’s 20th Nunavut’s Qikiqtani Communities

44 Health From Water to Web

It is in the smaller places where the Inuit language and culture are strongest due to their relative isolation. — Nick Newbery

46 Culture Toonik Tyme

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Our Life in Stone

In 1999 the Government of Nunavut sponsored a ‘large carving project’. — Doris Ohlmann 2019 | 04

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— Lindsay Day

— Jason Nugent

48 Bookshelf 50 Inuit Forum — Natan Obed President, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami

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D E S T I N AT I O N F O C U S

68.53298° N, -89.82672° E

KUGAARUK © Nick Newbery

The Hamlet of Kugaaruk is located on Simpson Peninsula south of the Gulf of Boothia on the east coast of Pelly Bay in the Kitikmeot region of Nunavut. Kugaaruk was incorporated as a hamlet in 1972 under its previous name, Pelly Bay. The hamlet and the bay originally shared the same name in honour of Hudson’s Bay Company governor Sir John Pelly. In December 1999, the community was officially renamed Kugaaruk, meaning “a little stream” in Inuktitut. The area is also called Arviligjuaq, meaning “place of many bowhead whales.”

The population of Kugaaruk is approximately 97 per cent Inuit and most people selfidentify as Netsilik Inuit. Inuit have lived in the area for thousands of years as this was an important place for both caribou and sea mammal hunting. Numerous archaeological sites dot the landscape and add a sense of history to the area.

Although first European contact came in 1829, the Inuit of Kugaaruk were amongst the last indigenous peoples in North America to have continuous contact with Europeans in the latter part of the 19th century. Local ice conditions meant that it was difficult for traders, missionaries, and explorers to reach the area. This unique environment allows visitors to experience sea ice throughout most of the year, providing an amazing window on winter life and activities, even during the summer.

The first Roman Catholic missionaries arrived in 1935 and a permanent mission was established in 1937. A stone chapel built in 1941 is being restored today by the community as an important historic site.

Local Inuit were largely nomadic until 1955 with the construction of a DEW Line radar site in the community, CAM-4. The DEW Line site introduced wage economy, which led many Inuit to settle in the area. Schools and a nursing station were constructed in the early 1960s. With the completion of an airstrip in 1968, the Canadian Government airlifted 37 prefabricated houses to Kugaaruk.

Contemporary life in Kugaaruk continues to be largely tied to the traditional economy.

Hunting and fishing remain important to provide food and clothing for local people. Most families supplement their diet with ringed seal, caribou, and Arctic char. Other game includes narwhal, polar bear, wolverine, and muskox. Within the last decade there has also been a rise in mineral exploration, with numerous gold and diamond exploration camps located within a 150 km radius.

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Quintessential Kugaaruk experiences: • Travel with an expert local hunter on a trek for wildlife • Tour Pelly Bay in a sea kayak • Watch narwhals and beluga whales in the bay

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Filter-feeding red calcareous tube worms carpet both rocks and seafloor. © Jill Heinerth, FRCGS, Explorer in Residence, Royal Canadian Geographical Society

Underwater Exploration Polar regions teem with life

By Ian Stalker

Devon Bayly-Jones believes those who enjoy seeing marine creatures in their natural environments will give Arctic diving their seals of approval. The Adventure Canada employee oversees the tour operator’s diving program, which has participants don dry suits and then enter frigid Nunavut, Greenland and Newfoundland waters during the June to October northern cruise season. They can find themselves sharing the water with a variety of different creatures, including some that are feathered and others that are finned.

“T

he Arctic Ocean is teeming with life,” says Bayly-Jones, who reports underwater exploration enthusiasts may spot the likes of seals, beluga and humpback whales, ducks and a host of other creatures. “The water can be crystal clear, allowing for fantastic visibility. We dive along the sea floor among the kelp and sculpins. The cold-water corals are surprisingly colourful, with pops of white, yellow and pink. We dive near grounded icebergs, too, and last year we dove in the same fiords as pods of beluga whales. The 24-hour sunlight allows for fantastic photography opportunities. We surfaced, surrounded by eider ducks and dove around brash ice that had recently calved from nearby glaciers.”

Bayly-Jones says northern diving is more difficult than diving in tropical locales.

“Diving in the Arctic takes specialization and skill but once you acquire these skills, there is no limit to where you can dive and what adventures you can have,” she says. “Everything from shipwrecks, diving among seals and whales and ice to visible continental divides. Diving in the polar regions attracts curious divers looking for beauty as well as a challenge.”

Adventure Canada has teamed up with Newfoundland’s Ocean Quest on its dive program, with Ocean Quest supplying the weights, tanks and dive masters. Divers bring their personal gear. The maximum group size is 12. Zodiacs — each of which can hold six divers and their gear — are used.

Bayly-Jones — whose work and travels have taken her through much of Asia and Latin America — is convinced that those who do visit the North will appreciate it, regardless of whether they strap on fins and tanks.

“Once you experience the North, meet the people, view the wildlife and witness the dramatic landscapes and ice, you will want to return,” she says. “The same goes for divers who have experienced what it is like to dive in the serene waters of the North, testing their limits in one of the most remote places you can dive. It's beautiful and I wish more people had a chance to experience it.”

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Giant starfish is found on old wharf cribbing in Botwood Harbour. © Rick Stanley, Ocean Quest Adventures

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Above: Diver Sandra Clopp emerges in the middle of a massive bloom of moon jellyfish in Terra Nova National Park, Newfoundland. © Jill Heinerth Right: Sea Anemone growth since 1942 blooming on the Bell Island Shipwreck SS Rosecastle, Newfoundland Labrador. © Rick Stanley, Ocean Quest Adventures

Lionsmane Jelly hovers over the Bell Island shipwrecks while divers do their safety stop on the mooring line. © Rick Stanley, Ocean Quest Adventures 2019 | 04

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LIVING ABOVE&BEYOND

Inuit cuisine and culture showcased at annual event First Air was extremely proud to once again be the official sponsor of ITK’s (Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami) A Taste of the Arctic evening, which was held May 15 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. This premier culinary and cultural event showcases the amazing diversity and flavours of Inuit cuisine prepared, in part, under the guidance and creativity of Inuvialuit Chef Sheila Flaherty.

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This year’s attendees feasted on such morsels as Inuvialuit doughnuts, a selection of dried and cured meats from Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Inaluaq palaugaaq made by Martha Flaherty, maple smoked char made by Sijjakkut, Palaugaaq made

by Andrea Carter, Nautchiq sliders, Pangnirtung scallops, bannock, and Maktaaq chowder. They were entertained by throat

singers and the tunes of Igloolik’s own Northern Haze. They could purchase an array of Inuit designed and made products from the Marketplace, could participate in the yarn game, and have their names translated into Inuktitut syllabics.

As sponsors, First Air not only helps promote this special event but also assists with the transportation for the entertainers.

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LIVING ABOVE&BEYOND

Opposite top left: Northern Haze.

Opposite top right: Just a taste of some of the handiwork available for purchase at the Inuit Marketplace.

Top left: Some of the delicacies available to nibble on at ITK’s A Taste of the Arctic event.

Top right: Abigail Asheevak Helmkay and Qattuu Carleton throat singing at ATOTA. Above: Paul Nutarariaq and Anna Lambe from The Grizzlies hosted the event this year. © Blair Gable | www.blairgable.com (5)

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LIVING ABOVE&BEYOND

The 2018 $20 Pure Gold Coin: Symbols of the North. © 2012 Royal Canadian Mint – All Rights Reserved

New coin for 20th The Royal Canadian Mint has created a coin made entirely of gold mined in Nunavut for the territory’s 20th anniversary this year.

The collectable coin celebrates Arctic wildlife with a depiction of a walrus, ptarmigan, polar bear, bowhead whale and narwhal framed by an outline of a maple leaf. Inuk artist Andrew Qappik, from Pangnirtung, Nunavut, crafted the design.

The coin is crafted from 99.99 per cent pure gold, mined in Nunavut at the TMAC Resources’ mine at Hope Bay and by Agnico Eagle Mines' Meadowbank mine, near Baker Lake, Nunavut.

The second coin in the Royal Canadian Mint’s special Symbols of the North collectable gold coins will be released during Nunavut’s 20th anniversary this year.

NWT gets funds The Government of Canada and CanNor is investing $2.7M in nine economic development projects in the Northwest Territories including tourism, television and film, culture and construction, as well as targeted support for the development of entrepreneurs, business capacity and francophone markets.

Projects include marketing, entrepreneurial capacity-building tools and training, the organization of Indigenous cultural tourism workshops, tourism infrastructure improvements, developing an Indigenous Cultural Experience Retreat, feasibility and planning work for a Northern Centre for Sustainability, business capacity development conferences, and satellite communication infrastructure upgrades to continue broadcasting Indigenous languages programming in the NWT. 16

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LIVING ABOVE&BEYOND

At the opening of The Wings of Johnny May National Film Board documentary at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in December 2013.

L to R: Fern Proulx, Ingenium's Chief Operating Officer; Johnny May; Marc Fafard, Director of the NFB film, The Wings of Johnny May; and Stephen Quick, (at the time) Director General of the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, (currently Vice-President of Business Development). © Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation

Volunteer aviator receives award Johnny May received the Sovereign’s Medal Award from Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, during a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Ontario, on April 25, 2019.

The Sovereign’s Medals recognizes a volunteer’s passion, dedication and commitment to community.

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For more than 50 years, Johnny has flown over his hometown of Kuujjuaq, Nunavik, every Christmas Day, dropping candies and small gifts for children and families of Kuujjuaq waiting below.

Transport Canada gives Johnny a special waiver that allows him to fly below a certain altitude and throw things out of

A B O V E & B E Y O N D — C A N A D A’ S A R C T I C J O U R N A L

an aircraft, the only license of its kind in Canada. Year after year, he inspires a sense of hope and happiness among those in his community, who see him as a hero.

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Technology helping to create wellness A Nunavut submission to the Canadian Smart Cities Challenge has won $10M. Pinnguaq will use the funds to create Makerspace hubs across the territory.

The winning proposal, called Katinnganiq: Community, Connectivity, and Digital Access for Life Promotion in Nunavut, will create a network of spaces to teach Nunavummiut science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

For over a year, the project has been piloted in Iqaluit and it has shown that it helps build resilience, capacity, and creates community around wellness. Being able to create these community hubs will leverage digital access and connectivity to increase the availability and accessibility of mental health resources and support systems like peer to peer networks, educational initiatives, and creative outlets to all Nunavummiut. This includes an Inuktitut based digital literacy curriculum, improved and innovative network infrastructure, mobile applications, gamified interventions, and digital art therapy.

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Creating animations in GraphicsGale. © Pinnguaq

The Pinnguaq Association, a Pangnirtungbased organization that operates the Iqaluit Makerspace, partnered with the Nunavut Association of Municipalities, the Embrace Life Council and Qaujigiartiit Health Research to submit the proposal.

The organizations are looking at ways to make the makerspaces sustainable and unique to each community’s needs, especially for the tech education to be available to kids and adults who otherwise don’t have access.

A B O V E & B E Y O N D — C A N A D A’ S A R C T I C J O U R N A L

2019 | 04

LIVING ABOVE&BEYOND

Order of Canada recipients honoured

Her Excellency presented the Member insignia of the Order of Canada to Eva Aariak, C.M. © Sgt Johanie Maheu, Rideau Hall © OSGG, 2019.

Eva Aariak was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada by Governor General Julie Payette in May. A former Nunavut Premier, and originally from Arctic Bay, Nunavut, Aariak was honoured for her dedication to promoting Inuit culture and languages. Aariak has also worked as an Inuktitut teacher, a CBC reporter, and was Nunavut’s first language commissioner. She now lives in Iqaluit where she works with the Qikiqtani Inuit Association and owns a store, Malikkaat, selling Inuit-made goods and crafts.

Also during the May ceremony, Louis Kamookak, an oral historian widely known for his documentation of Inuit history connected to the Franklin expedition, was recognized. He was awarded with the level of officer, which acknowledges national service or achievements. Kamookak died March 22, 2018. His wife, Josephine, received the Order of Canada on his behalf.

For more information about the Order of Canada or to nominate someone, visit www.gg.ca.

Filmmaker receives Order of Nunavut Igloolik filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk has received an Order of Nunavut award. The territory’s highest honour, it is awarded each year to individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to Nunavut’s cultural, social or economic well-being.

Born in 1957 in a sod house on Baffin Island, Zacharias Kunuk was a carver in 1981 when he sold three sculptures to buy a home-video camera and 27” TV to bring

2019 | 04

back to Igloolik, a settlement of 500 Inuit who had voted twice to refuse access to outside television. After working for six years for the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation as producer and station manager, Kunuk co-founded Igloolik’s Isuma Productions, Canada’s first Inuit video-based production company.

In addition to Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner, Kunuk has directed more than 30 videos.

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Zacharias Kunuk receives the official certificate of the Order of Nunavut from Commissioner of Nunavut Nellie Kusugak. © Michel Albert

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RESOURCES

NWT Celebrating mining NWT Mining Week took place from June 1 to 8 in Yellowknife with free events taking place to celebrate, including a Miners’ Picnic, Geology Talks and Walks around town and in Territorial Parks, and the 62nd Annual Mine Rescue Competition, hosted by the Workers’ Safety & Compensation Commission.

The two-day Rescue Competition saw six teams demonstrate mine surface and underground response and life-saving skills.

Gahcho Kué Diamond Mine (De Beers Canada Inc.) took home the Overall Surface trophy and Diavik Diamond Mine (Rio Tinto Ltd.) took home the Overall Underground trophy.

Kimberlite exploration continues Arctic Star Exploration Corp. has completed its spring Exploration Program at Diagras Property in the Northwest Territories with the work generating compelling drill targets.

The exploration program consisted of ground Gravity, Magnetic and Electromagnetic (EM) surveys focused around historically identified kimberlites as well as other airborne geophysical anomalies with kimberlite like signatures.

The company still has kimberlites that have not been covered by gravity and EM surveys, including the Anne, Tabatha, Finlay, Don, Drew, George, Emily, Don and Krista kimberlites. These remain a priority.

These drill targets justify the company’s drill mobilization, planned for spring 2020.

NUNAVIK Milestone LOI signed On May 14, the Nayumivik Landholding Corporation of Kuujjuaq and the Makivik Corporation signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Commerce Resources Corp. for the ongoing development of the Ashram Rare Earth Elements (REE) Deposit in Nunavik.

This Letter of Intent (LOI) is a first for Nunavik mining development, specifically for a pre-development project such as the Ashram REE Deposit. By implementing the LOI, Inuit will be directly involved in any discussions and proposed planning of the project. They will also be able to provide 2019 | 04

Diavik’s mine rescue team in action at the annual competition in Yellowknife. Diavik won seven awards in total, including the overall underground award. © WSCC

insights and share concerns during the progression of the project.

Drilling results show strong mineralization Commerce Resources Corp. has announced results from Saville Resources Inc. first drill holes from the Mallard Target at the Niobium Claim Group Property, which is located approximately 130 km south of Kuujjuaq, Quebec. Saville Resources continues to return strong drill intersections of niobium mineralization at Mallard. These first results collectively indicate a large and robust niobium mineralized system is present at Mallard.

Coupled with the strong mineralization returned historically, Saville Resources’ Phase I drill program at Mallard will provide the foundation for advancement towards an initial mineral resource estimate. Further drilling at Mallard, as well as several other high-priority targets, including Miranna, is planned as part of Phase II.

NUNAVUT Mine begins production Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.’s Meliadine gold mine near Rankin Inlet began commercial production on May 14, ahead of schedule

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and below the initial capital budget. The company intends to produce 230,000 ounces of gold by the end of 2019.

The mine is expected to employ about 900 staff, at least 350 of whom will be Inuit.

Over the next 15 years, the company will pay $450 million in royalties and fees to the Kivalliq Inuit Association and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Three underground mining areas are now in operation, with operations in a fourth area projected to commence in the second quarter of 2019.

YUKON Preparing for gold Yukon's newest mine, Victoria Gold’s Eagle Gold project, near Mayo, got connected to Yukon Energy’s power grid in May in preparation for its opening this summer.

Construction of the mine is about 90 per cent complete with more than 400 workers on site.

Victoria Gold also recently installed a $10.5 million diesel power plant at the Eagle site. The plant also has a large diesel generator and its own substation to be used as emergency backup.

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Hikers in the thickness of the Mackenzie Mountain lowlands enroute to Norman Wells.

In the Footsteps of Our Ancestors Filming the heartbeat of the Canol Trail Text and photos by Nicholas Castel

"Our history starts on the land," says Norman Yakeleya, our soaked but undaunted leader, one rainy night in Doi'Toh canyon, at mile 27 of the Canol Heritage Trail. Words nearly impossible to forget, with the fire in his eyes, a reflection of our circle’s centre as we dig into moose jerky.

H

e speaks of the Sahtú Dene ancestors, including his grandmother, who have walked on the very ground of our camp. His people, the Shúhtagot’ı̨nę, knew the mountains most intimately, such that the land breathes life into his teachings.

Yakeleya brings together an unusual group for this Canol Trail Youth Leadership Hike: young and old, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, community members and knowledge keepers, plus three filmmakers aiming to capture the heartbeat of this challenging journey. Now in its 14th year, this leadership program has taken dozens of youth on the Trail for lessons on how to live on the land and the history of the Trail — and it’s just getting started.

Only a handful of Canadians know of the Canol Heritage Trail, although its origins are epic and magical. In one chapter, seasonal wanderings of moose and meandering mountain rivers shift into trade routes and community links that have provided life for Sahtú Dene and Métis people for thousands of years.

In the next, bulldozers, soldiers and a war appear overnight. The American River crossings require steady feet and a strong support team as water Army’s project CANOL (short for Canadian Oil), was designed to deliver oil levels race higher and higher each day. from Norman Wells to the Alaskan coast for use in the war effort against Japan.

It became Norman Yakeleya’s mission to change that. The following Beginning in June 1942, Shúhtagot’ı̨nę mountain guides charted a route for year he brought then NWT Premier Joe Handley and a trusted friend army surveyors who knew little about the terrain.

But traditional Dene knowledge was rattled in the post-war years, by Garth Wallbridge to attempt a traverse of the Canol Trail. Three years residential schools and tuberculosis, among other outside influences. In time, later, with almost every section completed, in Wallbridge’s words, “it the winds shifted, and in 1993 the Indigenous people of the Sahtú signed a became obvious this was something that could go on year after year.

Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement. Yakeleya’s grandmother, Harriet [Given] the need to be self-sufficient and organized, this seemed like a Gladue, is one of those who fought for, and was a signatory to, the agreement. project that could help youth learn to be the next generation of leaders.”

A decade later, Yakeleya was looking for an opportunity to tell the She told her grandson, then a young boy during it all, that the mountains were the key to relearning the Dene way. Those words stayed with him, and 32 years story of the leadership hike program and the untold history of Dene later, flying over the mountains as the region’s MLA, it all starts to make sense. contributions to the CANOL project. We three filmmakers had met “This majestic landscape that we had right in our backyard, we had ignored during various trips to the Sahtú previously and we shared one goal all those years… We had been romanticizing the Indigenous way of life but — we wanted to learn more about the Trail and experience its beauty. we hadn’t experienced it. We didn't know much about the Trail, let alone who It seemed a perfect match. Yakeleya placed his trust in us, shared his stories and knowledge, and invited us to join the hike. For Jordan we were as people.”

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Brandon Bremner leads the pack through the thick lowlands of the Mackenzie River.

Above: Our hiking team on the shores of Dodo Lake, Mile 37 of the Canol Heritage Trail.

L to R: Michael Etchinelle, Karl Muelenbroek, Jerry Lennie, William Horessai, Norman Yakeleya, Mckenzie Barney, Suat Tin Lim, Jordan Lennie, Chase Yakeleya, Erinn Drage, Nicholas Castel.

Heart Lake serves as one of the rest stops before making your way down to the Mackenzie River.

Jerry, Norman, William and Michael. The four skilled Dene bushman who guided us through the difficult mountain terrain. © Garth Wallbridge

Lennie, it would be the first time he would walk in the mountains, in the footsteps of his ancestors.

It is a beautiful trek from start to finish, albeit over rough country for shooting a film. Racing rivers and thick lowland willows become backdrops for interviews. Hauling gear plus a week of supplies make for sore shoulders – minor difficulties, to be sure, in comparison to the realities of the Mountain Dene who live here.

As filmmakers, the Trail is our guide. We had no prescribed story, just the way of the Trail. Nature and its daily trials were our guide.

It provides us with a level playing ground; as filmmaker Erinn put it: “No past life, no baggage. When we are out there, we are all equal”. Each character had his or her own motivations and wisdom, but to succeed, we are a team, with moments of triumph and suffering, hard decisions to make, and adventure to enjoy. Each day a new sun dawns. Youth become stronger versions of themselves. As Yakeleya says, “the mountains choose you”. We were all on a journey to discover why.

A Trail like this offers a path for decolonization of our history; according to Joe Handley: “We often think of development in the North coming from the south, guys like Alexander Mackenzie. But a big piece

of our history is west-east: people like the Gwitchin, the Sahtú Dene, plus reindeer herders and whalers from Alaska who crossed eastward over the mountains to trade. This must be part of any discussion of Canadian history, especially for northern students.” This is the very core of our team’s notion that we can walk life’s trails in tandem, as we engage in a national effort of reconciliation.

Yakeleya says it perfectly, “When our elders tell us to go on the land, they are not just telling us to go out and walk, they are actually telling us that there is an opportunity to learn who you are as a person, whether it be Dene or any other ancestral background you come from. We are out here to learn about our obligations as stewards of the land and our commitment to sharing it with other people, so that they can also understand who the Dene are.”

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Watch the website www.trailsintandem.com for future screening updates. It will be featured on Northwestel community TV in late 2019 as well.

Nicholas Castel, with Erinn Drage and Jordan Lennie, is a co-founder of Trails in Tandem, a media collective using nature for cross-cultural experiences.

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Underwater monuments: Ice diving around Baffin Island

By Françoise Gervais

“You are crazy!”

“Is it really worth it?”

“What do you see under the ice?”

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hese are the most frequent comments I have received since I started polar diving in 2014. The answer is “Yes, it is totally worth it to brave the cold and immerse yourself in -1.7° Celsius water to explore what is under the ice.” I am convinced that most of my explorer friends who have shared this experience with me will answer the same way without hesitation.

Even after the pain I experience when my face and hands thaw, what is under the ice that I love so much that keeps me going back? The ice itself! That’s right - the ice underwater is probably the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen in my life. Not that it is the only thing to see down there, but it is certainly to me the most powerful experience. It is something that will change you forever.

To be able to explore this underwater frozen world, open water is required, which can be a real challenge to find in June, when diving operations usually occur. The floe edge is a good option but sometimes, when the sea ice is too thin, it is too dangerous to set up a diving base camp for the day. Also, polar bears and walruses are often seen at the floe edge, which can present another danger. We then need to find a lead (a large fracture within an expanse of sea ice), an iceberg, a seal hole or cut the ice.

Once the dive site is found, the long process of getting geared up starts. To handle the freezing water, we wear dry suits that protect the whole body, except our head, by preventing water from entering. The disadvantage of dry suits is all the extra weight you must wear to achieve neutral buoyancy. Some divers will wear up to 35 lbs just in dive weight!

The process of getting suited is sometimes so difficult that, surprisingly, at this point, the divers are often overheating. That means it is time to go under the ice to begin the discovery! One last safety check; we must put a hydrophone in the water to listen for the possibility of walruses nearby.

I remember so vividly the first time I dove by an iceberg. What crossed my mind was the feeling I was looking at the most sophisticatedly designed and engineered cathedral that has ever been built, except it was underwater and it was not man-made. It reminded me of something I read once, “All art is but an imitation of nature”. You can hear the fizzing

Diving under pack ice at the floe edge in Pond Inlet. © Ricardo Castillo 2019 | 04

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Above: Snorkeling at the floe edge. © Françoise Gervais Left: Diving in an iceberg in Pond Inlet. © Ricardo Castillo Opposite top: Diving in a lead under the sea ice where we see ice algae. ©Ricardo Castillo Opposite bottom left: David Fatzinger gets ready to explore under pack ice. © Françoise Gervais Opposite bottom right: Catherine Kiliktee from Pond Inlet, Nunavut, after swimming at the floe edge. © Françoise Gervais

sound coming from the iceberg, which is a remarkably relaxing sound. As it melts, the air bubbles pop as they are released into the water. The freshwater released by the iceberg seems to enrich the pelagic ecosystem. All kinds of fascinating pelagic species can be found, like the beautiful sea angel (Clione limacine), a kind of swimming sea slug. I have also once even seen the majestic king eider (Somateria spectabilis) feeding on molluscs on the bottom of the ocean, a bird you don’t really expect to see while diving along an iceberg!

The same feeling of astonishment was experienced by one of my dive partners when we dove under pack ice. When we came up to the surface, he said: “This is unreal, I feel as if I am swimming through an exhibition where each block of ice is a masterpiece!” Diving in this frozen landscape gives you moments of awe with its beauty but also gives you a better understanding 28

of the Arctic ecosystem - the fragile balance between the species, like narwhal, and the ice. I was fortunate enough to see, while snorkeling this time at the floe edge, the mythical narwhal. I saw this very skilled deep diver going in the darkness underneath the sea ice, a sight I will never forget. They seem so peaceful; they certainly belong there. The same feeling of peacefulness came when I could hear, underwater, the bearded seals chatting, a magical and mysterious sound that makes you forget all about being cold.

What also makes Arctic diving so extraordinary is there is no way of knowing what we are going to see each dive. Throwing ourselves in the unknown underwater frozen world is scary but also so very rewarding. This was the case when we decided to dive in a lead. We had no idea what we would see since the bottom was too deep to be reached but something incredible was discovered.

We saw where life begins in the Arctic ocean. The bottom of the

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sea ice was covered with ice algae, part of the base of the polar food web! This is where I truly understood the crucial role the sea ice plays in the Arctic. It is, in a way, what soil is for plants in the southern region!

I have had the chance to share all these amazing Arctic diving experiences with people from around the world but some of the most special times were with Inuit friends. They have been looking for endless hours at the surface of the water or the sea ice since a young age while going hunting and fishing with their parents.

They have never really had the chance to explore this underwater world since it is too cold. When we gave them the chance to go with dry suits, they didn’t hesitate very long before they jumped in too! After only a couple of minutes of diving with my friend, I saw him digging on the bottom of the sea and realized he was looking for food. I couldn’t stop laughing, thinking of how much 2019 | 04

Inuit appreciate food from the wild. There was no time for leisure; my friend needed to bring back some food for the community.

I feel so fortunate that I’m living at a time when summer sea ice and icebergs in the Arctic are not yet a thing of the past. These underwater monuments could be, in my opinion, named as part of our World Heritage Sites. To be selected, a World Heritage Site must be an already classified landmark, unique in some respect as a geographically and historically identifiable place having special cultural or physical significance. This idea is not applicable with a landscape. It cannot be restored or maintained like a cathedral, a mural or an abbey can. It is an impermanent exhibit. But like life, it has value precisely because it is transient and impermanent.

Françoise Gervais is an Expedition Leader with Arctic Kingdom.

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CELEBRATING NUNAVUT’S 20TH

Nunavut’s Qikiqtani Communities

By Nick Newbery

Traditionally Inuit lived in small migratory family groups but from the 1950s on, Ottawa began to build permanent communities in what is now Nunavut and to provide some of the basic services to Inuit that were provided to southern Canadians.

T

he 25 villages and towns in Nunavut today are relatively small with populations ranging from 144 to just over 7,000, with most being between 900 and 2,000 people and with 85 per cent of the people usually being Inuit.

All are fly-in communities and are only visited by a few ships during the short Arctic summer. Most of the smaller communities consist approximately of one or two general stores, a health centre, police station, hamlet office, power plant, school(s) and an airport terminal.

The capital, Iqaluit, houses the territorial government and major service centres such as the hospital, CBC North and Arctic College.

It is in the smaller places where the Inuit language and culture are strongest due to their relative isolation but since the creation of Nunavut in 1999 change is making in-roads into all aspects of life. Here, a glimpse of some of the communities in Nunavut’s Qikiqtani region.

Nick Newbery taught in several communities in Nunavut from 1976-2005. The photos in this article are from Nick’s Arctic photo collection which can be found at www.newberyphotoarchives.ca and should be viewed from a historical perspective.

Cape Dorset/Kinngait means ‘high mountain’ and is known as the Inuit art capital, famous for both its carvings (particularly dancing bears) and for its drawing and printmaking. Like many Qikiqtani communities, hunting and fishing are still popular activities. © Nick Newbery/Government of Nunavut

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Arctic Bay. Known as ‘Ikpiarjuk’ in Inuktitut, meaning ‘pocket,’ the community is a small, traditional hamlet on the northern coast of Baffin Island. The high hills behind the hamlet can sometimes take on a beautiful orange-red hue in the evening sunlight, an image popular with photographers.

Igloolik, meaning ‘place of iglus,’ is known for its strong Inuit traditions. The hamlet is well-known for its Inuit film productions, particularly the world famous ‘Atanarjuat – The Fast Runner’. The unique mushroom-shaped research centre, providing scientific and other facilities, gives the community a somewhat distinctive feature.

Resolute Bay/Qausuittuq in Inuktitut means ‘place with no dawn’.

One of the most northerly communities in Canada, in 1947 the U.S. and Canadian governments built a weather station and airstrip there, which for a while was one of the busiest in Canada. In the 1950s, groups of Inuit were moved there and to Grise Fiord/ Auyuittuq as part of a government sovereignty project. The mistreatment of the Inuit involved caused them to be known as the High Arctic Exiles.

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Grise Fiord/Auyuittuq. Situated on the south end of Ellesmere Island, meaning, ‘place that never thaws,’ Grise Fiord is Nunavut’s smallest community of about 150 people, where hunting and traditional activities are still strong and friendliness the order of the day. © Nick Newbery/Government of Nunavut (6) Kimmirut, meaning ‘looks like a heel,’ is situated on the south end of Katannilik Territorial Park on Baffin Island. Due to its location the people of the area were among the first Inuit to work with European whalers in the 19th century. Later it was a site for a small boat building project run by the Hudson’s Bay Co. Once famous for its scrimshaw, nowadays it is well-known for its apple green soapstone carvings.

Qikiqtarjuaq. Situated on an island off the east coast of Qikiqtaaluk, this small community with strong ties to the land is located at the north end of Auyuittuq National Park. Meaning ‘big island,’ nearby was the home of FOX-5, a Distant Early Warning Line and now a North Warning System site.

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CELEBRATING NUNAVUT’S 20TH

“Sedna”

by Pauloosie Paniloo, from Clyde River, Nunavut, (1943-2007) © Doris Ohlmann (3)

Our Life in Stone In 1999 the Government of Nunavut sponsored a ‘large carving project’ in downtown Iqaluit. Artists from all over Canada participated in Nunavut’s first sculpting symposium called, “Our Life in Stone.” The two-year project involved 46 sculptors.

Organized by the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association with funding from the Canada Council for the Arts and numerous corporate sponsors, many of the carvings can be found outside the Nunavut Arctic College Department of Fine Arts and Crafts.

Here, a selection of the sculptures that depict iconic Inuit themes. They are presented in celebration of Nunavut’s 20th anniversary this year.

Sculpture of a seal

by Maarten Schaddele, from Victoria, British Columbia, (1947-).

A participant in the one-month sculpting symposium “Our Life in Stone” in Iqaluit, Nunavut. Maarten was chosen from B.C. to join other sculptors from across Canada.

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"Polar Bear"

by Paul Malliki, from Igloolik, Nunavut, (1956-)

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CELEBRATING NUNAVUT’S 20TH

“Set Free”

by Inuk Charlie, from Cape Manson (northeast of Taloyoak, Nunavut, (1956-).

Iqaluit, Pedestrian Walkway Project, Post Office stone seating area. © Doris Ohlmann (3)

“Bird” carving by Ruben Komangapik from Iqaluit, Nunavut, (1976-)

Stone couple walking together

by Randy Sibbeston, from Fort Simpson, NWT, (1970-)

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SCIENCE

Permafrost mapping Navigating a changing landscape

By Leighann Chalykoff

Over decades, people of the Jean Marie River area of the Northwest Territories have noticed changes in the land, water, and animals on their traditional territory.

Remains of a permafrost mound (palsa) surrounded by wet plains and ponds. This pond (centre of the photo) used to be a permafrost mound that was several metres high that Elders used as a landmark. The frozen ground has thawed and only some edges of the permafrost mound remain, making the area very difficult to access in the spring, summer and fall. © Cyrielle Laurent

“Elders in the community are concerned about what they see happening in the environment,” says Margaret Ireland, Resource Management Coordinator at Jean Marie River First Nation. “They see trees falling over; they feel the Mackenzie River warming, and they notice the river fish have softer flesh.”

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As well, the distinct frost heaves called palsas — mounds of permafrost soil that once towered up to six metres — have collapsed. Some have even disappeared.

The palsas acted as landmarks for wayfinding, so changes like this have impacted the way people navigate while hunting, trapping, and harvesting on their traditional lands.

First-hand knowledge of changes in the landscape, borne from a connection to the area that reaches back many generations, is key to an ongoing Yukon College research project that identifies areas of permafrost vulnerability in northern communities.

“Information from community members and elders helps us to understand how the land is changing over time and what that means to the people,” says Cyrielle Laurent, a GIS Specialist with the Northern Climate ExChange at Yukon College.

“We work side-by-side with the community and the whole relationship is based on an exchange. They share their knowledge and we share our knowledge.”

This mapping project integrates community knowledge with scientific research, such as soil and water sampling, to create maps that characterize a region’s permafrost and rank its likeliness to thaw — from no vulnerability to high vulnerability.

The study covers about 940 square kilometres in Jean Marie River. Permafrost covers about 50 percent of that area. In some parts, that permafrost is substantially degraded, and that means the land can be more unpredictable.

So far, nine communities have been mapped: Dawson City, Ross River, Burwash Landing and Destruction Bay, Old Crow, Faro, Pelly Crossing and Mayo in Yukon, and Jean Marie River and

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Jonas Sanguez and Fabrice Calmels drill a three-metre deep bore hole on the Jean Marie River First Nation traditional territory. © Cyrielle Laurent

Dettah in the NWT. Those maps have been collected into an atlas, which can be found online through Yukon College’s Yukon Research Centre.

These maps can be used as a starting point to guide future development in each area. A community could use the map — in concert with other tools such as geophysical surveys — in their planning process to determine the best spots to build infrastructure like housing and roads, and which foundations for building would be best suited to the permafrost conditions underground.

“It doesn’t mean that you cannot build in areas of higher vulnerability, but it would likely be more difficult and more expensive,” says Laurent.

Thawing permafrost can lead to unpredictable movement in the land, and that can lead to damage to infrastructure. It can also affect areas that are important for traditional uses, such as hunting and trapping, and that can impact a community’s way of life and threaten food security.

“The overall drive for the project came from our elders; they tasked me to find out as much as I could about what’s happening on our land,” says Ireland. “It’s been an exciting study because we are all growing and learning together.”

Visit the atlas at: https://yukoncollege.maps. arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid= e034cb44769d430baf88f434bd1e0aa7 2019 | 04

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SPORT

Recreation North Training Program

By Amanda Grobbecker and Caroline Sparks

As an Arctic Inspiration Prize laureate, Recreation North believes that recreation has the power to help people grow and be healthy and to build strong families and communities. The prestigious award recognized the opportunity to influence quality of life through a recreation leadership training program that would be accessible and sustainable across Nunavut, NWT, and Yukon. Since receiving the prize in January 2016, the partnership of the three territorial recreation and parks associations has developed, tested, and now offers training that is relevant and accessible to Indigenous and Northern communities.

Out for a gorgeous walk in Sanikiluaq, Nunavut. © Quentin Sala

Reaching all three territories through one program is not an easy undertaking. The commitment to strengthening recreation leadership competencies through the application of knowledge and skill, while meeting the needs of diverse learners requires innovative approaches and creative use of technology.

Although new to many, remote (or distance) training offers the opportunity to learn without leaving one’s family, work, and community. “It is a really good opportunity even though I had to learn to deal with the computer. It (the training) developed my skills. Even what you think you know… there’s more to it,” says Jolene Kigusiutnar from Arviat.

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Recreation North’s Training Program “is flexible and works around people’s schedules and is online in blocks. This is really good — you can work around busy schedules and complete certification at a reasonable pace in a reasonable way,” offers Jason Tologanak from Rankin Inlet.

Despite being new, impacts from the recreation leadership training are noticeable.

Twenty-four people from 22 communities participated in the first year with 10 completing the required training and receiving a Certificate in Northern Recreation Leadership.

Upon completing his certificate, Nyasha Kamera of Pond Inlet reflects on the training: “It was a marathon of informative, relevant, and practical learning which gave me a

better understanding of how the Northern recreation system works. The courses were tailored for the North and covered every important aspect, including planning, finances, being a strong leader, getting to know your community, how to promote programs and events, proposal writing, and managing risk in remote situations.”

The right training at the right time is critical as Rob McPhie, a heavy equipment operator turned Recreation Manager, discovered. Rob’s supervisor, CAO Kathy Clark explains that, “As a result of taking this training, my employee gained confidence and was better able to do the programming.

He was able to apply what was learned instantaneously and I see him do it daily. It was incredible!”

In year two, the value of training that can be applied to each learner’s context is evident. More than 50 people have taken advantage of the training for professional and personal reasons. “Reading is a great way to learn but doing is what works best for me. The discussion board was a strength, as well, because everyone had different ideas and it helped me view certain activities with a new understanding,” says Sarah Nichol from Fort Smith.

Recreation North’s curriculum is based on 13 foundational competencies for leading in community recreation. Training is grounded in priorities of the Framework for Recreation in Canada and inclusive of a range of learning and teaching styles and Indigenous perspectives. The program is delivered through a series of micro learning events

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Nyasha receives his Certificate in Northern Recreation Leadership from Executive Director Dawn Currie and Scott Schutz. © Recreation and Parks Association of Nunavut

that take place over two weeks and include two conference calls that connect learners with one another.

Recreation North’s trainers believe that the real learning comes from the group of participants. Learning events are designed and facilitated to encourage interaction.

“The input and discussions from the calls are what I always look forward to. Learning with like-minded people is one thing that I really enjoy as well,” agrees Alina Lizotte from Hay River.

In November 2018, Recreation North launched its full training program with open registration for more than 20 learning events. Some people choose one or two learning events, while others choose to take the 12 required for a certificate. Access to relevant and practical knowledge is important for Northerners. Glenn Guevara from Inuvik comments, "When I work and concentrate in a specific environment which is LTC (long-term care), I forget to step back and look at the bigger picture. This course ‘knowing our community’ makes me aware and familiar of ‘recreation’ in a big picture.

As a result, I can be more motivated and more effective in my work and in the community."

Recreation North takes a break over the summer months with training resuming in September 2019. The full schedule and details on how to register can be found at www.recnorth.ca.

Amanda Grobbecker is Program Manager from Recreation North and Caroline Sparks is a Learning Consultant for the Program.

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An aerial photo of the Mackenzie River Basin. © Pat Kane

From Water to Web Connecting freshwater data across Canada’s largest watershed

By Lindsay Day

The Mackenzie River — also known as the Deh Cho, meaning “Big River” in the Slavey language of the Dene — is Canada’s longest river. Flowing north and draining into the Arctic Ocean, the river and its tributaries drain some 1.8 million square kilometres — roughly one-fifth of Canada’s landmass.

Ramona Fordy, community water monitor from Deninu K’ue First Nation. © The Gordon Foundation

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Tracking the health of the interconnected waterways, lakes and wetlands that sustain this vast and ecologically significant region is important, especially in the face of climate change. But finding ways to connect information gathered by a multitude of monitoring programs across jurisdictions is a persistent challenge.

Different types of information and knowledge have different protocols for sharing. When it comes to western scientific water quality data — which is one important piece of the puzzle — open access tools like Mackenzie DataStream are transforming how this information can be mobilized to understand changes over time and inform stewardship decisions.

Developed through a unique collaboration between The Gordon Foundation and the Government of the Northwest Territories, Mackenzie DataStream is an online data-sharing platform that is free and open for anyone to use. Built with communities, researchers and decisionmakers at all levels in mind, DataStream provides userfriendly access to information that would otherwise take considerable time, resources and expertise to collate.

This is especially valuable for communities that have long relied on the health of aquatic ecosystems within the basin. “Our people live near the water and they live off the water,” says Rosy Bjornson, Environment and A B O V E & B E Y O N D — C A N A D A’ S A R C T I C J O U R N A L

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H E A LT H

— “Water is the most important resource I work with,” says Bjornson.

—

Lands Manager at Deninu K’ue First Nation in Fort Resolution, Northwest Territories.

Located on the south shores of Great Slave Lake in the heart of the Mackenzie basin, Fort Resolution is one of 21 communities that participates in the Northwest Territories-wide community-based water quality monitoring program coordinated by the Government of the Northwest Territories. The data collected through the program is published on DataStream where it can be accessed alongside monitoring results shared by other watershed groups and First Nations from Northern British Columbia and Alberta.

“DataStream makes it easier to find the data that’s out there and to connect results in meaningful ways,” explains Carolyn DuBois, Water Program Director at The Gordon Foundation. In addition to communitygenerated data, Mackenzie DataStream also hosts monitoring results gathered through academic research projects and long-term government programs. To date, nearly half a million unique water monitoring results are available, collected from over 600 different locations within the basin.

“Communities are excited to get their hands on some of these datasets,” says DuBois. “You could only have five years of community collected water data, but you might have 40 to 50 years of long-term government monitoring. So, this is valuable information.”

Taken together, and used alongside other forms of knowledge, this data contributes to a more complete picture of freshwater health in the Mackenzie Basin, where water is central to the way of life.

“Water is the most important resource I work with,” says Bjornson.

“We have to be able to collaborate when it comes to making sure the water is healthy for future generations.”

DataStream is free and open for anyone to use.

Visit www.DataStream.org to learn more.

Lindsay Day is a DataStream Coordinator with The Gordon Foundation.

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An igloo built during Toonik Tyme stands against the sky in Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park.

Toonik Tyme Celebrating Inuit traditions and a return to Spring Text and photos by Jason Nugent

Toonik Tyme in Nunavut takes place in April, an annual festival in Iqaluit celebrating Inuit traditions and a return to Spring. The festival is volunteer-run, and I am privileged to take part in some of the festivities this year, including a dogsled tour, spending time with local artisans, and learning the proper way to build an igloo.

Dog sledding is an experience that I first had years ago while in Norway. Since then it has stuck with me and I was very much looking forward to doing it again in Nunavut. It absolutely lives up to expectations, but the differences are enough to make me a novice again. The dogs are harnessed very differently in Nunavut, with a fan approach; each dog is tied back to a central point just in front of a traditional sled called a qamutiq. It’s attached this way so hunters can quickly release their dogs to encircle prey, allowing the hunter to get into position and take the animal.

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The Inuit sled dogs are incredible, powerfully pulling our sleds over the ice of Frobisher Bay. The runners on the sled fly effortlessly over the ice, and when we turn back towards Iqaluit, the prevailing wind is in my face, and I imagine myself spending long days racing across the tundra. The sunlight on this day is fleeting, but when it does poke through the clouds, it creates fantastic bursts of light that shine on distant mountains; the interplay of bright and dark create scenes a photographer like me dream of.

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C U LT U R E

Above: Detail from a carved sculpture on display at the Nunavut Research Institute in Iqaluit.

The ornate head of the ceremonial mace of the Nunavut Legislative Assembly, made from silver, lapis lazuli and other semiprecious stones.

The crown component of the Legislative mace was created by Mathew Nuqingaq.

Centre: Mathew Nuqingaq, wearing his distinctive polar bear claw necklace, fabricates a piece of jewellery in his studio.

If you’re out on the ice and tundra for a whole day dog sledding, you may find yourself looking for a place to spend the night.

You may want to build an igloo. I visit Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park with Martine Dupont, Director of “Awesomeness” with Inukpak Outfitting, where I am given a brief introduction into the importance of igloo construction.

I learn how to choose a site based on how the snow has drifted, and how to determine if the snow is suitable. If the snow is too soft, you won’t be able to cut firm blocks for your walls and your igloo will fall apart. Because of their density, the snow blocks are heavy, and it is sweaty work. During Toonik Tyme, there is an igloo building competition where teams race to see who can build one the fastest. Martine and her partner were able to win the competition by completing their igloo in 41 minutes!

I also spend time speaking with local artisans. I am very fortunate to visit with Mathew Nuqingaq, a well-known local artist. He calls himself, “The Metal Guy” and creates beautiful earrings, sun-

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glasses, and rings from a variety of materials, including silver and copper. If you’ve been to the Legislative Assembly and have seen Nunavut’s ceremonial mace, then you’ve seen some of Mathew’s work. He’s exhibited all over the world.

Metal is far from the only material being used in Nunavut. Many artists create incredible sculptures from serpentine and soapstone and adorn their work with precious and semi-precious stones like garnet, amethyst, and lapis lazuli, all of which are found in the territory. A visit to the Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum is a must, as its collection of Inuit artifacts and art is free to see and is attended by friendly, knowledgeable staff. There is an excellent gift shop full of work created by local artists, as well.

During my visit, it amazes me just how tightly interconnected everything is. It’s impossible to experience the beautiful scenery of the Arctic without being forever grateful that the people who call this place home are willing to share so much.

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BOOKSHELF

Canada C3 Connecting Canadians: Coast to Coast to Coast Edited by Geoff Green & James Raffan Students on Ice, October 2018 This Coffee Table Book is a commemorative look at the historic 150-day, 25,000 km Northwest Passage journey that connected Canada and Canadians from Coast to Coast to Coast during Canada’s 150th Anniversary of Confederation year.

Brimming with insightful essays, journal entries, poetry and songs, as well as stunning photography and artwork, Canada C3: Connecting Canadians Coast to Coast to Coast is a portrait of generosity and effective collaboration and a pan-Canadian chorus of voices that challenge us to collectively cherish but to continue building a country very much still in the making.

Available in English and French, with every purchase, you support Canada C3 Legacy initiatives and the important work of the Students on Ice Foundation.

Birds of Nunavut Edited by James M. Richards and Anthony J. Gaston University of British Columbia Press November 2018 Birds of Nunavut is a two-volume set that represents the first complete survey of every bird species known to occur in the territory.

It is co-written by a team of 18 avid birders and experts who have conducted a combined total of 300 seasons of fieldwork in Nunavut. They document 295 species of birds (of which 145 are known to breed there), presenting a wealth of information on identification, distribution, ecology, behaviour, and conservation.

Birds of Nunavut is lavishly illustrated with over 800 colour photographs (showing plumages, nests, eggs, and young for most breeding species) and 145 range maps. It is a visually stunning reference work on the birds that live in and visit Nunavut.

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The Qaggiq Model: Toward a Theory of Inuktut Knowledge Renewal Janet Tamalik McGrath Nunavut Arctic College February 2019 A qaggiq, or large communal iglu, is a place of community renewal and celebration. The Qaggiq process has always been used to share news and knowledge, and to enjoy feasts and friendly skillbuilding competitions. They are also forums for community justice and healing work.

In The Qaggiq Model, Janet Tamalik McGrath considers how the structure and symbolism of the qaggiq can be used to understand Inuit-centred methodologies toward enhanced well-being in Inuit communities. Drawing on interviews with the late philosopher and Inuk elder Mariano Aupilarjuk, along with her own life-long experiences, McGrath bridges Inuktut and Western academic ways of knowing. It is through an understanding of Inuktut knowledge renewal, McGrath argues, that the impacts of colonialism and capitalism can be more effectively critiqued in Inuit Nunangat.

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INUIT FORUM

© Blair Gable

Effective Climate Action Begins with a Plan Our lives are already impacted by the uncertainties of a rapidly accelerating global climate crisis. New dangers threaten daily activities in Inuit Nunangat, such as hunting and fishing, and there is a ripple effect on our livelihoods, local economies and the learning and development of our youth. Our National Inuit Climate Change Strategy, released in early June in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, advocates for the implementation of local, regional, national, and international climate policies that we know can measurably improve our quality of life and safeguard our unique cultural and social needs.

The Strategy, developed collaboratively with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., Makivik Corporation, and the Nunatsiavut Government, outlines ways current and future partners can work with Inuit on climate change. It outlines our vision for working collaboratively with outside partners to strengthen the resilience and sustainability of our communities in the face of a changing climate. The actions we are pursuing are grounded in the advancement of our rights and self-determination.

We have now lost almost 40 percent of our sea ice cover, and shipping activity in the Northwest Passage has shown increasing trends in the last decade. It is projected that in 30 years most of our marine areas will be free of ice altogether for at least one month every summer, with multiyear ice from the High Arctic drifting into ice free areas and presenting significant marine navigation hazards. A recent assessment by the Arctic Council warns that if we continue our current emissions path, we will lose the chance to stabilize Arctic sea ice loss and permafrost thaw within a decade.

Hunters are particularly vulnerable as wildlife patterns become more difficult to predict and ice conditions deteriorate. Inuit children born today are already occupying a world their great-grandparents wouldn’t recognize. Within the next 10 years, even if global greenhouse gas emissions were reduced immediately, the annual mean temperature in Inuit Nunangat is projected to rise to nearly 2°C. Coordinated action to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change is essential. We are determined to shape climate policies so that they reflect Inuit priorities rather than adding to the socio-economic inequities we already face.

Already, in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR), traditional underground freezer storage is no longer safe due to warming temperatures.

Fortunately, Inuvialuit have found new ways to ensure traditional food is available to community members. The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation is investing in industrial community freezers, promoting renewable energy use and creating potential training opportunities for solar energy installation and maintenance.

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5 Energy

1 &Knowledge Capacity 2 Health,

Well-being & the Environment

4 Infrastructure 3 Food Systems

The National Inuit Climate Change Strategy addresses the complex connections between five priority areas and furthers self-determined Inuit climate decision-making, food and energy security, links between the environment and Inuit health and well-being, and closing the profound infrastructure gaps that compound the impacts of climate change in Inuit Nunangat. © ITK

In Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet), youth are working together with leaders, Elders and others to study gastrointestinal illnesses and pathogens that are becoming more frequent as the climate warms. Pairing science with Inuit knowledge and principles, youth are advancing climate science in their community and region.

These are just some examples of how Inuit are taking action on climate change. But we can’t do it alone. It will take unprecedented partnerships and hard work to reduce the harm being done to our homeland, and the planet. The National Inuit Climate Change Strategy can guide us all in this work. Our children and grandchildren are depending on us. We can’t let them down.

Natan Obed

President, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami

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