2015 | 05 • $5.95
What I Saw 40 Years of NWT on Film
Bernhard Hantzsch An Exploratory Journey to Baffin Island
PM40050872
o www.arcticjournal.ca
The First Moment Polar Bear Birthing Areas
“Arctic Greenhouse” Ancient Landscapes and Ecosystems
Jobie Tukkiapik / JW bexW4
Brock Friesen / XÇ4 K‰n8
Dear Guest, It is a time of change and some very exciting initiatives, as we continue to transition our business model and operations for improved financial and operational performance. Air transportation in the North has been unsustainable for quite a while. Overcapacity, inefficiencies, low utilization of aircraft and very steep operating costs have led to an unhealthy state of business for most Northern airlines. Limited return on investment for shareholders means little or no investment in modernizing the fleet and less potential for growth. At First Air, we believe that an airline has to be self-sufficient. We run a business and need to be able to grow and invest. We have been very fortunate with the support from our shareholder Makivik during some difficult past years. It is now time to change. We would like to be able to return to profitability for all our stakeholders, including you as our Customer. First Air has implemented separate agreements to codeshare (see inside this issue on page 13 for more information about the codeshare program). Codeshare agreements are a breakthrough, allowing the creation of a flight schedule that provides more air travel choices and improved connectivity in Northern hubs. The codeshare schedule also creates opportunities for new operating efficiencies, critical for sustaining operations over the long term. As customers, you will benefit from codesharing. As we change First Air, our goal to modernize and standardize our fleet has meant a tremendous amount of activity in the first half of 2015. Fleet simplification allowed us to focus on the renewal and upgrade of our ATR-42 fleet with the acquisition of more ATR-42-500's over the next three years. We recently welcomed the arrival of the first of our newly acquired ATR-42's, which landed in Ottawa on June 18. Our ATR’s are newer generation 500-series that are “a first” in Canada. These aircraft fly faster, have a more modern flight deck and provide more cargo payload and effectiveness with planned fixed combi configurations. Type certification, modifications and training requirements will see this new aircraft online in early 2016. We look forward to further strengthening the Airline of the North and thank you for your support. Welcome onboard and enjoy your flight with us today!
Brock Friesen First Air President & CEO
ᑐᕌᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᑭᒪᔪᓄᑦ,
ᐊᓯᔾᔨᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᑎᑦᑎᓕᕋᑦᑕ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓚᖏᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓕᖅᑐᑕ ᓈᒻᒪᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ, ᑲᔪᓯᑎᑦᑎᒋᐊᕐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᒋᔭᑦᑕ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᖅᑎᑕᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᖏᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᓂᐅᓕᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐱᐅᓯᒋᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓕᕆᓂᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᓂᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᐅᓯᕆᕙᒃᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ.
ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᐊᔭᕈᑎᖃᖅᐸᓐᓂᖅ ᐊᑯᓂᑲᓪᓚᒻᒪᕆᒃ ᓈᒻᒪᑦᓯᐊᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᐃᓕᓯᒪᓕᓚᐅᕐᒪᑦ. ᐅᖓᑎᓗᐊᖓᓄᐊᖅᓯᒪᓕᓚᐅᕐᒪᑕ ᐃᑭᒪᔪᓐᓇᖅᑎᑕᐅᕙᒃᑐᑦ, ᓈᒻᒪᒍᖕᓃᖅᓯᒪᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᑕᐅᓂᕆᔭᖏᑦ, ᒥᑭᓗᐊᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᕙᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖁᑦᑎᒃᑐᒻᒪᕆᐅᓕᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᔾᔪᑎᒃᓴᓄᑦ ᐊᑭᒋᔭᐅᕙᒃᑐᑦ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᒍᖕᓃᕈᑕᐅᓯᒪᓕᕐᒪᑕ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᓐᓂᑲᓴᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥᐅᓂ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᕆᔭᐅᔪᓂ. ᒥᑭᓪᓕᒋᐊᖅᓯᒪᓕᕐᓂᖏᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᐃᑦ ᕿᑐᕐᒋᐅᖅᑎᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᓂᑦ ᐅᑎᕐᕕᐅᕙᓐᓂᖏᑦ ᑎᒍᒥᐊᖅᑎᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᑐᑭᖃᕐᒪᑦ ᒥᑭᓗᐊᓕᓚᐅᕐᓂᖏᑕ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔾᔭᒃᓴᓂᖃᕈᓐᓇᓚᐅᖖᒋᓐᓂᖏᑕ ᓄᑕᐅᓕᕆᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᓂᐅᔪᓂᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖁᑎᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᕈᖅᑎᑕᐅᒋᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᓐᓇᐃᓕᓪᓗᑎᒃ. ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐊᒃᑯᓐᓂ, ᐅᒃᐱᕈᓱᒃᑲᑦᑕ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᕆᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᓂᖃᕈᓐᓇᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖏᓂᒃ. ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᒋᔭᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᓂᖃᕋᑦᑕ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᕈᖅᑎᒋᐊᕈᓐᓇᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᑎᒍᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᑎᒍᑦ ᕿᑐᕐᖏᐅᑎᑕᐅᓂᖃᕆᐊᖃᒪᑕ. ᓈᒻᒪᓈᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᕐᐳᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᓚᐅᕐᓂᕗᑦ ᑎᒍᒥᐊᖅᑎᐅᖃᑕᐅᔪᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᒪᑭᕕᒃᑯᓐᓂᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᓄᑦ ᐊᒥᓱᕐᓚᐅᓕᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᓂᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᑕ. ᑕᐃᒪᓕ ᐅᓪᓗᒥᐅᓕᖅᑐᒥ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔭᕆᐊᖃᓕᕐᒪᑕ ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ. ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖁᑎᒋᔭᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᑮᓇᐅᔾᔭᒃᓴᓂᖃᓕᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᒪᒐᑦᑕ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᓯᒪᓗᑎᒍᑦ ᑕᒪᕐᒥᒃ ᑎᒍᒥᐊᖅᑎᒋᔭᕗᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ, ᐃᓚᖃᕐᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓕᑦᓯᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᖅᐸᒃᑐᓂᒃ. ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐊᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᑐᓕᖅᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᓕᕐᒪᑕ ᐃᓛᒃᑰᑎᑕᐅᓯᒪᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᖏᕈᑎᒋᔭᐅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᐅᓯᖃᑦᑕᕐᑎᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒥᖅᑲᖃᑎᒌᓕᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ (ᑕᑯᓗᒋᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᔭᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑖᒃᑯᓇᓂ ᐅᖃᓕᒫᒐᕐᓂ ᒪᒃᐱᕋᖓ 13-ᒥ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᓯᖃᑦᑕᖅᑎᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒥᖅᑲᖃᑎᒌᓕᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒥᒃ). ᐅᓯᖃᑦᑕᖅᑎᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒥᖅᑲᖃᑎᒌᓐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᖏᕈᑎᐅᓯᒪᓕᖅᑐᑦ ᓴᖅᑮᔾᔪᑎᐅᓯᒪᓕᕈᓐᓇᓚᐅᕐᒪᑕ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᑎᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᓄᑦ, ᐱᑕᖃᓕᕈᑎᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᖃᖓ ᖃᖓᑕᕙᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᖏᓄᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᔭᐅᑎᓂᒃ ᐊᒥᓱᐃᖅᑕᕐᓂᖅᓴᐅᓗᑎᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᐅᓯᒋᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᓯᒪᓕᖅᑐᑎᒃ ᐊᓯᖏᓄᑦ ᐃᑭᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᑎᑭᑕᐅᕙᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᐃᑭᔪᓐᓇᓕᖅᑎᑕᐅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᐅᓯᖃᑦᑕᖅᑎᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒥᖅᑲᖃᑎᒌᓕᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᖃᖓᑐᓲᑦ ᑎᑭᕝᕕᒋᕙᒃᑕᖏᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᐱᑕᑐᖃᓕᕈᑕᐅᒋᕗᑦ ᓄᑖᑎᒍᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᓂᖃᕈᓐᓇᓕᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᖕᓂᖅᓴᐅᔪᑎᒍᑦ, ᑕᐃᒪᐅᑎᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᓪᓚᕆᒃᑐᑎᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᓂᖃᕈᓐᓇᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᑯᓃᖅᑐᒧᑦ. ᐃᑭᒪᕙᒃᑐᑦᑕᐅᖅ, ᑕᒪᒃᑯᓇᖖᒐᑦ ᐅᓯᖃᑦᑕᖅᑎᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒥᖅᑲᖃᑎᒌᓕᕐᓂᕐᓂᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓕᕐᓂᐊᕐᒥᖕᒪᑕ. ᐊᓯᔾᔩᒋᐊᖅᓯᒪᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᑕ ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐊᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖏᓂᒃ, ᑐᕌᕐᕕᒃᓴᖃᕐᓂᕗᑦ ᓄᑕᐅᓕᖅᑎᑦᑎᒋᐊᖅᓯᒪᓕᓂᒃᓴᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᓕᖅᑎᑦᑎᒋᐊᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᕆᔭᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᑐᑭᖃᓚᐅᕐᒪᑦ ᐊᖏᔪᒻᒪᕆᖕᒥᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖃᓕᓚᐅᕐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ 2015 ᐅᑭᐅᖓ ᐊᑐᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᓇᑉᐸᓪᓗᐊᖓᓂ. ᖃᖓᑕᓲᑦᑕ ᐊᐅᓚᑕᐅᓂᕆᕙᒃᑕᖏᑕ ᐃᖢᐊᖅᓯᒋᐊᖅᑕᐅᓂᖏᑎᒍᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᓯᓚᐅᕋᑦᑕ ᓄᑕᐅᓕᖅᑎᑦᑎᒋᐊᕐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᐅᓯᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᕆᔭᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ATR-42-ᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᓯᒪᓕᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᓐᓇᓕᓚᐅᖅᖢᑕ ᐊᓯᒃᑲᓐᓂᖏᓂᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓂᒃ ATR-42-500-ᓂᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᑦ ᐱᖓᓱᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᐱᓯᒪᓕᓵᓚᐅᕋᑦᑕ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖅᑖᓵᓂᒃ ATR-42-ᓂᒃ, ᒥᓚᐅᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᐋᑐᕙᒧᑦ ᔫᓂ 18ᖑᑎᓪᓗᒍ. ATR-ᖁᑎᒋᓕᖅᑕᕗᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᑦ ᓄᑕᐅᓂᖅᓴᐅᒻᒪᑕ 500-ᓂᒃ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᒃᑯᑕᖃᖅᑑᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ "ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐸᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ". ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᑦ ᓱᒃᑲᓕᓂᖅᓴᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᖃᕐᒪᑕ, ᓄᑕᐅᓂᖅᓴᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᑭᒪᕝᕕᖏᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᓯᕝᕕᒃᓴᖃᕐᓂᖏᑦ ᐊᖏᓂᖅᓴᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓈᒻᒪᖕᓂᖅᓴᑎᒍᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᑑᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓱᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓂᖃᕐᓂᖏᑦ. ᖃᓄᐃᑦᑑᓂᖏᓄᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᒃᑯᑕᐃᑦ, ᐋᖅᑭᒋᐊᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓂᖏᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᓕᒻᒪᒃᓴᔭᐅᓯᒪᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓃᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᕙᓐᓂᖏᑕ ᑖᒃᑯᓄᖓ ᓄᑖᖑᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔪᓐᓇᓕᕐᓂᐊᕐᒪᑕ ᐊᑐᓕᓵᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ 2016 ᐅᑭᐅᖓ.
ᓂᕆᐅᖕᓂᖃᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᓴᖖᒋᒃᑎᒋᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᓯᒪᓕᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᒃᓴᖏᑕ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥᐅᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖁᑎᒋᔭᖓᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᖅᐸᑦᑎᒋᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓯᒪᓂᑦᓯᓐᓄᑦ. ᑐᖖᒐᓱᒋᑦᓯ ᐃᑭᒪᑎᓪᓗᓯ ᐅᓪᓗᒥ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᑦᑎᓐᓂ!
ᐸᕌᒃ ᕗᕇᓴᓐ ᕘᔅᑎᐊᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖅ & ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᔨᒻᒪᕆᒃ
President, Makivik Corporation & Chairman, First Air xzJ6√6, mr=F4 fxS‰nzk5 x7m w4y?sb6, {5 wsf8k5 Président, Société Makivik et président du conseil, First Air
Chers invités, Nous sommes dans une période de changement, avec quelques initiatives très intéressantes, alors que nous poursuivons la transition de notre modèle d’entreprise et d’affaires en vue d’une meilleure performance financière et opérationnelle. Le transport aérien dans le Nord est depuis longtemps non viable. La surcapacité, les inefficacités, la sous-utilisation d’aéronefs et les coûts d’exploitation très élevés ont abouti à un état d’affaires malsain pour la plupart des lignes aériennes du Nord. Le rendement limité du capital investi pour les actionnaires signifie qu’il y a peu ou pas d’investissements pour la modernisation de la flotte et un potentiel de croissance plus faible. Chez First Air, nous croyons qu’une compagnie aérienne doit être autonome. Nous dirigeons une entreprise et nous devons pouvoir croître et investir. Nous avons été privilégiés par le soutien de notre actionnaire Makivik au cours de certaines années difficiles. Le temps est venu de changer. Nous aimerions être en mesure de rétablir notre rentabilité pour tous nos actionnaires, y compris pour vous-même, notre client. First Air a mis en œuvre des accords distincts de partage de code (pour de plus amples renseignements sur le programme de partage de code, consultez la page 13 de la présente publication). Les accords de partage de code sont révolutionnaires; ils permettent l’établissement d’un horaire de vols fournissant plus de choix de vols aériens et une meilleure connectivité dans les aéroports pivots du Nord. L’horaire en partage de code crée aussi des possibilités pour de nouvelles efficacités d’exploitation qui sont essentielles pour le maintien des opérations à long terme. Comme clients, vous profiterez du partage de code. Au fur et à mesure que First Air se transforme, nous visons en même temps à moderniser et à normaliser notre flotte qui a connu un énorme volume d’activités pendant le premier semestre de 2015. La simplification de la flotte nous a permis de nous concentrer sur la rénovation et la modernisation de nos aéronefs ATR-42 et nous permettra d’acquérir d’autres ATR-42-500 au cours des trois prochaines années. Nous avons reçu récemment le premier de nos ATR-42, qui a atterri à Ottawa le 18 juin. L’ATR est la nouvelle génération de la série 500, « une première » au Canada. Ces aéronefs volent plus vite, sont munis d’un poste de pilotage plus moderne et fournissent plus de charge utile et plus d’efficacité, grâce à la planification des configurations structurelles mixtes. En raison des exigences relatives au certificat d'homologation de type, aux modifications et à la formation, ce nouvel aéronef entrera en service au début de 2016. Nous espérons renforcer davantage la ligne aérienne du Nord et nous vous remercions de votre soutien. Bienvenue à bord, et bon vol avec nous aujourd’hui!
Brock Friesen Président-directeur général de First Air
srs6b6g3u4 czb˙oEp7mEst4vFs4. We value your support and thank you for making First Air The Airline of the North. Nous apprécions votre soutien et vous remercions de votre appui à First Air la ligne aérienne du Nord.
Like us!
/firstair
Book online at firstair.ca or call 1 800 267 1247
In the News
Nunavut Day events on July 9, 2015 were well attended by Iqalummiut despite the dreary weather this year. For the first time in Nunavut — the Canadian iconic BeaverTails® handed out their tasty pastries courtesy of First Air. Approximately 1,200 BeaverTails® were consumed by hungry and happy folk. First Air was pleased to play a part in this important celebration for Nunavummiut.
© JONATHAN KISCHEL (2)
First Air also held a jellybean-guessing contest that day. Chantalle Doiron was the winner (737). Brian Tattuinee, First Air Manager of Sales, presented her with the prize of a pair of First Air tickets.
Bringing warmth to inspiring and traditional creations In June, First Air once again partnered with Canada Goose to bring fabric and other sewing materials to Pond Inlet to be distributed as part of the Canada Goose Resource Centres program. The program provides traditional Inuit seamstresses with supplies to use in the making of Arctic clothing. Goose Person Meeka Atagootak, along with Rebecca Kiliktee, was the inspiration behind the creation of the Canada Goose Resource Centres program. This year’s visit was filled with extraordinary people, epic views of sweeping icy landscapes and beautifully crafted jackets made with Canada Goose’s Arctic Tech fabric.
© CARRIE BAKER (3)
Sharing Canadian icons
From the Flight Deck What are crosswinds?
An ATR-42 landing in a light crosswind in Arctic Bay, Nunavut.
When we assess the crosswind we look at two things — the wind direction (or more precisely, how far off our nose it’s blowing) and the wind speed. The stronger the wind, or the further it is away from the nose of the aircraft, the stronger the crosswind. The best way to picture crosswinds is to imagine crossing a river with a strong current. If you want to swim straight across the river, you have to plan ahead. If you simply point directly across the river and start swimming, you would actually be swept downriver by the current. By the time you reach the opposite shore, you would not be directly across from where you started. To swim straight across, you would actually have to point slightly upriver. In the air, we do the same thing. If we point the nose into the wind at the right angle, we end up flying “sideways” over the ground but our path matches the one we want. If you look at a line of aircraft landing in a strong crosswind you will see that their noses don’t actually point down the runway while they are flying their approach. Flying sideways like this is quite normal and is referred to as ‘crabbing’. Crabbing works really well while we are airborne but it isn’t an option during takeoff and landing. For takeoff and landing, we have to ensure the nose of the aircraft is lined up with the runway (otherwise the
© BAFFIN PHOTOGRAPHY/JASON MILLER
Normally, we always plan to take off and land with the aircraft pointing directly into the wind. Unfortunately, sometimes the winds blow in a direction other than right down the runway. Whenever there is some element of the wind that blows across the runway, the situation is described as a crosswind. Landing in a crosswind is perfectly safe but it does present some additional challenges for pilots. wheels don’t roll very well) but we also have to make sure we don’t let the winds push us sideways either. To do this pilots have to make use of all the controls available. On the back of the vertical part of the tail (or the fin) is a movable flap called the rudder. The rudder is the key to landing in a crosswind and lets us keep the aircraft moving straight, with the nose pointed down the runway, despite the effects of the crosswind. (If you pay really close attention you might even notice that either the left or right landing gear ends up touching down slightly before the other.) The rudder can only do so much though, so there is a limit to how strong the crosswind can be and still let us line up for landing. Our aircraft are able to handle crosswinds up to around 75 or 80 kph, which normally is more than enough, but anyone that’s spent some time in the Arctic knows that Mother Nature doesn’t always respect that speed limit. After landing, a crosswind affects the aircraft in a couple of ways. The most obvious is that the wind is still trying to push the aircraft off to the side of the runway (the same way a strong wind can push your car while driving down the highway). The other issue is that, thanks to the design of the tail, an airplane on the ground behaves much like a large wind vane — the nose is always trying to
point into the wind. Normally there is enough friction between the tires and the runway to overcome these effects but runways that are covered in snow, ice or water can get quite slippery. Pilots have several charts that allow us to adjust our maximum crosswind value from the normal 80 kph down to a safe value based on the runway surface. As you can see, crosswinds have a significant effect on an aircraft but with careful planning we can still safely land and take off. There are lots of variables though that change from day to day. A strong crosswind in the summer, with a landing on a bare runway may not be an issue but the same crosswind in the winter, when the runway is icy, is an entirely different situation. Likewise, each aircraft type handles crosswinds differently. This is also why you may see one aircraft type still flying but a different type is stuck on the ground. 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. Captain Aaron Speer Director Flight Operations and Captain ATR First Air
Employee Spotlight Kenneth Kripanik In the summer of 2003, Kenneth tried out being Acting Station Coordinator when his Coordinator went on holidays. He gradually learned more and more and when his Coordinator and her family decided to leave Igloolik in November 2008, he became a full-time Station Coordinator. This December, Kenneth will have been with First Air for 14 years.
Kenneth began his career with First Air in December 2001. He started as a casual worker off loading freight that was arriving from various locations and helping with baggage handling. He quickly became a part-time employee, completed his training and was certified in October 2002.
When not working at First Air, Kenneth loves playing volleyball and has been participating in games since he was 16 years old. He’s been a team member on at least eight open men’s volleyball tournaments in Iqaluit, Pangnirtung, Igloolik and Rankin Inlet, as well as three times in Naujaat for a 30 and over tournament.
In the beginning he helped prepare tickets, wrote the passenger manifest and created waybills for shipments to be sent out. This was all done manually then, unlike today where computerization has helped to streamline the processes.
Throughout his career, Kenneth finds it very rewarding to see the smiling faces of those customers he has been able to serve. He looks forward to meeting you when you travel to Igloolik.
© JASON ANGILIRQ
Kenneth Kripanik is the Station Coordinator in Igloolik, Nunavut. He and his colleagues work together to ensure a safe and quick turnaround from the moment a plane arrives at his base. Kenneth can be found cheerfully making reservations for customers and helping passengers check-in. He also assists with cargo shipments, making sure they reach their correct destination.
Dedicated to being first in service — and our commitment to the communities and people we serve!
www.firstair.ca
2015 | 05 • $5.95
What I Saw 40 Years of NWT on Film
The First Moment Polar Bear Birthing Areas
“Arc c Greenhouse” Ancient Landscapes and Ecosystems
Bernhard Hantzsch An Exploratory Journey to Baffin Island
Contents 9
25
Volume 27, No. 5
PM40050872
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above&beyond ltd.,(aka above&beyond, Canada's Arctic Journal) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Air, and a media instrument intended solely to entertain and provide general information about the North. The views and opinions expressed in editorial content, advertisements, or by contributors, do not necessarily reflect the views, official positions or policies of First Air, its agents, or those of above&beyond magazine unless expressly stated. above&beyond ltd. does not assume any responsibility for any errors and/or omissions of any content in the publication. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited.
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Features
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31
What I Saw: 40 Years of NWT Adventures on Film
Imagine 40 years of visual memories in a pile. I decided to narrow my focus to only photos taken in what is today the Northwest Territories. — Fran Hurcomb
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Bernhard Hantzsch An Exploratory Journey to Baffin Island
Bernhard Hantzsch dreamed of becoming the first white person to cross Baffin Island in an explorative journey from east to west. — Wolfgang Opel (translated by Susanne Opel)
31
The First Moment Polar Bear Birthing Areas
The Hudson Bay coast is home to one of the most important polar bear birthing areas in the world. — Kelsey Eliasson
36
“Arctic Greenhouse” Reconstructing Ancient Landscapes and Ecosystems
We are in Axel Heiberg and Ellesmere islands to investigate how the Arctic has responded to past greenhouse phases throughout the Earth’s climatic history. — Claudia Schröder-Adams
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13 Codeshare
17 Living Above&Beyond 22 Resources
41 Adventure Skiing the Ashuyak Pass — Wendy Grater
44 Culture Square dance Showdown — Jessie Ajayi
46 Science The Arctic Institute — david Millar 51 Bookshelf
53 Inuit Forum Inuit Speak with a Louder Voice — Terry Audla 54 Guest Editorial — Peter Taptuna
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What I Saw 40 Years of NWT Adventures on Film Text and photos by Fran Hurcomb
Imagine 40 years of visual memories in a pile.
Fifty thousand negatives and slides, haphazardly organized in chronological order in binders, boxes, slide sheets and negatives files. On top of that, balance over a decade of digital files, stored terabyte by terabyte in a motley collection of hard drives, with informative titles like “2008-2011”. Ice carver at Long John Jamboree, Yellowknife 2014.
A B OV E & B E YO N D — C A N A DA’ S A RC T I C J O U R N A L
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Cook tent at Thor Lake mineral exploration camp, 1977.
T
o narrow this down to less than 100 “best” shots seemed an impossible undertaking, but I had a feeling this was the time to do it. To aid in
selection, I decided to narrow my focus to only photos taken in what is today the Northwest Territories. Shots from Nunavut and the Yukon were le for another time. Forty years in the North is a milestone. I was curious to see some of my favourite photos printed, hanging on a wall in chronological order, outlining what I had seen over the years. I was also keen to share these photos with fellow northerners and visitors. e past four decades have been a time of huge changes in the North, and I was curious to see how visible these changes would be in my work. I began my experimentation with film in Ottawa,
gravitated to black and white film, so as to define my photos, not as snapshots, but
when I was 21 years old and fresh out of university.
as potential art. A course called Basic Darkroom Techniques, taken at the University
My first camera, a used Yashica 35 mm with a 50 mm
of California in Davis, armed me with a few rudimentary skills and away I went.
lens, fascinated me and allowed me to believe that
When I drove into Yellowknife on the longest day (June 21) 1975, I had no idea
even I could look at the world in a special way. I quickly
that I was going to make my permanent home here. is was simply an adventure. I quickly discovered that this was a very different world from the one I was used to. Gone was the anonymity of the city. In Yellowknife, everyone said hello. My dreams of being a detached “street photographer” were laid to ruin. As it turned out, everyone I photographed either was a friend, became a friend, or was related to a friend. is still largely holds true today…the North is a small world. So, I simply proceeded to have an adventure and take photographs when I could. I was particularly interested in “bush life,” and spent many years living in cabins, chasing dogs (euphemism for having a dog team), checking fishnets and meeting an extraordinary cast of characters. Film was hard to come by and I missed countless great shots over those years. In that respect, photography is a lot like fishing…some big ones get away. I stayed with black and white film to begin, but occasionally splurged on slide film, some of it very poor quality. In 1977, I upgraded to a new camera, an Olympus OM1, the first compact SLR ever made. It was completely manual, which suited my rough lifestyle, and within a year I was even able to purchase a wide-angle lens. By the mid-eighties, I was firmly converted to colour slide film, mainly Kodachrome, and was indeed beginning to make a small name for myself as a
Judy Charlo of Dettah, hard at work on a moose hide, 2008.
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2015 | 05
My dog team on Campbell Lake, 1979.
Judy Lafferty making dry fish, Mackenzie River, 1985.
photographer. Opportunities to travel across the North taking photos opened up new worlds. My skills improved slowly but surely. Photography is a very personal art form. e photographer actually has to be there to take an image and no amount of technological wizardry can honestly replace this. I hope this glimpse into some of my favourite northern photos from the last 40 years will lead viewers to think about what has passed, and what is to come. e full exhibit of over 80 photos is on display at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre in Yellowknife until the end of September 2015. Frozen Inferno — uptown Yellowknife at minus 40, 2006.
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Philip Goulet repairs his canoe while his grandsons watch and learn. Goulet Bay, 1985.
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Meet our Boeing 737-400 combi Measuring close to 6 metres longer than the 737-200, the 400 offers more freight capacity, a quieter, smoother ride, and a fixed combi configuration. Powered for fuel efficiency, the 400 provides a greener air transportation solution.
codESHARE
First Air starts codesharing to provide customers with better schedules and to realize efficiencies Why has First Air chosen to introduce codeshare agreements?
With the high cost of operation in the North, most airlines lose money. It is our view that the scheduled service operations of several Northern airlines are not sustainable in the long term.
A codeshare agreement is a globally proven way of maintaining an airline’s service to its
customers while simultaneously unlocking opportunities for reducing operating costs and achieving new efficiencies. This is only possible through a certain level of cooperation between airlines.
In our view, codeshare agreements are a prudent, enlightened and less complex approach for creating a sustainable airline transportation system across the North.
A B oV E & B E Yo N d — c A N A dA’ S A Rc T I c J o u R N A L
© Baffin Photography/Jason Miller
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codESHARE
© canadian North
What is a codeshare agreement?
codeshare agreements are arrangements between two or more airlines sharing the same aircraft. This allows each carrier to publish and market the flight under its own airline designator and flight number. Although
a seat can be purchased from either airline, only one airline operates the flight. This airline is defined as the operating carrier and all other carriers are defined as marketing carriers.
The codeshare cooperation between First Air and Canadian North will focus on four areas:
• out of Yellowknife, the airlines will codeshare on services to Norman Wells, Inuvik, cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk.
• out of ottawa to Iqaluit, First Air will continue to operate at
9:15 each day and canadian North will depart ottawa at 12:45 with an evening departure from Iqaluit back to ottawa.
• The trans-territorial service from Iqaluit to Yellowknife via Rankin Inlet will be operated in codeshare.
• In Iqaluit, the two airlines will codeshare on First Air operated
routes to Pond Inlet, Qikiqtarjuaq, Pangnirtung and clyde River.
14
© calm Air
In the Kivalliq and for flights to/from Winnipeg:
• First Air’s Boeing 737-400 combi will operate 13 times per week between Winnipeg-Rankin Inlet with one northbound and one southbound stop in churchill each day.
• out of Rankin Inlet, all intra-regional Kivalliq services are operated in codeshare.
These codeshares commenced in July. The first reactions from
passengers have been very welcoming and supportive. Passengers
appreciate better schedules, improved connectivity and more choice for flights in the Kivalliq. Two flights a day at different times every day between ottawa and Iqaluit with improved connections for Baffin Island is a great benefit. Additional flights to several destinations in Qikiqtani
and Kitikmeot and improved schedules with more non-stop flights to Inuvik, Norman Wells and cambridge Bay are much appreciated.
At First Air, we thank you for your support and look forward to
welcoming you on-board!
2015 | 05
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2015 | 05
LIVING ABoVE & BEYoNd
The Governor General (centre) joins the first 10 recipients of the Polar Medal. Sgt Ronald duchesne, Rideau Hall © office of the Secretary to the Governor General (2015)
Polar Medal. Sgt Ronald duchesne, Rideau Hall ©office of the Secretary to the Governor General (2015)
Polar Medals awarded
The Governor General awarded new Polar
archaeologist Ryan Harris from ottawa, ontario,
in July.
Nunavut; doug Stenton from Iqaluit who
Medals to deserving recipients in Whitehorse
The 10 recipients are Michel Allard, a
scientist from Quebec city; Marianne douglas, a Whitehorse scientist; John Geiger from the Royal canadian Geographic Society in ottawa,
Historian Louie Kamookak from Gjoa Haven,
Morgan, from Whitehorse; and cadet leader dorothy Tootoo from Rankin Inlet, Nunavut.
The medal bears an image of the St. Roch,
is Nunavut’s director of heritage, Nunavut
the RcMP ship that patrolled the Arctic in the
ontario; Gerald Kisoun from Inuvik, NWT, an
the Queen on the reverse.
Historian Shelagh Grant from Peterborough, elder and volunteer; Health advocate Anne
Traditional Inuit art captures the beauty, truth and spirit of Canada’s Arctic
early to mid-20th century, with a portrait of
“Bear Mother and Child” by Norman Quamautuq, Pangnirtung Nunavut.
northern images A Division of Arctic Co-operatives Ltd.
Yellowknife 867-873-5944
Visit Our Website www.northernimages.ca A B oV E & B E Yo N d — c A N A dA’ S A Rc T I c J o u R N A L
Supporters and Promoters of Inuit and Dene artists and their art
17
LIVING ABoVE & BEYoNd
KIKIAK
In front: Naulittuk Ainalik, Nuvummi; Charlie Tarkirk, Nuvummi; Markusie Iyaituk, Nuvummi; and Johnny Mangiuk, Nuvummi. Back row: Jean Boucher, Ungava MNA; Michael Gordon, Makivik; Jobie Tukkiapik, President Makivik; Ali Qavavauk, Nuvummi; Charlie Paningajak, Nuvummi; Adamie Kalingo, President Nuvummi; Andy Pirti, Makivik; Adamie Delisle Alaku, Makivik; Geoffrey Kelley, Minister responsible for Native affairs; and Kullu Qavavauk, Makivik. © Kimberly Labar
CONTR ACTING LTD.
General contractors serving the North since 1999 Inuit owned and operated General construction, remediation work, plumbing and heating, heavy equipment rental and service, earthworks, vehicle service and rental, expediting, ice road construction, cat train work
#56 Kugluktuk Dr., Kugluktuk, NU Ph: 867-982-4713 F : 867-982-4718 Email: kikiak_gn@netkaster.ca NAPEG message to Students and Teachers of the NWT and Nunavut
Did you know NAPEG:
3 Encourages students to study sciences and math;
3 Would be willing to contact an engineer, geologist or geophysicist to visit your classroom;
3 Challenges students and others to enter their annual Model Bridge Building Competition;
3 Awards two scholarships each year to northern students attending university in an engineering or geoscience program;
3 Provides two financial awards for Best Student Presentations at the Annual NWT/NU Geoscience Forum;
3 Offers a Science Teaching Award to teachers who are nominated by their peers.
Northwest Territories and Nunavut Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists 201, 4817 – 49 Street, Yellowknife, NT X1A 3S7
(867) 920-4055 www.napeg.nt.ca
18
New community signs JBNQ agreement
In July, Nunavik’s northernmost community
No development can happen on these
officially joined the region’s land claims agree-
category 1 lands without the permission of
category 1 lands to Ivujivik. Ivujivik negotiated
how to develop the land themselves.
ment. The letters patent mark the transfer of
525 square kilometres spanning its coastline,
Ivujivimmiut, who will now be able to decide
This year is the 40th anniversary of the
where the Hudson Bay meets the Hudson
signing of the James Bay and Northern Quebec
Inuit and home to old Hudson Bay trading
the 24th supplementary agreement since it was
Strait, an important hunting ground for local posts.
(JBNQ) agreement. The community of Ivujivik is first signed in 1975.
upholding Inuit harvesting rights
An important milestone for wildlife manage-
licence requirements for companies involved in
Government of Nunavut’s department of
fees for those people who require licences.
ment in Nunavut was reached July 1 when the
Environment implemented new regulations
wildlife viewing or filmmaking, and changes in
developed in cooperation with Nunavut
under the Wildlife Act.
Tunngavik Inc. and the Nunavut Wildlife
empowers Inuit and incorporates the traditional
fully compliant with the Nunavut Land claims
The new regs uphold Inuit harvesting rights,
customs and practices of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit
in the official laws of the new Nunavut Wildlife
Act. The regulations include new reporting requirements for wildlife related businesses,
Management Board, the new regulations are Agreement.
They are available in Inuktitut, English,
Inuinnaqtun and French on www.gov.nu.ca.
2015 | 05
LIVING ABoVE & BEYoNd
NuNAKPuT and GATEWAY 2015 patrols successful
The canadian Armed Forces, Joint Task Force (North)’s operation NuNAKPuT 2015, concurrent
with the RcMP’s operation GATEWAY 2015, completed their patrol in July.
Members from Joint Task Force (North) and 1 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group concluded their participation in Operation NUNAKPUT 2015 (Op NK 15) in July after 17 days of maritime patrols along the Mackenzie River from Hay River to Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories. © Po2 Belinda Jeromchuk Joint Task Force (North) Public Affairs. YK2015-068-00157
An important recurring sovereignty oper-
ation conducted annually in the North, this
year’s operation NuNAKPuT took place in the Mackenzie River, Great Slave Lake and Beaufort
Sea region of the western Arctic. Approximately
100 personnel from the four participating departments were involved in the more than
1,800 kilometres covered while on patrol. units
from the cAF included: 1 canadian Ranger Patrol Group, 440 (Transport) Squadron, and members of Joint Task Force (North). are:
The objectives of operation NuNAKPuT
• To assert canada’s sovereignty over its northernmost regions;
• To enhance the canadian Armed Forces’ ability to operate in Arctic conditions;
• To improve coordination and
cooperation in whole-of-government operations; and
• To maintain interoperability with mission partners through shared training exercises to maximum
effectiveness in response to safety and security issues in the North.
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LIVING ABoVE & BEYoNd
Nunavut Premier Peter Taptuna (right) and Paul Davis, premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, ink a five-year memorandum of understanding in St. John’s in July. courtesy of the Government of Newfoundland
Nu and NFLd/Labrador sign Mou
The Premiers of Nunavut and Newfoundland/
Labrador have committed to working together
on shared goals as a result of signing a five-year memorandum of understanding (Mou) in July. Both jurisdictions share like-minded
approaches to Arctic development in their northern Aboriginal communities. As such this partnership will help promote responsible economic development by streamlining business joint ventures, training and education opportunities, and natural resource development.
Paul davis, premier of Newfoundland and
Labrador, wants to position his province as a gateway to the Arctic. Nunavut can benefit from sending more people to Newfoundland
to get training in fisheries management, oil and gas development and ice breaking.
Taptuna says the Mou addresses six areas
the province and territory want to concentrate on: • natural resources;
• education and training;
• transportation and infrastructure; • culture and tourism;
• research and development; and, • health care.
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2015 | 05
LIVING ABoVE & BEYoNd Qausuittuq National Park. © Government of Nunavut
New national park named The High Arctic is home to canada’s
square kilometres, as well as the Peary caribou
September 1, when Qausuittuq is named
the Nunavut Land claims Agreement, which
newest national park. Legislation takes effect canada's 45th national park. It is located on part of Bathurst Island, northwest of Resolute.
The park will protect the area’s cultural
and natural heritage, encompassing 11,008
there, and will meet the conditions laid out in
include negotiation of an Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement.
The park will provide jobs and financial
benefits for people in Resolute.
AoPS to honour brave sailor construction of the first Arctic/offshore patrol
ships (AoPS) is to begin this September in
Halifax. Built by Irving Shipbuilding, these ships
will be known as the Harry deWolf class. All will be named after prominent canadians who served with distinction.
one of the ships to be built was recently
named to honour Petty officer William Hall.
He was the first African canadian to win the
service medal for bravery at the Relief of Lucknow in 1857. on october 28, 1859, Hall
became a man of several firsts: the first black
man, the first Nova Scotian and the first canadian sailor to receive the Victoria cross.
The shipbuilding contract is to cost $2.3
billion with the first AoPS, HMcS Harry DeWolf,
scheduled for delivery in 2018.
Petty Officer William Hall. © Public domain
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RESouRcES
NuNAVIK
Nickel mine could expand
Federal Aboriginal Affairs and Northern
prospectivity analysis on the southwest region of the belt.
Glencore, the corporation that operates the
development minister Bernard Valcourt has
environmental and social impact assessment to
North Baffin Regional Land use Plan.
northeast regions of committee Bay are
for viable nickel deposits on the eastern half of
ore production from 4.2 million metric tonnes per
quarter of 2015.
Glencore hopes to dig four new under-
This would expand its shipping season to a
Raglan nickel mine in Nunavik, is preparing an
the Kativik Environmental Quality commission the Raglan property.
ground mines, which could extend the mine’s
life until 2039 and result in total annual production of 1.32 million metric tonnes.
The new development would require an
expansion of the existing tailings site, construc-
tion of new access roads, and an electric supply connected to the new sites.
NuNAVuT
Agnico Eagle projects show potential
Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. continues work on a
asked that their proposal be exempt from the
Baffinland’s request would increase its iron
year to a maximum of 12 million metric tonnes.
10-month period between June and March
each year. The increased shipments from Milne Port would require, among other things, a
second dock, a tank farm to house up to 140
million litres of fuel and a camp and sewage
approved Agnico Eagle’s latest environmental
reconsideration under the Nunavut Land claims
Agreement before sending its recommendation back to the minister.
Peregrine diamonds Ltd. is hoping the will commit a substantial portion of funds to support a deep-sea port and small craft harbour in Iqaluit sticks.
Their chidliak project lies 120 kilometres
impact submission to expand its Meadowbank
northeast of Iqaluit and such a port would
public review of the project.
needed to construct and operate the diamond
gold mine operations, and have launched a And, about 50 kilometres northwest of
the Meadowbank mine near Baker Lake, in a recent update to their Amaruq exploration
project, the company has also announced they
be a welcome addition to the infrastructure
If Peregrine is successful in developing a
important supply point for mine construction
Mary River proposal under review
Gold project continues
from the Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB)
the committee Bay Gold Project. The 2015
mine.
22
kilometres NNE of the diavik diamond mine and 36 kilometres east of the Ekati diamond mine.
The company has verified through research
and compilation that the property hosts over a
dozen kimberlites, most of them diamondiferous, and thus believes it deserves more exploration.
Promoting and supporting exploration and mining
Twelve gold and diamond exploration projects
in the North Slave and Sahtu regions have received $400,000 to help boost exploration and mining work in the NWT.
companies that received funding include
GGL Resources corp., both searching for a
and ongoing operations,” the company says.
production and shipping at its Mary River
property is located in the northeastern part
the potential to become economically viable.
at the chidliak property, eight of which have
about 300 metres underground.
soon regarding its proposal to increase iron ore
The T-Rex Property consists of 62 contigu-
TerraX Minerals Inc., looking for gold in the
diamond mine at chidliak, Iqaluit will be “an
Baffinland Iron Mines corp. hopes to hear
diamond exploration at the T-Rex Property.
mine. Peregrine has discovered 71 kimberlites
have found a promising vein of gold near an existing deposit called Whale Tale. The gold is
Arctic Star Exploration corp. plans to begin
of the prolific Lac de Gras kimberlite field, 22
announcement that the federal government
The Nunavut Impact Review Board has
T-Rex to be explored
The NIRB is reviewing public input and
will decide if the proposed changes require
Eagle have completed and signed an Inuit gold project.
NWT
ous claims with an area of 54,000 hectares. The
of up to 500 people.
Deep-sea port would aid mine
Impact Benefit Agreement for the Meliadine
expected to be completed in the fourth
treatment plant to accommodate a work force
number of projects.
The Kivalliq Inuit Association and Agnico
Further analysis across the central and
North country Gold corp. and Auryn Resources
Inc. were busy over the summer months at exploration summer program focused on
existing drill-ready targets as well as new areas identified through a recently completed
Yellowknife area; Panarc Resources Ltd. and variety of base metals; Proxima diamonds corp. and canterra Minerals corp. both hoping to
find diamonds; and dEMco L.P., exploring for silver, iron oxide, copper and gold.
In the prospector program, dave Nickerson,
Penelope Shaw, Ken Baigent, Nicolas Walker and Wayne Kendrik have all received funding to look for gold, while Gary Jaeb prospects for diamonds.
The mining incentive program comes
out of the territory’s Mineral development Strategy.
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Bernhard Hantzsch An Exploratory Journey to Baffin Island By Wolfgang Opel (translated by Susanne Opel) At the beginning of the 20th century, Qikiqtaaluk (Baffin Island) – despite being the fifth largest island in the world – was hardly known in Europe. Not many white people had ever set foot on it other than a few explorers: Martin Frobisher, Charles Francis Hall and Franz Boas – as well as some whalers and missionaries. The Inuit and their predecessors – the Dorset and Tuniit – however, had lived in this remote region of Northern Canada for centuries. They mainly inhabited the coasts in the east and south of Baffin Island, ventured into the inner regions to hunt caribou and crossed the island to reach new hunting grounds or to visit other camps. Even the Inuit, however, eschewed the west of Baffin Island, as game was hard to find there.
Bernhard Hantzsch sitting in a boat with an Inuit guide, Labrador 1906. Collection Dr. Dietz family
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A page of Bernhard Hantzsch’s handwritten Inuktitut dictionary. Collection Dr. Dietz family
T
he missing knowledge about this isolated area piqued the interest of a teacher and ornithologist living in Dresden in East Germany — Bernhard Hantzsch. Hantzsch was an experienced traveller who had already spent several months
on expeditions into the North, e.g. Iceland in 1903 and Labrador in 1908, as well as in southern Europe. He dreamed of becoming the first white person to cross Baffin Island in an explorative journey from east to west before leaving Igloolik to travel into the North of this gigantic island. With this Arctic expedition, that would take several years to complete, he wanted to join the illustrious ranks of the famous polar explorers. Aer the failure of the Franklin-expedition 60 years before, Canada’s North had returned to the public eye due to the successful crossing of the Northwest Passage by Roald Amundsen (1903-05) and the race to the North Pole by Frederick Cook and Robert Peary (1908-09). Hantzsch found support in planning his expedition by wellknown scientists who especially valued his book on Icelandic bird life. Alfred Newton, the leading British ornithologist from Cambridge University confirmed Hantzsch’s aptitude for the difficult endeavour. Hantzsch also received support from other universities and museums. Even the Saxonian king Frederick Augustus III welcomed him and subsequently contributed a considerable amount to the expedition. Based on his experience with the Inuit during his preparatory journey to Labrador in the summer of 1906, Hantzsch described his thoughts on the upcoming expedition to Baffin Island at the end of 1907:
South Baffin Island shoreline. © Wolfgang Opel
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“By way of the close conduct I mean to have with the aboriginals, exhaustive insights into their language, lore, philosophy, folkways etc. shall be gained.”
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The Blacklead Island whaling station. Public domain
Despite all adversities, Hantzsch resumed preparations for the expedition while also acting as a teacher, organist and medical attendant. With the help of the missionary, he found three Inuit families who agreed to accompany and assist him on his journey across Baffin Island. rough trading with whalers and merchants from Kekerten Island as well as the missionary, little by little, he managed to replace some of his expedition’s equipment. On January 7, 1910, Hantzsch writes about meeting a whaler and trader of German origin, William Duval (Wilhelm Düwel from Schwerin) who was married to an Inuk, Aulaqiaq, and had been living on Baffin Island in the Inuit tradition for 30 years. Hantzsch was happy to consult with Duval about the expedition in his native tongue. Duval also agreed to help him with the collection of birds, eggs and skeletons for German museums. Descendants of William Duval, who is known as Sivutiksaq (the harpooner) among Hantzsch was convinced of the Inuit’s excellent abilities in their daily struggle with the harsh conditions of the Arctic.
the Inuit, still live on Baffin Island to this day. In his diary, Hantzsch regularly regrets being so slow in
Aer extensive preparations that took months to complete, Hantzsch asked to be
familiarizing himself with the language of the Inuit. “If I
absolved from his duties aer 11 years of being a teacher on May 8, 1909. On July 4,
were together with the Eskimos, I would forge advances in their
1909, he began his journey at Dresden train station. He expected to receive high praise
language, but so I feel isolated among all these people. I would
from the scientific world for his achievement.
marry and acquire a permanent companion, but I know the
Hantzsch boarded the Jantina Agatha, the ship that was to bring him to Baffin Island in Canada’s North, in Dundee (Scotland) on July 25, 1909. e passage proved to be
great difficulties opposing me in this,” writes Hantzsch on January 8, 1910.
much harder and longer than expected and on September 26 the vessel sailed into the
Hantzsch spent his 35th birthday, January 12, 1910, in
proximity of the island. However, aer colliding with an iceberg, it had to be abandoned
an igloo on the ice on Cumberland Sound. Due to a lack of
as quickly as possible as it began to sink. Luckily, both the crew and passengers were able
snow, his snow house was tiny.
to save themselves by reaching a small island nearby, before the ship — and most of its cargo, including important equipment for Hantzsch's expedition — disappeared into the sea. e original destination of the Jantina Agatha — and the planned starting point for Hantzsch’s expedition — was the whaling station on Kekerten Island near Cumberland Peninsula, about 70 km from today’s Pangnirtung settlement. But due to the wreckage, the crew and passengers landed about 100 km away from their destination on Ummanagjuaq (Blacklead Island), off the Southern coast of Cumberland Sound, where an Anglican mission station had been established in 1894. anks to the presence of the missionary Greenshield among the passengers of the wretched ship, all the castaways found safe, albeit modest, sanctuary in the mission station. Almost immediately, a battle over the available food supply and other equipment saved from the ship, a great part of which belonged to Hantzsch’s expedition, ensued and lasted for several weeks. Time and again fights between Hantzsch and the crewmembers started, which, according to Hantzsch’s diary, almost led to physical violence on several occasions. It was probably Greenshield’s mediation that helped satisfy the castaways’ most urgent needs and ended up saving barely sufficient provisions
Kekerten Historic Park, with reminders of the whaling activities near Baffin Island. © Ansgar Walk, creative commons
for the expedition. A B OV E & B E YO N D — C A N A DA’ S A RC T I C J O U R N A L
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A big, beautiful iceberg near Baffin Island. © Wolfgang Opel
Returning from a visit to the whaling station on Kekerten
by the Inuit Aggakdjuk, Ittusakdjuk and Ittirk as well as their wives and children. Before
Island, Hantzsch learned that his favourite student — and
leaving the mission station, Hantzsch prepared letters and expedition reports as well as
also his Inuktitut teacher — Adjena was to leave the mission
various stuffed animals and collected objects for transport to Germany. Many of them
station with her family to follow William Duval and his
can still be found in museums and collections in Dresden, Berlin and Köthen today.
family to Durham Island. Hantzsch’s diary from January 15, 1910 proves how much he was thrown off track by this situation:
At first, the expedition followed known tracks to Lake Nettilling, where they arrived in mid-June. en they took a boat they had brought with them along its Southern shore. e weather conditions were difficult, storms and heavy rain occurred oen. eir clothes and tents were permanently wet as they lacked the wood for a fire to dry them
“Letting this skilful, modest and cheery girl go will be very
thoroughly. Hunting was not very successful either. Despite all this, Hantzsch continued
hard on me. She was the poetry of my life up here, which
his diary diligently and tried to map their path exactly. He did not sleep well because
is so poor for heart and mind. Not only were the comfort-
of the stormy weather and the cold. Problems among the travellers were common, some
able hours with her a valuable help, but also comfort
due to difficulties with the language, some because of differing views on the journey itself.
in my loneliness and isolation among the alien reckless men. I loved her.”
In September, the weather got slightly better and on the 26th they finally reached the mouth of Koukdjuak River and the Foxe Basin. By reaching this point, Bernhard Hantzsch had succeeded in the first recorded crossing of Baffin Island by a white
e next weeks were spent with preparations for the
explorer — with the help of the Inuit accompanying and supporting him.
expedition. Hantzsch cast lead bullets for hunting, dissected
But now winter set in and the journey north along the Foxe Basin became more arduous.
animals for the German museums, wrote letters to his family,
Hunting, too, became more difficult as they seldom saw caribou. e dogs were ailing, as
looked aer ill Inuit and time and again regretted losing a capable
food for them became scarce. Hantzsch began worrying about the success of the expedi-
language teacher. Without sufficient skills in the language of
tion. He feared for the worst, as “Fury and Hecla Strait” and Igloolik were still far off.
the Inuit, the success of his expedition was in question.
On November 1, with the help of his diary entries, Hantzsch began writing his
On April 23, 1910, the long awaited expedition to cross
report for publication: My life among the Eskimos. On November 24, 1910, they finally
Baffin Island finally began. Hantzsch set out accompanied
built a camp for the winter. ere, Hantzsch wanted to complete substantial parts of
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The Bernhard Hantzsch school in Hartha, Germany. © Wolfgang Opel
From May 19 onwards, Hantzsch could hardly move without help. e last entry in his diary is from May 26: “Hardly slept, burning head, cold compresses.” Bernhard Hantzsch died on one of the following days, probably in the beginning of June 1911. His companions erected his grave on the shore of the river that is — thanks to the efforts of the established Canadian natural scientist J. Dewey Soper, Hantzsch’s successor in crossing Baffin Island — today known as Hantzsch River. Unfortunately, no photo of the grave exists, as the region is too remote to travel to even for today’s inhabitants of Baffin Island. Notwithstanding, Hantzsch’s name and his writings are well known there. Today, aer more than a century, the name Bernhard Hantzsch would be almost forgotten if it were not for a book containing the better part of his notes from Baffin Island (published in Canada in 1967) as well as a handful of articles in newspapers and science magazines. Apart from these, only a school in the Saxonian town of Hartha, a street in Dresden, as well as an island off the coast of Baffin Island and the river and bay on whose shore Hantzsch is buried, carry his name.
his book undisturbed by the daily routine of packing up and journeying onwards. “And my book shall bring me financial means and glory,” he wrote in his diary. “I do not want to start out humbly again, when I return. I have become too accustomed to the freedom and commanding here,” he freely admits. As hunting remained mainly unsuccessful here, too, Hantzsch continued to worry both about the welfare of the expedition and reaching his goals. A long period characterized by hunger and illness began. Only rarely did an Inuit succeed in shooting a seal. In the beginning of February 1911, food became extremely scarce. ey began roasting and eating parts of the soles of shoes and searched all furs for potential traces of meat. Despite everything, Hantzsch continued working on his book. On February 17, he decided to break winter camp and continue north. As conditions did not improve drastically, the journey farther north could only begin on April 16. ree of them would continue: Ittusakdjuk, his wife Sirkinirk and Bernhard Hantzsch. e others remained behind. Unfortunately, hunting did not improve during their trek. It wasn’t until as late as April 30 that Ittusakdjuk shot a caribou calf. A polar bear was shot the next day. Finally, aer a long period of starvation, they had enough food and even the dogs could eat until they were full. On May 6, Sirkinirk suddenly fell ill. She complained about severe stomach aches. On May 8, they reached the northernmost point of their journey. Here, thinking about the long way back they would have, Hantzsch decided to turn around. ey only ate caribou meat now, as the polar bear meat provoked strong diarrhea. Even the dogs were affected. On May 10, 1911, Bernhard Hantzsch became seriously ill: diarrhea, headache, weakness and fever. Sirkinirk, too, was ill again. A B OV E & B E YO N D — C A N A DA’ S A RC T I C J O U R N A L
The Bernhard Hantzsch memorial in Hartha, Germany. © Wolfgang Opel
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A line of cameras forms as photographers prepare for the sometimes long and cold wait for the polar bear family. © Kelsey Eliasson
The First Moment Polar Bear Birthing Areas By Kelsey Eliasson
Snow crystals swirl around tripods and over-sized parkas. A thin line
of cameras and over-sized lenses stretches across the frozen lake. A
few hardy photographers stand ready, shuffling in their winter boots, waiting to fill memory cards at a moment’s notice.
Behind us, four off-road vans comprise the second line of defence.
Lenses, vans and eager stares are all focused on a non-descript snowdrift. This is a sub-Arctic stakeout. A B OV E & B E YO N D — C A N A DA’ S A RC T I C J O U R N A L
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Clients are transported to the polar bear birthing area by off-road 4x4 vans outfitted with heavy-duty rubber tracks. © Kelsey Eliasson
Polar bear cubs nurse after emerging from their maternity den for the first time. © Marco Urso
Watchee Lodge lies south of Churchill, Manitoba, about 64 kilometres by rail. Of course, as the train drops you and your gear off in the early Arctic dawn, it might as well be the moon. Luggage is quickly loaded into the waiting vans, armed with rubber tracks and reinforced suspension. Snow kicks up as we head towards one of the most
Inside that snow bank, a polar bear tends to her two
important polar bear denning areas in the world.
young cubs nestled in their winter den. e cubs have
is is the only lodge in the world where you can photograph ‘newborn’ cubs
known nothing of the outside world, only the warmth and
emerging from the den. Aboriginal-owned and operated, it is one of the most sought
safety of their winter den. eir mother has not eaten in
aer destinations for professional photographers. It has now been 20 years since Mike
eight months, she is eager to get out on the ice. e cubs,
and Morris Spence decided to convert their father’s trap line into a tourism business.
for their part, are okay with staying inside. At least, we think they are inside.
Mike explains, ‘the polar bear industry really exploded in the 1990s in Churchill. ere was a lot of opportunity. We always knew that there were mothers and cubs in this area, especially Fletcher Lake.’
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The polar bear family rests in a temporary ‘day bed,’ excavated into the snow as shelter from the north wind. © Marco Urso
they give birth, usually to twins, each weighing only one kilogram. ey grow quickly and by late February, they are ready for the roughly 40-kilometre journey to Hudson Bay. Franks explains, ‘Its pretty amazing when you think about it. She hasn’t had a seal since maybe June or July. Now, she has to worry about the cold, about wolves, about everything. We’ve even seen her stop, pick up her cubs and give them a ride.’ You can hear admiration in his voice. e weather channel flickers as Morris gathers the group for a morning briefing. He is a straightforward guy; the room grows quiet as he speaks. ‘We were tracking two family groups south of the den. You guys will head to the den while me and Amuck (Allan Oman) head south and try ‘Me and Morris talked about it and figured we’d give it a go.’ He pauses and laughs, ‘we asked the old man for permission. He said he thought we were crazy!’ ‘Our first clients were from France, a fam trip. No one had ever done this before. We loaded everyone into bombardiers (half-track vehicles with skis for steering) and headed out. We were really inventing the wheel while we were driving.’ ere is a real sense of family pride, of northern pride, at Watchee. From a ‘crazy’
to pick up the tracks. ere are a couple wolves around too so that might have pushed her back to the den.’ He pauses, ‘e weather is not on our side but we’ll do what we can.’ Morris ends with a quiet, ‘So that’s it.’ We have the plan for the day. It is what it is; nature is in control out here. We’re all just along for the ride.
idea to an exclusive eco-tourism destination, the Spences have kept it as a family business. Mike’s family runs the logistics out of Churchill. Morris is teaching his son, James, to be a polar bear tracker. Most everyone working at Watchee is from Churchill. Mike’s brother, Frank, is our guide for the week. He explains, ‘Our father come up from York Factory, he grew up trapping down there. Aer it shut down (in 1957), he got a job at the Port of Churchill. It wasn’t really until the military moved out and Jarvis retired that he got a chance to spend real time out here.’ ‘(Watchee) used to be an old Navy communications base. e buildings were getting wrecked aer the military pulled out, so Jarvis took them over.’ Frank pauses, ‘He loved coming out here, trapping beaver, muskrat, marten. It was more about being on the land. at was just in his blood.’ As it turned out, the Hudson Bay coast was home to one of the most important polar bear birthing areas in the world. Each year, approximately 100-150 females give birth to a new cohort of cubs. ey range from the Nelson River to Cape Churchill with most activity centred on the Owl and Broad Rivers (and Jarvis’ trap line). Some of the first polar bear research projects took place at Fletcher Lake, just east of Watchee. By early October, pregnant females burrow into the peat banks of the sub-Arctic lakes and creeks. Eventually, the north wind dris snow over them and, by January, A B OV E & B E YO N D — C A N A DA’ S A RC T I C J O U R N A L
Mike Spence, along with his brother Morris, have owned and operated Watchee Lodge for over 20 years. © Kelsey Eliasson
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Morris Spence spends the season at Watchee tracking polar bears and scouting dens near Wapusk National Park. © Kelsey Eliasson Below: The female has not caught a seal since last spring, almost eight months. She now must lead her family on a 40-kilometre journey to Hudson Bay, enduring harassing wolves, severe cold and easily distracted cubs. © Marco Urso
den, sniffing the crisp outside air for the first time in months. Cameras are clicked back to lenses, snow shields are unzipped and batteries clicked back into place. Shutters open up and down the line, as the female emerges to rub herself on the snow, cleaning her yellowed fur. She rolls and bathes, purposefully stretching in the Arctic aernoon. Eventually, she returns to the den to fetch her cubs. You can hear her lip smacks and chatters as she literally tells her cubs its time to come out. First, one head appears, then, aer a pause, a second emerges. is is the first time they are seeing the sun; their first fresh Arctic air, their first e ‘trackers’ are this enigmatic component of Watchee
steps ‘outside’. At first, the bewildered cubs stay close to mom. Soon, curiosity gets the
Lodge. Morris and Amuck spend their days scouting dens,
better of them. ey climb the tiny trees, fall and roll, chasing each other, chasing spruce
searching for tracks or, preferably, a family on the move.
tips, chasing their tiny tails. ey jump back up to gnaw on the gnarled spruce.
ey appear and disappear through the day, distant riders
e female paces and eventually digs a day bed. She settles into the trees, back to
of an Arctic spaghetti western. e stunted, ragged spruce
the wind, ready to nurse. She snaps a quick command and the cubs break away from
add to their whole ‘larger than life’ effect. Each time they
their wrestling and gleefully join.
arrive, they create a stir. Amuck’s dark eyes peer out of
e line has grown quiet: only clicks and whirs and an occasional ecstatic moan is
his fur-trimmed parka while Morris’ frozen moustache is
heard as the light shines on the family ‘just right’. e sky melts from pastel blue to
photographed over and over again.
pastel orange as the cubs resume play, their mother considering the long journey ahead.
Tracking is a tough business. Morris explains, ‘You can
e clicks and whirs dwindle as dusk settles. e young family watches under a
lose the tracks very easily, as big as she is, she doesn’t leave
pale and full moon as the line packs up and we head back to the lodge. Soon, the day’s
much of a print at the best of times. ere’s times you are
images will be downloaded and Adobe’s Light room will adjust and amplify. Files will
just looking for a nail mark. Scratches. at’s how hard the
be zoomed, checked for ‘soness’. But whatever the memory cards say, only a handful
snow is.’
of people will ever get to share these first moments of a polar bear’s life. For now, the
‘It just takes experience. In the early years, it was
van is silent and all that is le is an overwhelming sense of gratitude.
frustrating sometimes but you learn. You get a feel for it.’ He adds, ‘Wherever she takes us, we’ll go.’ Like his father, Morris makes his living at the Port
Kelsey Eliasson is an artist, writer and polar bear guide who divides his year between the Yukon and Churchill, Manitoba. Since 2006, he has run the polar bear blog, www.polarbearalley.com
of Churchill. He is one of the few year-round employees. ‘Believe it or not, this is my holiday. I just like doing it, being out on the land every day. Cold or not, it’s a lot of fun!’ ‘Bear!’ Frank jumps up. His round eyes go wide as he spots a black nose poking out of the snowdri. He points through the windshield and emphatically repeats, ‘BEAR!!’ ere is a bit of a dramatic pause as we process the word. It has been a long wait for this moment and no one can quite believe it’s happening. We’re all a bit… mesmerized. Frank is now visibly frustrated by our slow response. ‘She’s out!! She’s out!!’ Awakened, photographers tumble out of the vehicles and join ‘the line’. e mother now has her head fully out of the
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Jens Herrle and Alex Quesnel in front of the entire Cretaceous strata. A volcanic flood basalt tops the light grey sediments. © Claudia Schröder-Adams
“Arctic Greenhouse” Reconstructing Ancient Landscapes and Ecosystems By Claudia Schröder-Adams The Arctic summer holds many surprises; unpredictable weather can change
flight conditions at a moment’s notice. We are in Resolute Bay, an Inuit hamlet on Cornwallis Island and home to the logistical headquarters of the Polar Continental Shelf
Program. Here we start the journey that will bring us to Axel Heiberg and Ellesmere islands to investigate how the Arctic has responded to past greenhouse phases throughout the Earth’s climatic history. Skies over our planned landing spot at the southern tip
of Axel Heiberg Island are clearing and we have the green light to lift off during snowfall in Resolute. Our Twin Otter is loaded with enough gear that will allow us to stay out on the remote islands for the next four weeks. The excitement is rising!
The mission of our expedition is well defined. My team worked here in 2011
and now we return to find the answers to our specific questions. Throughout Earth’s
history, past ecosystems had to cope with catastrophic events, which either brought mass extinctions of species or new adaptations, depending on duration and severity.
These events were not caused by human activity, as our species was not yet around.
Widespread biotic decline was caused by geological processes such as extreme sea-level fluctuations, periods when oceans become devoid of oxygen, and massive volcanic eruptions, to name a few. The latter are marked by the rise of huge masses of molten magma from the Earth’s interior onto either a continent or ocean floor, called
LIPs or Large Igneous Provinces. The Cretaceous Period covering earth history from 145 to 66 million years ago was an especially dynamic time, where a multitude of
processes were at work. We are interested to discover what the feedback mechanisms of these processes were and how the polar region responded to those extreme events.
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The delight of an Arctic poppy. © Claudia Schröder-Adams
At Lost Hammer Diapir, Axel Heiberg Island sampling the Deer Bay Formation. © Keenan Lindell
Right: Sherwood Head, southern Axel Heiberg Island; the helicopter lands to bring us to our first locality at the head of Glacier Fiord. © Jens Herrle
Far right: Keenan Lindell takes footage at Lost Hammer Diapir for our upcoming documentary. © Claudia Schröder-Adams
As we fly North, mainly above cloudy skies, we arrive at
Small microscopic life, so oen overlooked, delivers the best indicators for past
Sherwood Head at the mouth of Glacier Fiord on the southern
environmental change. ese are now microfossils within abundant sediments oen
tip of Axel Heiberg Island. is island is uninhabited by
widely distributed allowing for large-scale correlations. e analysis of their shells allow
humans with the exception of a McGill University research
for the reconstruction of geochemical oceanic conditions. Understanding how past
station which came kindly to our rescue during one of our
marine communities have responded to catastrophic events during the Cretaceous
camp moves when we got caught in bad weather. Due to
allows us to better predict the response of future oceans to a warming earth. e Glacier
uneven terrain at our final destination, the Twin Otter will
Fiord region has superb exposures of the entire Cretaceous Period, which enables us
deliver us here at the mouth of the fiord where we wait for
to perform high-resolution sampling and ultimately the reconstruction of ancient land-
the helicopter coming from Eureka. As the pilots leave us,
scapes and their ecosystems. Our results from previous fieldwork had identified times
we begin to grasp the immensity of these Arctic landscapes,
of large emissions of volcanic CO2, unusual warm temperatures for a polar region and
the overwhelming and welcome stillness of this land and
phases of depleted oxygen in this ancient ocean. We need to understand if those events
the intricacies of Arctic flora surrounding us. ese small
might be caused by the eruption of the High Arctic Large Igneous Province (HALIP).
plants cling to the rocky ground and their full beauty stuns,
My trusted team consists of Jens Herrle (Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany),
despite a short blooming season.
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specialist in the earth ancient carbon cycle; my graduate student Alex Quesnel who is
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Foraminifera, marine microfossils that lived on the seafloor around 100 million years ago. © Claudia Schröder-Adams
interested in the big picture by correlating between several Arctic basins; and Keenan Lindell, videographer and environmental science student in Iqaluit. Keenan’s extensive video footage chronicling our expedition will form the basis of a nature documentary entitled, ‘Arctic Greenhouse’ to be released in September 2015. is summer Glacier Fiord is still frozen. In front of us lies the Steacie Icefield. Valleys on both sides of the fiord are occupied with piedmont glaciers that spill onto the coastal region. I look down from the helicopter and have the bird’s-eye view of the sediments along both shores that were deposited in a Cretaceous marine basin that covered a large part of the High Arctic Islands. Land, which is now islands, was once ocean 110 to 80 million years ago telling a story of fluctuating sea levels and tectonic movement through geological time. A sedimentary basin preserves ancient sediments, which carry the evidence from past environments. is basin is named the Sverdrup
out for a reliable freshwater source as we circle over a
Basin in honour of the Norwegian Explorer Otto Sverdrup who charted 260,000 square
possible camp spot. I am overwhelmed by the majestic
kilometres of Arctic islands in the late 1800s.
landscape. Here we hike every day to the Lower Cretaceous
As we circle over our camp, we spot a herd of muskox grazing along surrounding
Deer Bay Formation that also carries an interesting climatic
slopes. ese majestic animals keep their distance, but remain welcoming neighbours
signal. Not to miss short-lived extreme processes that mark
during our work at Glacier Fiord. Nevertheless, we seem to feel like the intruders in
this phase of the Polar Sea, we sample in great detail,
their habitat and home. As the helicopter leaves, a longed-for silence sets in and we get
carrying heavy backpacks on a long uphill trek every night
to work setting up camp beside a large glacier. Its melting history is starkly obvious by
to make it back to camp.
the large boulder fields at its front, forming the end moraine, and a melt water river
One evening we climb onto a ridge and an amazing sight
that significantly swells during the days as the sun gains energy. is melt is also our
reveals the entire Cretaceous Period with all its changes in
source for delicious drinking water. e kitchen and sleeping tents are set up, complete
front of our eyes. is history of nearly 80 million years
with a radio antenna for our daily communication with the Polar Continental Shelf.
encompasses several kilometres of sedimentary strata. We
Now we are ready to investigate how the ancient ocean that surrounds us in the
clearly make out the Strand Fiord volcanic basalt flow,
form of sedimentary exposures reacted to unusual greenhouse conditions 105 to 90
which forms one phase of the HALIP, as it sticks out as a
million years ago. is was an extreme time where tropical sea surface temperatures
black band within lighter coloured sediments. is is why
reached 35°C and in Polar Regions up to 20°C. Modern Arctic sea surface temperature
working in the Arctic as a geologist is rewarding beyond
ranges from freezing to about 7°C with a measurable warming trend in recent years.
belief. ere are not many spots on Earth where you see,
In the Cretaceous, production of increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
unobstructed, an entire geological period in front of your
accelerated through phases of intense volcanism coupled with plate tectonic activity
eyes. Working here feels like a tremendous privilege.
during that time. Oceans such as the Atlantic kept on growing, pushing North America
Jens Herrle, Alex Quesnel and the author work on the Isachsen Formation that is freshly eroded by the retreating glacier. © Keenan Lindell
westward. is caused plate collisions along the Pacific margin and abundant volcanism, sending huge ash clouds into the atmosphere, which then settled down into the ocean sediments. e Arctic Ocean also started to form and intraplate magmas caused by melting in the Earth’s mantle resulted in continental flood basalts and volcanic eruptions. Our previous work allowed us to pinpoint the sediment exposure that documents the Sverdrup Basin’s response to this unique phase. To understand the exact timing and how ecosystems responded, we need to go back to sample in more detail. Aer a week’s hard work at this locality we fly further inland along the Steacie Icefield to reach another locality where we want to investigate the early Cretaceous. As the helicopter picks us up and Keenan and I are the first to move out, I think of previous explorers who would have travelled by dog team or small fixed-wing aircra and oen stayed for several months at a time. eir impressive work forms the fundamental base for what we do. Our next destination is Lost Hammer Diapir and we wonder if there is a tool to be found! e magnificence of this locality easily distracts us from keeping a sharp eye A B OV E & B E YO N D — C A N A DA’ S A RC T I C J O U R N A L
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Arctic Challenge
AdveNTURe
Skiing the Ashuyak Pass
The rising moon glittered on the frozen snow and the massive bulk of Mt. Asgard silhouetted against the darkening sky. I paused for a moment in the frigid air, appreciating the Arctic beauty. As I headed to my tent, the ripple of women’s laughter bubbled from Katja’s cooking shelter. It had been a hard, cold ski from our last camp … up and over the divide from the Owl River and then a trudge across Glacier Lake into a wicked headwind to this spot in a sheltered nook. However, the warmth of our tiny MSR cook stoves in the cozy cocoon of the shelter allowed the hardships of the past few days to subside. We were a group of 18 women: 13 from Lease Plan UK, an international
Lease Plan contracted with Black Feather Adventures, a Nunavut
corporation involved with automobile leasing; one photographer, one
licensed wilderness tourism business, to provide equipment, food,
Challenge, a 12-day, 100 km all-women ski touring expedition across
outfitting in Canada’s North and an exemplary reputation in the Arctic.
Parks Canada staff and three Black Feather guides. The expedition was Arctic Baffin Island’s Auyuittuq National Park. The expedition was designed to
foster gender equality within the company and to encourage women to
challenge themselves to reach for goals and dig deep to succeed. The women were selected in September 2014 from over 100 company employees who applied. Since then, they trained for the expedition
learning to: cross-country ski, set up tents and light backpacking stoves in cold conditions, and participate in mental and physical training to prepare.
logistics and three female guides. Black Feather has a long history of
There was much preparation — food and equipment packaged and freighted North, and group members flown from London to Ottawa to
Iqaluit, and, finally, on April 9, the group met in Qiqitarjuaq. After a final equipment check, the trek began!
The first few days saw frigid temperatures and howling winds, with
highs -20C and winds up to 80 km per hour. One member twisted an ankle on the first day and we had to turn back to our first camp. We contacted
Morning in the Owl River Valley. © Hayley Barnard
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AdveNTURe Starting the descent down Weasel River Valley. © Wendy Grater
It was tough to get moving in the chilly mornings. The condensation
from our breathing froze as ice crystals on the outside of our sleeping bags and inside of the tent walls. As we sat up, showers of ice crystals would rain down. After donning parkas, thick over pants, boots, mitts
and hats we could step out into the crisp morning. A hot breakfast
fuelled us and after loading our sleds, we set out. On some days we had snow pack on the ground, allowing us to ski. Other days, we followed the icy river, wind-blown of snow.
After a steep ascent up a glacial moraine, we reached Glacier Lake,
named because of the three glaciers feeding into it. Frozen most of the year, it was totally ice covered, with sections of wind packed snow.
Famous Mt. Asgard beckoned us from the other side and we aimed there for our next camp. As a beautiful, bright, day dawned the next
morning, spirits of the group lifted — we were almost halfway there! Soon we were underway, heading past Mt. Asgard, Mt. Loki, the
Highway, Turner and Norman Glaciers. It took us all day to traverse Summit Lake to our campsite near the south end of Summit. From here, a local Inuit with a snow machine, who evacuated the injured woman
it would be downhill — down the frozen Weasel River.
he initial descent of the Weasel was one of the most memorable
to Qiqitarjuaq’s Nursing Station. This initially dampened the team’s
days. The river, with waterfalls, rapids and a good gradient, was totally
each night, two-person Hilleberg Arctic tents and our cooking
skittering behind and sometimes in front of us! We were becoming
enthusiasm but despite it, we forged on, slowly skiing up the Owl River.
shelters were erected. The group divided into three cooking groups. Our shelters provided a haven from the blustery wind as hot soup and
a good meal were enjoyed. After dinner, as the light faded from the sky, we headed to our tiny tents to snuggle into our Arctic sleeping bags and draw the hoods up to our noses.
frozen. Using our ice grippers, we descended this icy stream, our sleds
very adept at manoeuvring the sleds around rocks, rough ice patches
and over small frozen waterfalls. A sense of adventure and excitement
permeated the group. Laughter and chatter could be heard from the various groups as they helped each other over challenging sections.
Lunch each day was a quick affair. We warmed up ingredients to
make sandwiches in the morning, using our backpacking stoves. Once made, we would tuck the sandwich down the front of our shirts under-
neath our parkas to keep them from freezing — anything left for any length of time would be frozen solid. We also had warm water or tea in
our thermoses and chocolate or granola bars for snacks. We would need about 5,000 calories per day for warmth and to fuel our bodies.
despite eating copious quantities of high-energy foods laced with butter, we all lost weight!
The Lease Plan group had a few special projects along the way. each
member’s family had, unbeknownst to them, written a letter of encourage-
ment and enclosed a photo of their family, which was brought along. On day seven, we stopped in a protected nook and the letters were distributed
to the surprised team. The outpouring of pride, support and love from their
families and friends back in the UK gave them more inspiration to forge ahead. A few days later, we reached the Arctic Circle, the geographic Katja (guide), Mel and Jo ... dinner preparations in the cooking shelter. © Wendy Grater
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AdveNTURe A windstorm crossing Glacier Lake towards Mt. Asgaard. © Hayley Barnard
Below: The Arctic Challenge team celebrates at the Arctic Circle. © Jane Whitney
line where at the winter solstice there is 24 hours of darkness. We arrived in full sunlight and took the opportunity for some great photos.
We could now smell the finish and sense that the expedition would
be a success. We counted down the kilometres to ‘Overlord,’ the terminus of Ashuyak Pass, where our Inuit snowmobile drivers would be waiting
to take us the 30 km to Pangnirtung. By now, the well-oiled team could break camp and pack sleds efficiently and we were soon underway.
Finally we could see the stark outline of the Overlord emergency
shelter — our goal! The last kilometre was done hand in hand, a team
that had struggled with extreme cold, blustering winds, heavy sleds and
difficult terrain. They had watched over each other for signs of frostbite and hypothermia, helped each other put up and take down frozen tents, given encouraging words when spirits were low and tears falling … and finished stronger and more appreciative of their place in the world.
As we took our final steps, a sense of well-being and happiness
permeated all of us: hugs, tears and smiles all around. In Pangnirtung,
we checked into Auyuittuq Lodge and dominated the communal dining
room with hilarious recountings of hardships and accomplishments.
The beaming faces still showed the tell-tale signs of the North … frost-nipped noses and cheeks, chapped lips and ‘raccoon eyes’ where goggles shielded the sun and wind.
A B Ov e & B e YO N d — C A N A dA’ S A RC T I C J O U R N A L
Back in the UK, Lease Plan is thrilled with the expedition’s outcome: seeing
the spirit and confidence that this project has developed in its employees.
I know, as well, that each member has been touched profoundly and will carry a part of Canada’s North with them in their hearts forever.
Wendy Grater
Find out more about Black Feather’s Arctic adventures: - Auyuittuq Ski Tour - Pond Inlet Sea Kayaking - Auyuittuq Hikes
- Pond Inlet Ski Tour - Quttinirpaaq Hiking - Floe edge Base Camps
www.blackfeather.com
1-888-849-7668
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C U LT U R e
Square dance Showdown Kugluktuk gets its groove back Preston Kapakatoak, 15, has performed in
competition dancing for much of his youth but
major showcase of regional traditional dance
victory at home. He competed at the Square
hosted in the epicentre of dance in the region:
it has been over four years since he has tasted
dance Showdown in Gjoa Haven three years ago, but didn't win. On home turf and performing in front of his friends and family he has an edge.
Competing in Kugluktuk is “amazing; it’s fun
Coral Westwood (centre) smiles as she rounds the dance circle with her Ukaliit Numiqtiit dance group. © Jesse Ajayi
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talent in the Kitikmeot. Often the event is Gjoa Haven, which boasts a strong contingent
of teams and wide community support led by the Amauligak young adult dance troupe.
This year, Helena Bolt brings Kugluktuk into
to hear the crowd,” he says.
the dance spotlight. A high school teacher and
youth dance troupe, to “stay out of trouble and
troupe, she is at the head of the growing dance
He originally joined Ukaliit Numiqtiit, the
Preston Kapakatoak from the Ukaliit Numiqtiit dance troupe performs in the final day of competition. © Jesse Ajayi
The annual Square dance Showdown is a
have something to do in a small community” but now he is passionate about dance.
“Learning to jig with the whole group and
coach of the Ukaliit Numiqtiit youth dance movement in Kugluktuk. Now she is trying to bring high-level competition back to Kugluktuk. It’s been four years since Kugluktuk has seen
thinking of how to improve the dance” is the
the competition at home. With the competition
he notes.
anteed a chance to participate.
hardest part of preparing for a big competition, For Preston, competing in Kugluktuk also
“means a lot to keep our culture going.”
at home, all four local dance troupes are guar-
In preparation for the return of the compe-
tition to Kugluktuk, Ukaliit Numiqtiit has been
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C U LT U R e
Members of the Pinniqtut Numiqtiit young adult dance troupe from Kugluktuk time loud shouts with synchronized footwork. © Jesse Ajayi
Gustin Adjun plays a dance number for the competition held at the Kugluktuk Recreation Complex in Nunavut. © Jesse Ajayi
Helena Bolt, juggling multiple responsibilities, is packing a family member while coaching her dance troupe and coordinating the Square Dance Showdown. © Jesse Ajayi
steadily fundraising for years. Local contributions
them right from elementary school up through
dancing. The crowd waits patiently while they
Bingos and community dances.
development,” she says.
have topped out at $10,000, fundraised through
For Kugluktukmiut, jigging is about more
high school. You see the progression in their On the final night of the showdown, with
than just dance.
the crowd eager for the deciding round of
ting their community and whatever was passed
honour tradition and history. The leaders of
“They feel honoured that they are represen-
on to them and what was passed on from elders.
Obviously we don’t jig like the elders did but
dances, there is a break in the competition to each of the six competing groups perform an
honour dance in recognition of an important
take time to jig and to remember.
When the competition resumes, the best
overall performing teams compete for a $3,000 cash prize.
Preston’s Ukaliit Numiqtiit has made the
top three. They perform their final dance, and by a margin of one point, win the Showdown!
Jubilant, and pressed to describe the feeling
person in their lives or in their community.
of winning with home crowd support, Preston
recognizing how integral dance is to growing up
each pair explains — often through tears —
dancers from Kugluktuk, when you’ve watched
an elder who has encouraged their love of
Jesse Ajayi
the culture part is still there,” says Bolt.
edna elias, a competition judge agrees,
in Kugluktuk. “It makes me very proud of the
The simple gesture is filled with emotion as
which person they have chosen. Most honour
A B Ov e & B e YO N d — C A N A dA’ S A RC T I C J O U R N A L
manages just one word: “lovely.”
Jesse Ajayi is a community planner living and working in Kugluktuk, Nunavut.
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SCIeNCe The Arctic Institute has operated Kluane Lake Research Station for over 50 years, which is located on the Silver Creek floodplain at the south end of Kluane Lake, 220 km NW of Whitehorse. © Lance Goodwin
The Arctic Institute: 70 years young
Sometimes Canadians see value in the great
War out of concerns that Canada and the U.S.
its Arctic research database (ASTIS), and its
their thousands of years of history, even see
of their largely-ignored northern lands, the
archaeology and atmospheric chemistry.
white North, are proud of our Inuit citizens and
economic potential there. Most of the time, we perhaps don’t — perhaps a case of ‘out of
sight’ since despite it making up 40 percent of the country’s land area, only 0.3 per cent of Canadians live north of the Arctic Circle.
The Arctic Institute of North America (AINA),
has consistently championed the value of
Canada’s North and provided a home for those studying and promoting its culture, science and
wildlife. AINA celebrates its 70th anniversary in december.
Cold War origins
For all its years, AINA has proven to be an agile and ever-adapting creature. Born in the Cold
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both needed to do more to promote the study
’50s and ’60s saw it mainly active in the geo-
interests expanded to include biosciences,
sciences, running research stations on devon
Global Warming future?
to Baffin and ellesmere Islands, as well as
affected by thinning sea-ice and rising sea
Island and in the Yukon and leading expeditions
building a world-class Arctic research library and database. At that time based in Montreal,
the institute also had offices in Ottawa, New York and Washington – locations that spoke to the political interest in the Arctic at the time.
By the seventies AINA had become primarily
a Canadian institution (far from losing interest
in the Arctic, the Americans had developed their own research facilities based in Alaska).
It was physically relocated to Calgary where
oil companies became major supporters of
A region with changing ecosystems strongly levels, global warming has given the Arctic a
new relevance not only to ordinary Canadians, but to people everywhere. The shrinking sea-ice
cover means more serious interest in mineral exploration, and with it the likelihood of pollution in a uniquely sensitive environment.
It also opens up the Arctic to increased shipping through the Northwest Passage, again with political and environmental consequences.
How has AINA adapted to this changing
world? It has always been more of a place
2015 | 05
SCIeNCe
that hosts and facilitates science, rather than
employing large numbers of researchers directly (even today it only has a full-time staff
of 11). Its Arctic research station at Kluane Lake, two hundred kilometres northwest of
Whitehorse, serves as a centre for scientists from a variety of institutions, not merely AINA researchers.
Community engagement
The way the Arctic Institute works has also
changed — these days there is much more emphasis on public participation in its activities.
For example, this summer AINA launched an
Arctic wildlife monitoring initiative, but instead
of a few academics counting birds, entire northern communities became engaged, armed
with smart phone apps to participate in the study.
The project goes way beyond asking for
help with data collection; it really puts the communities in the driving seat as far as to what
data is collected and how the data is used. The communities with whom AINA is working are
enthusiastic about the project because they can use the data themselves — to inform decision-making, wildlife management and policy, as well as furthering study on environmental issues that concern them.
One of the aims of the project is to work in
partnership with communities, with the hope
that the tools that AINA are developing will later be used to address other community-
defined research needs. It is really the complete
opposite of the type of academic study that the Arctic Institute would have done 70 years
ago — it’s a collaborative and innovative approach which reflects the way research in the North has changed and does credit to how
Canada’s oldest Arctic research institution has successfully adapted to the 21st century.
david Millar
david Millar is a Research Associate with the Arctic Institute of North America. arctic.ucalgary.ca
A B Ov e & B e YO N d — C A N A dA’ S A RC T I C J O U R N A L
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2015 | 05
COMMUNITY
Serving the North
Promoting northern arts and crafts and helping communities The North is full of talented people…people who create art to celebrate the Inuit culture, share their traditions and develop economic opportunities. First Air is proud to partner with a number of valued and creative artists from different communities in the North by offering a sample of their hard work as part of the Gear-up Buy On Board program.
Northern Fashions
Working on one of Nunavik Creations at the Inukjuak workshop. © NCI / Simon Nomis © Nunavik Creations (2)
Nunavik Creations
Nunavik Creations was created to expand economic opportunities and produce products that reflect the culture, crafts and traditions of Inuit to
the outside world. Nunavik Creations values deep-rooted Inuit traditions
Rannva Simonsen
in the quality of materials and the use of natural resources while adapting
that assists women of the Arctic in improving their quality of life by
and maintains high quality standards passed down from Inuit ancestors to today’s world of social, environment, and political changes.
© Rannva Simonsen
SeWING FOR SURvIvAL is a RANNvA Socio-economic Company Program offering employment in the creative use of their traditional sewing skills.
They take pride in creating unique designs inspired by their cultural heritage and in producing quality products. All items are handmade.
Materials include: wool duffel, leather, sealskin, beads, bone and antler. Some are decorated with colourful hand embroidery.
Rannva Simonsen is an architect/designer with a passion for high
quality fur clothing. She began designing fur fashions in 1999. Rannva
lives in Apex (a subdivision of Iqaluit), Nunavut. Her work also often
brings her to other parts of North America, overseas, and back to her
native Faroe Islands. Rannva’s work is widely distributed throughout
Canada as well as in the U.S., Greenland, denmark, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Israel, Korea and Japan.
A B Ov e & B e YO N d — C A N A dA’ S A RC T I C J O U R N A L
At the workshop of NCI in St. Laurent, Quebec: Inuit women from various communities in Nunavik are employed as seamstresses, designers, creative analysts, sample makers and pattern makers. © NCI / Simon Nomis
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COMMUNITY
Northern Music Tanya Tagaq
Tanya Tagaq is an Inuk throat singer,
songwriter and artist from Cambridge
Bay Nunavut. She began practicing throat singing in high school in Yellowknife,
Northwest Territories. She studied visual
arts at the Nova Scotia College of Art and design. She has developed her own solo
The Jerry Cans
form of Inuit throat singing.
The Jerry Cans create music inspired by their
hometown Iqaluit, Nunavut. With their unique mix of Inuktitut alt-country, throat singing, and reggae, they are truly a one of a kind group and
distinctly northern. The band performs many of their songs in Inuktitut and is passionate about preserving the language. Their music evokes the contemporary North and the spirited people who reside there, inspiring both elders
and youth to dance to their high-energy tunes.
Books with Northern themes The Right to be Cold
The Right to be Cold is a story of resilience, commitment, and
survival. It was written by Sheila Watt-Cloutier, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and one of the world’s most recognized environmental and human rights advocates.
Sweetest Kulu
Sweetest Kulu is a beautiful bedtime poem, written by
acclaimed Inuit throat singer Celina Kalluk. It describes the gifts given to a newborn baby by all the animals of the Arctic.
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First Air is recognized in the aviation business with innovation and operational expertise in remote regions and in unusual or especially taxing environments. Their service-based approach and extensive northern experience, along with their social responsibility efforts, continue to demonstrate leadership in northern transportation services. These on board offerings are another way First Air continues to provide a full Northern service to passengers travelling for business or pleasure.
2015 | 05
Life Among the Qallunaat
BOOKSHeLF
Mini Aodla Freeman (Author) Keavy Martin (editor), Julie Rak (editor), Norma dunning (editor) University of Manitoba Press, March 2015
Life Among the Qallunaat is the story of Mini Aodla Freeman’s experiences growing up in the Inuit communities of James Bay
and her relocation in the 1950s to the south. Her memoir is both humorous and heartbreaking at times while illustrating an Inuit
woman’s personal journey between two worlds. This is the third
book in the First voices, First Texts series, which publishes lost or under appreciated texts by Indigenous writers. First published in
1978, this revised edition has been translated into French, German, and Greenlandic. It includes revisions based on the original type-
script, an interview with the author, and an afterword by editors Keavy Martin, Julie Rak, and Norma dunning.
A Look At Modern Aboriginal Women
Status of Women Council of the NWT March 2015
As part of their 25th anniversary of serving women in the NWT, the Status of Women Council of the NWT
have published this book to commemorate their work and provide inspiration to urban Aboriginal women. Through stunning fashions, timeless recipes and heal-
ing activities, the collection of photos and memories
illustrates the connections between nature, history and traditional skills. Fashions by dene artist
d’arcy Moses and from the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre are included, with photographs by Robert Mulders. Western versus traditional medicine is compared, including recipes such as
spruce gum balm. Country food recipes include dried fish and spruce tip shortbread, along with descriptions of their cultural significance. The Council hopes this book will encourage successful urban women today to connect with their culture and “seek the experience of their elders who can help them live richer lives and cope with modern challenges.”
You Will Wear a White Shirt: From the Northern Bush to the Halls of Power Senator Nick Sibbeston douglas & McIntyre, September 2015
Nick Sibbeston’s childhood, living with his mother and grandmother in a remote northern community, was abruptly and
disturbingly altered when at the age of five he was taken from his family and placed in a residential school. As one of Canada’s
first Aboriginal lawyers, and MLA, cabinet minister, and
premier of the Northwest Territories, as well as a Senator, Sibbeston played a pivotal role in Northwest Territories politics and participated in the discussions of the separation
of Nunavut. Sibbeston’s years at residential school left a
significant mark. This heartfelt autobiography describes his personal and political struggles while he worked towards seeing real change for the people he served. The Yellowknife Book Launch is
September 21 at the Prince of Wales Heritage Centre and the Ottawa Launch is September 24 at the Ottawa International Writers Festival at the Metropolitain Brasserie. A B Ov e & B e YO N d — C A N A dA’ S A RC T I C J O U R N A L
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2015 | 05
INUIT FORUM
Inuit Speak with a Louder voice Your vote counts. As a matter of fact, if you live in Inuit Nunangat, your vote in the federal election scheduled for October 19 is actually worth more than if you lived in one of Canada’s major urban centres. That’s because Inuit Nunangat’s four ridings (Nunavut, Northwest Territories, Labrador and Abitibi-Baie-JamesNunavik-eeyou) have relatively small populations. So your vote has a proportionally greater impact on the result. But that’s not the only reason your vote in the next federal election is important. In our democratic system, voting is also the great equalizer. We each get one vote. No amount of money or power will grant you any more than that. In that one sense, you have as great an influence on the outcome of an election in your riding as any other person in that riding. Still not sure voting is worth your time? Consider this. voting was once a privilege granted only to white men. Not just any qallunaat qualified either. You had to own property. In fact, Inuit were excluded from the vote in the 1930s – before we ever knew we were included. In the 1950s, according to historical research by elections Canada, Inuit had the vote restored to us without qualification. Sovereignty was the word of the decade, and extending the franchise to Inuit was part of a greater Cold War effort to exert sovereignty in Canada’s Arctic. But there was a hitch – we were living on the land, and while the land offered us many things, it offered neither ballots nor ballot boxes.
Inuit gather in Ottawa on Parliament Hill on World Suicide Prevention Day, 2010. © ITK Archives (2)
In the 1960s, our move into settlements had begun in earnest and those ballots and boxes finally materialized. The federal election of 1962 was the first time that Inuit in the eastern Arctic were able to exercise the right to vote in any significant number. Today we vote because we can. We vote because our ancestors couldn’t. We vote to give them a voice, and to give ourselves a voice in the decisions that govern our lives. Here’s something else you should know: the voting laws have changed. That might make voting in this coming federal election confusing because it is a little different than in previous elections. You might be asked for a second piece of identification. You might find the lines at the polls a little longer than usual. Inform yourself and go prepared. visit www.itk.ca for
a list in english and Inuktitut of acceptable pieces of Id. It’s a long list, and even if you don’t have any of the pieces listed, you still have options. You can vote if you’re homeless. You can vote if you’re in prison. You can vote if you’re away from home for medical reasons. You can vote if you’re disabled. You can vote if you’re a unilingual Inuktitut-speaker. Working men and women are entitled to take time off work to vote, if required, and you don’t have to lose pay to do so. If you’re 18 years old and a Canadian citizen, just vote. Who should you vote for? Well, that’s not for me to say. Make the decision that’s best for you. It’s your right.
Terry Audla
President, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami 75 Albert Street, Suite 1101 Ottawa, ON K1P 5E7 t. (613) 238.8181
A B Ov e & B e YO N d — C A N A dA’ S A RC T I C J O U R N A L
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GUeST edITORIAL
Looking Ahead: Our People, Our Future There has been real growth across the territory
At the community feast in Kugluktuk with Premiers Darrell Pasloski and Bob Mcleod for the Northern Premier’s Forum. June 16, 2015 © Government of Nunavut
in the last 16 years. We are very proud as Inuit and as Canadians. It is a remarkable story how
we became Nunavut. It’s one of our biggest
achievements as a people. It started in 1953 with the first petition to create Nunavut, which
came from my hometown of Kugluktuk. We lobbied Canada about increased mineral and prospecting activity taking place on our land
for which we had no recognized rights as Inuit. At the time, it was not customary for Inuit to
speak up. But of those 30 original signatures on that first petition, I’m proud to say my father,
Alex Taptuna, is amongst one of the signatories. Today, Nunavut enjoys a thriving arts
community that is rich in tradition. Our artists
are recognized internationally for their ability
to masterfully carve soapstone, write music and
direct award winning films. We have a number
of successful entrepreneurs, lawyers, nurses, as well as a veterinarian and young folk study-
ing medicine. Nunavut has also inspired and
nourished Inuit activists that have championed causes from sealing to climate change.
Some of our most notable people include
and incorporate more culturally relevant infor-
metals. In our short history, we’ve moved from
Prize, and Jordin Tootoo, an NHL hockey player.
about Canada’s first prime ministers, but we
contribute over $300 million into Southern
Tanya Tagaq, a singer who won Canada’s Polaris
There are many more individuals that equally
contribute to our land. What all these folks
have in common is that they are all proud Inuit with their culture rooted here in Nunavut.
Our youth are our future and we need that
mation. There is nothing wrong with learning
want to ensure our youth know about their own leaders too — the people that helped
make Nunavut a reality. We are also looking
long-term at the possibilities of a Nunavut
zero to an emerging economy where we now jurisdictions just through our resource sector.
This means, we are going to see an explosion in job opportunities in the near future.
We need to balance growth with the con-
university.
nection to our land to protect our most fragile
success, which ultimately support our economy.
becoming treasure chest for investors. Not
forward, and we need to continue positioning
and parents are rightly uneasy with our current
is important, because Nunavut’s holds some of
future to include the best possible supports for It is challenging when the cost of food is high
education system. We’ve since made changes to standardize curriculum across the territory
54
We’re on the edge of economic growth and
long ago, we had little economic activity. This
the wealthiest high-grade metal deposits in
Canada; we are teeming with gold and other
ecosystems. We aren’t going to stop moving our people to harness the opportunities.
Peter Taptuna
Premier of Nunavut
2015 | 05
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