holiday cheer

with x-mas over and the new year to come i figure it's time for a new post.

I finally got my hands on some pond inlet maktaaq and brought it to my family as I spent just about 2 weeks with them and just got back to YFB.

it was good to be back "home" around family and old friends. played poker it seemed like almost every night, went to the community games a few nights and just enjoyed visiting around with people close to me.

the food was always good too as we ate country food practically every other day.

thanks to my family for a good visit and wish everyone a Haapi Nuu Jaa!! and stay safe!

narwhal maktaaq galore (in Pond Inlet)

it appears there is much more narwhals that are trapped near pond inlet than was expected.

check out the latest CBC North news article here (don't forget to visit the 'related' link/s).

I wonder now if this issue would've been bigger news if an alternative option was decided upon for the situation.

I take it from the lack of presence from animal rights organization that this situation is not worthy of a fight (?).

how i would love to chomp down on some soy sauce-smothered, partially frozen maktaaq followed with a cup o' tea and palaugaaq - mmmmmm!

Did you hear...

Nunavut got its first female Premier? Eva Aariak is the Premier-elect and the second to serve after Paul Okalik held the top job in the Government of Nunavut for the past 9 years.

Many people no doubt are anticipating some changes and to some, it is a refreshing renewal while to other, it was an upsetting takeover.

She's the second politician to say these words in this new government (Lorne Kusugaq said it soon after being elected in Rankin South/Whale Cove).

Happy New Government!

Nunavut Leadership Forum

So, the leadership forum is scheduled to start tomorrow morning. Should be interesting - I'll maybe check it out in the afternoon if they have not already announced who is in what position.

twiddling my thumbs...

SB By-election results

Fred Schell, now the former Mayor of Kinngait has been elected as South Baffin's MLA after 59% of the elegibile voters cast their ballots.

What I find rather odd is that Kimmirummiut chose the out-of-towner over their local candidate.

More coverage here.

Voting day

so tonite will show a new set of MLAs for the GN and all I can say to that is: the Nunavut Elections Act should be one of the first things to be reviewed and amended. My after-thoughts are: would my non-voting ability play at least a significantly minor part? We'll see after tonite.

And what of next week when South Baffin holds its by-election? I don't think many people will notice. The other by-election is what interests me more despite being from SB.

happy voting Nunamiut - I can wait to cast my ballot in 4 years. Maybe then my residency should be cleared up.

update: results can be found here, read coverage on the voter turnout decrease, and a call for gender-parity.

I get all my other "news" through the grapevine aside from CBC North, Nunatsiaq News and News North.

federal election results...

not much new - more seats for the Tories, less on the Liberals.

Was a pretty tight race in 'Nunavut' between the 3 main parties if you ask me.

let's see what happens next...

Update: Leona Aglukkaq has been appointed into the Cabinet of the 40th Parliament - Pretty cool huh?

need new computer

laptop no working good....me think to go "the Source" to find better machine that acts like brain. Need lots of pieces of paper or valuable small plastic to exchange for this. anybody want to buy igunaq?

The Airline of the North

Sounds like they are putting their execs way "first" before their customers...read about it here.

If I were to get a $600K bonus, let alone $250K, I think i'd donate most, if not all, of the money in some way or another (scholarships, youth projects, or devise a cool contest) whereby it would ensure that the money is invested back to the communities. All I have to say now is, if this amount is roughly what they get or annually, It is in fact $25 and $60 K bonuses a year that were mentioned.... STILL WOW! At least the guy is honest (?).

Update: more coverage is being done on this at CBC North

Voting in the Nunavut Elections

So I moved back to Nunavut after 5 and half years 'down south' and was looking forward to take part our 'democracy' this fall as the territorial elections started out soon after the federal writ was issued.

Unfortunately for me, my anticipation to participate in voting (in the territorial elections) was shot down like a duck near outside Cape Dorset in July. Apparently, I must be a resident of Nunavut for at least one year.

It doesn't end there. After pondering it some more, and checking out the Nunavut Elections Act, it appears that I may have a case since I moved to Ottawa for education and employment reasons. So, I could argue that I am only 'temporarily absent' from 'my place of home or dwelling' under the section "Determining Residence." Would you buy that? or do I need so seek a laywer? I do still fully intend to return to my place of home or dwelling.....at one point or another.

Update: apparently, the employment part (of the NEA) is referreing to short-term work (ie. taking on a term position to cover someone's maternity leave who is on a leave of absence). Oh well, I suppose (or hope) I won't have this same trouble 4 years down the road. Happy (non)voting everyone!

Also unrelated but related: the current mayor of Kinngiat has put his hat into the race - now I DEFINATELY hope someone else runs for South Baffin.

Up-update: it seems that I ain't the only one with this problem. It will be interesting to see what happens out of this.

Coinkidink?

I started my blog after a couple months of saying to myself "this is the new thing to do and it could be my own little corner of the web(log)" - and now blogs are sooooo 'in' that the President of the national Inuit organization of Canada has its own.

I've been honoured to work for Ms. Simon and some good people at ITK - keep up the good work and remember: do not jay-walk near Laurier & Metcalfe :)

candidacy apathy?

there is not one person that ran in my howntown riding of South Baffin in the Nunavut Territorial general elections.

Elections Nunavut has scheduled a byelection on Nov. 3 for South Baffin. Outgoing MLA Olayak Akesuk, who had not wanted to seek re-election, told CBC News he may run if nobody else is interested.

I do hope that someone else does run this time around - I can think of at least a few people that could/should be good representatives in the House for Kinngait & Kimmirut.

Update: the by-election writ has brough up four hopefuls for South-Baffin riding - first and foremost, I'll be happy if the incumbent speaks Inuktitut. And secondly, can read and understand English clearly (talk about mediocre expectations!). That's my standard that one of these these candidates will have to prove and live up to if am to support them in office. Only time will tell.

The effects of climate change are so harmful that...

This made me laugh!

as a person with minor hearing problems, and despite the initial obvious finding that bears have much more sensitivity to sound than humans have, can I say that "global warming" the noise of melting ice has impeded on my listening since I have grown up in a melting climate in my the Arctic the first 19 years of my life? huh?