And stand by for announcement of the housewarming.

• Aarluk is heading into the homestretch on the Evaluation of the Canada-Nunavut Labour Market Development Agreement (LMDA), with team members Greg Smith and Fred Weihs spearheading the analysis and drafting of preliminary findings leading to the draft and final project reports, with assistance from Ryan Lotan (data analysis), David Boult (case study reports) and Terry Rudden (writer/editor). The evaluation research began in September 2003 and involved a large team in Nunavut and elsewhere.

• Jennifer David facilitated a discussion on media and the arts at the first ever Youth Entrepreneurship Symposium, held in Toronto in March and organized by the National Aboriginal Capital Corporation. The conference gave young Aboriginal entrepreneurs the opportunity to network, hear from professionals in all areas of business and have some fun.
   

Peter Kusugak (INAC) at QIA Orientation Workshop
 

• Terry Forth and Lazarus Arreak delivered a four-day, in-depth orientation session to the Board of the Qikiqtaani Inuit Association, the largest regional Inuit association in Nunavut. Designed by Terry Rudden, the workshop provided new and experienced QIA Board Members with an overview of the organization's history, implementation responsibilities and priorities. The session also laid the groundwork for the development of a new strategic planning process for QIA.

GOSSIP

• Look for Aarluk at the Nunavut Trade Show next week...and be among the first to hear about a new corporate alliance to promote our communications services in Nunavut.
   

• As part of Consilium's long-term strategy for corporate expansion, Patti Black will be off on maternity leave for the next little while.

• Great to hear from ex-Consiliumiut Blair Stevenson, who scored the first-ever Consilium hat trick by joining the company, getting married AND having a baby all within a year. Here's Blair, Johanna and Sampo at home in Finland.

Ron's New Home (not exactly as pictured)
 

• Obviously it's real estate month at Consilium. Even Ron Ryan is taking the plunge - after what seemed like months of angst (actually only about two weeks), Ron will become a homeowner: he's just bought a house just around the corner from Consilium (upon which Consilium decided to move out...see above. No connection. Really.)

• From our Proud Parents Desk: Galen Smith (20) (son o' Greg) has passed his flight, medical and written tests for his commercial pilots' license at Sault College. He will be returning to Almonte for the summer to take training to become a flight instructor, then returning to Sault Ste Marie in the fall for the final year of his aviation technology program.

Galen Smith (not exactly as shown)

• As a proudly family-friendly newsletter, we try to avoid newsletter content of a profane or graphic nature, and indeed, eschew controversy in all circumstances. But Consilium is, after all, an Ottawa based company. So permit us a moment to empathize with our friend Joanasie Akumalik, Director of Implementation at Nunavut Tunngavik Inc, who sent us this picture in sympathy on Black Sunday.

• Aarluk partner, Helen Klengenberg just became a proud grandmother again on April 2, 2004. Darren Scott Tonokahak Panaktak was 9 lbs. 13 ounces. Helen took mom and grandson, including granddaughter fishing yesterday and caught a 6" land locked arctic char during the Iqaluit fishing derby.

TEN YEARS AGO

• Over Shanghai Noodles and Hot and Sour Soup at the Yang Sheng, the partners decided that "Ontario 05424821" lacked a certain zing, and opted for "Consilium".

• The coveted Consilium Birthday Cake of Destiny for May goes to a single recipient. Grab a napkin, Jennifer David, blowing out the candles on May 9 (Day of Memory and Honour In Uzbekistan, and just one day late for National Stinky Feet Day).