Our Featured Celebration

 

"Every once in while, when research these monthly features, you run into a celebration that
makes you sit back and say... hmmm. For instance: how many of you knew that April 20—
26th has been proclaimed International Sky Awareness Week? Or that the goal of the week
is to encourage you to "...be aware of and appreciate the greatest resource we all share –
the Sky"?

Indeed. Well, who are we to judge whatever committee it is that sits around and comes up
with this stuff? Ever eager to do our part, we are pleased to present the following Sky
Awareness Week Recognition Chart to assist you in your awareness and appreciation of
the greatest natural resource we all etcetera.

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT CONSILIUM, AARLUK and ARDOS... In this corner of our site we'll be posting notes on new people, new projects, and new online materials you may find interesting. Enjoy, and come back often.

NEW PROJECTS          

 

The Hamlet of Gjoa Haven will be undertaking a review of their Community Economic Development Plan this year with the help of Aarluk's Ron Ryan, Chris Grosset, and Marla Limousin. (Gjoe Haven Habour pictured right.)

 

 

 

Greg Smith, Terry Forth and Terry Rudden have provided a draft report on their review of DIAND's Nunavut Regional Office Inuit Employment Plan (IEP). The review is based on consultations with members of the Nunavut Regional Office in Iqaluit and Inuit employees.  It looks at how successfully the five year plan has met the objectives and targets it set out for the period 2000-2005. Under the NLCA (Article 23) all levels of government are required to develop an IEP describing how they will work achieving 85% Inuit in government.

 

ONGOING PROJECTS

 

 

 

The Aarluk Team has been working for the last two months with Embrace Life, a Nunavut-based group committed to providing positive lifestyle support and alternatives for youth in the communities. Working with Lori Idlout of Iqaluit, Clive Tesar has designed a series of attractive pamphlets, while Blair Stevenson and Terry Rudden have prepared a binder of resources to support community groups.

 

Greg Smith, David Boult, Brian Burke, Terry Forth, James Arreak and Ryan Lotan have completed the draft report on the review of the Nunavut fur industry, including support programs, issues and challenges, and opportunities for growth. The draft report was provided to the Government of Nunavut Department of Environment.

Terry Rudden, Terry Forth and Greg Smith have continued to review drafts of report sections for the 5 year review of the implementation of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement being conducted by Pricewaterhouse Coopers for DIAND.

Harvesting is right at the heart of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, and at the centre of Inuit culture. Terry Rudden spent four fine days working with old friends in the Wildlife Department of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc, working to update that department's operational plan to ensure that Inuit rights to harvest wildlife are honoured in Nunavut. His visit coincided with Sir Paul McCartney's visit to protest the seal hunt on the East Coast. This event, unsurprisingly, was much discussed by the Inuit hunters attending the planning session: and the consensus, unsurprisingly, was NOT "Let It Be." Vice President of NTI Raymond Ningeocheak has invited McCartney to visit Nunavut and participate in an Inuit hunt. (Glenn Williams, Bert Dean and David Lee of NTI Wildlife, rehearsing their a cappella version of "I Am The Walrus" in anticipation of Sir Paul's visit).

Achieving Objectives Land Claims Conference, June 27-30, Hilton Lac Leamy,  Gatineau: The list of notables participating in the conference gets longer every month. Attendees will be rubbing shoulders with Ethel Blondin-Andrew (former Minister of State), Fred Carmichael (Chair of the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Group and President of the Gwich'in Tribal Council), and Thomas Berger (long-time defender of First Peoples' rights - pictured left) at this national gathering designed to develop recommendations for the new Federal land claims implementation policy. Make sure your voice is heard in this important process! Log on to www.consilium.ca/alcc2006 for registration information and our complete list of speakers and presenters.

Ron Ryan and Ian Kenney are continuing their work with BEAHR (Building Environmental Aboriginal Human Resources) to support the rollout of the Aboriginal Inland Habitat Program (AIHP) for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. This program will assist Aboriginal communities in the management of local fish habitat. Consultants have been hired in Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario, and they have been working with eligible Aboriginal groups towards identifying habitat issues to be addressed by the program. In Québec, Ian will be fulfilling the role of Regional Consultant, where more meetings are planned for April.

HAPPY ENDINGS

Nunavut Tunngavik Inc and the Government of Nunavut have released the "Final Report on a Consultation-Based Review of the Harvester Support Programs of the Government of Nunavut and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.", prepared by Aarluk. The report, prepared by Fred Weihs and Terry Rudden, with research support from David Boult, Ryan Lotan and James Arreak, provides a review and analysis of the support provided to harvesters in Nunavut by NTI and the GN's Department of Environment. Specifically, the report assesses current wildlife support programs and how well they meet the needs and priorities of Nunavut harvesters, and it offers a series of recommendations in light of current fiscal realities.

Greg Smith facilitated a successful meeting in Iqaluit on the process of appointments to Institutions of Public Government (IPG's) for INAC. There are several IPG's, including the Nunavut Water Board, the Nunavut Impact Review Board and the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, which have representatives appointed by NTI, the Government of Nunavut and the Government of Canada. In some cases nominations from Nunavut must be approved by the Minister of INAC. The meeting involved administrative staff from INAC, NTI, QIA and the Government of Nunavut, and was intended to share ideas and information in order to improve the appointment process.

 

Dr. Valerie Assinewe, President of ARDOS, co-chairing a panel at Health Canada's  International Symposium on Drug, Food and Natural Health Product Interactions. (L-R: You know who, Dr. David Bailey, Co-Chair (University of Western Ontario), Dr. Richard Kim (Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Tennessee), Dr. Angelo Izzo (University of Naples, Italy.)

 

Ron Ryan facilitated a three-day conference in March for the Kitikmeot Economic Development Corporation, bringing together grassroots community organizations to discuss common barriers, goals and strategies for increased cooperation throughout the region.  From mineral extraction to tourism, the Kitikmeot region of Nunavut has been one of the key economic drivers of the Territory.

Ian Kenney, Terry Rudden and Ryan Lotan completed a paper for the National
Association of Friendship Centres. This paper researched and discussed some strategic options for the NAFC to consider, along with its provincial and territorial associations, in the areas of Health, Education, and Housing, as well as with respect to accountability and political relationships. The NAFC intends to use the paper to identify opportunities for the Movement following the First Ministers' Meeting in Kelowna, B.C., in November 2005.

GOSSIP

Chris Grosset was recently appointed to the Board of Directors for the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA). Chris will represent the Nunavut Association of Landscape Architects (NuALA) on national issues concerning the design, development and protection of landscape and the environment.

Terry and Valerie visited Toronto to attend that musical about a twisted, loathsome creature who lives deep in a cave with a stolen Ring that has the power to command Men, Elves, and other beings. But the ring is evil, with power of its own, and…excuse me? Frodo who? No, not THAT Ring: it was Gotterdammerung, the Canadian Opera Company's performance of the last play in Wagner's "Ring of the Niebelung" cycle. Here's Terry hobnobbing in the pit with the Canadian Opera Company's lovely and talented first viola player, who in her spare time is also his sister, Angela.

BIRTHDAYS

As long time readers will know, April is free lunch month at Consilium: we all live on birthday cake, champagne and good wishes as birthday flows into birthday all month long. In fact, we have to disconnect the smoke detectors for the whole month: between them, our April birthday babies (Greg Smith, Leslie Sutherland, Terry Rudden, Ron Ryan and Mehrun Forth) burn up approximately 265 candles. You do the math if you really want to.

Oh, and one final greeting: happy birthday to Nunavut, celebrating its seventh on April 1st!

  CHECK BACK EVERY MONTH FOR MORE CONSILIUM NEWS, TOOLS, AND GOSSIP.