Our Featured Celebration

 

In these troubled times, remember December holds one holiday that brings us all together for a celebration all humanity can agree on: December 28th, World Chocolate Day. Dark or light, chewed or imbibed...in the words of Counsellor Deanna Troi, "I never met a chocolate I didn't like."  And to assuage any guilt you may feel about overzealous celebration of this event, the Consilium Research Bureau reminds you that chocolate lowers high blood pressure (Taubert, The Journal of the American Medical Association, Aug. 27), is a potent antioxidant (Serafini, National Institute for Food and Nutrition, 2006), and contains flavanols and procyanidins that improve the function and flow of blood vessels and help control inflammation (Nature, Aug. 28) It's practically health food, for heaven's sake. Go nuts.  Preferably hazelnuts.     

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 PEOPLE

A special reason for celebration: we are delighted to announce that our long-standing friend and associate Jennifer David will be joining the team as manager of ARDOS. Former Director of Communications for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, Jennifer has operated her own communications consulting firm for the last five years, and brings to ARDOS both her experience and a strong vision for the Consilium Corporate Group's Aboriginal affiliate. "There is great potential for ARDOS to serve Aboriginal communities and organizations and I'm excited about sharing my skills and expertise to build a strong Aboriginal company", said Jennifer. "With the support of the team here at Consilium, this promises to be a great adventure." There are some very exciting changes in store for ARDOS over the next few months: keep reading the newsletter, and you'll be the first to know.

NEW PROJECTS      

The Aboriginal Children's Circle of Early Learning (ACCEL) is a website that serves as a clearinghouse for Aboriginal early childhood development. Jennifer David will be heading up a team of consultants to conduct research on existing and potential structures and initiatives similar to ACCEL, with the goal of informing future development of such networks. Supporting the project will be Terry Rudden, Greg Smith, Ian Kenney, Andrea Johnston, and Christian Cloutier.

 

ONGOING PROJECTS

Intrepid Consiliumati David Boult spent a week in Cambridge Bay in late November delivering a course for Economic Development Officers. EDOs from across Nunavut gathered to learn more about small business management. While temperatures dipped to minus 40, David, Consilium's resident gourmet, managed to expand his culinary frontiers by hanging out with the local ex-pat Phillipino crowd. Rumour has it that a number of new dishes will be appearing on the Boult table in the near future. Ptarmigan Asado, anyone?

Phase II of the Resolute Bay Community Economic Development Strategy kicked off this past month with James Arreak spending a week in the community meeting with the CED Committee, Hamlet Counsellors, Elders, Youth and other community representatives. Further regional consultations are also underway.

Chris Grosset travelled to Clyde River the week of November 20 despite warnings from the Hamlet that polar bears were roaming the bay near the community. Chris was deeply disappointed not to have a bear sighting during his trip (as were the bears, no doubt), but that was his only disappointment. The work on identifying cultural resources within the proposed park boundary went very well. Contributions to the work were provided by the Park Steering Committee members (see photo below), Elders, residents with family connections to the area, outfitters and guides, students of the high school, and members of the community attending the public open house. Chris will be compiling the information and returning to Clyde River in the new year to work with the Steering committee to prepare recommendations to the Government of Nunavut, Nunavut Parks and Special Places Division. (Above, Park Steering Committee: L to r, Gary Aipellee, Ningarapik Arnakak, Leah Arreak, Steven Aipellee, Jayko Ashevak, Chris Grosset)

 

Fieldwork is nearly complete on the Formative Evaluation of the AHRDAs (Aboriginal Human Resource Development Agreements) for HRSDC. Overseen by Project Manager Greg Smith, a large team of researchers has been travelling to sites around the country where AHRDAs are located. The evaluation will include fourteen case studies, a literature review (which has been completed by Fred Weihs and Jennifer David) and analysis of AHRDA client data by EKOS Research Associates. The evaluation research, analysis and write-up continues into 2007, with draft reports due in the spring.

Aarluk Consulting has resumed work on the Kimmirut CED Plan with the arrival of the community new EDO, Erin Gordey. Ron Ryan tabled the Strategic Options Report (prepared with the assistance of Chris Grosset and Ryan Lotan) at a recent Kimmirut Hamlet Council Meeting, where the Council accepted the report with great enthusiasm and decided that the Tourism and Arts and Crafts Sectors were priority areas for development. One of the highlights of the report stated that the population of Kimmirut is young - " 37% of Kimmirut residents under the age of 15 and over half of the total population 56.6 % under 25 years." The Council is very concerned that youth be considered in the Plan - youth like Charlie Pee, who is clearly very interested in the consultation.

Chris Grosset, Marla Limousin and Chris Cloutier prepared the draft Strategic Options Report on the conditions and issues facing the economy of Gjoa Haven. Marla travelled to Gjoa Haven at the beginning of November to work for three days with the Community Economic Development Committee. The Committee reviewed the report, discussed goals and objectives for the local economy, and moved the process of preparing a new five year economic development plan to the next phase.

 

HAPPY ENDINGS

 

Terry Forth facilitated two (count them!) back-to-back workshops in Iqaluit in November with staff from the Department of Health and Social Services. Workshop #1 was a retreat for Nutrition specialists who are starting to look at their longer term strategic planning. Pictured here (proudly displaying their wall papering skills) are workshop participants (Pictured from left to right) Susan Beaubier, Jennifer Wakegijig, Leanne Webb and Lana Pestaluky.

Terry's second workshop was an introduction to the GN Work Planning process and an opportunity for fourteen representatives from the Health Promotion and Health Protection Divisions to discuss ways their respective activities might be better harmonized.

TEN YEARS AGO

In 1996 Greg Smith was out on the land near Taloyoak with Inuit elders and youth participating in a land-based cultural camp sponsored by the Kitikmeot Inuit Association. Greg helped to facilitate meetings of the group before everyone headed out for a week of camping so elders could pass on traditional hunting, fishing, cooking, tool making and other skills to Kitikmeot youth. The weather was warm and sunny, the fresh fish and caribou were delicious and this was one of those idyllic assignments our team members dream of repeating.

 

BIRTHDAYS

 

December 17th marks the birthday of David Boult, Consilium partner and real estate mogul; and those seeking an explanation for David's cultivated palate and love of fine dining need look no further than his birthday. December 17th marks the beginning of the Roman feast of Saturnalia, a week of feasting, drinking, and general debauch.

GOSSIP       

 

Our first Consilium Wedding went off without a hitch; which is to say they did, in fact, get hitched. The bride (Annie) was enchanting, the groom (Ian Kenney) dashing, the setting (Strathmere) sublime, the Junior Bridesmaids (Fiona, Marie-Blanche, and Andrea, pictured left) adorable, the band (Paddies on the Tundra) completely in tune, and the honeymoon (in Curacao) none of your business. Rumours that Fred took advantage of the occasion to hold a quick staff meeting and workshop in Excel Pivot Tables are grossly exaggerated. Polls are now open for speculation about who the NEXT Consilium wedding will unite.

The peripatetic Ryan Lotan, at press time, is somewhere in South America, having last reported in via MSN Messenger from a combination used comic book store and Internet Café on the slopes of the Andes. He will be crossing paths on his return with Terry Rudden and Valerie Assinewe, on their way south for two weeks of diving in Belize.

Speaking of which (Cheap Plug Alert), Terry Rudden and George Hargrave have just completed their most recent Scuba DVD, Dive the Caymans, available from their website at www.underwatermotion.com. Click on this link to see a brief excerpt from the DVD. If that wets (sorry!) your appetite, here's another excerpt, 66 Fish In Two Minutes, (http://www.lulu.tv/?p=4373) selected this week as a special "Editors' Pick" at LuluTV.

 

CONSILIUM QUIZZMASTER FIRED FOR EXCESSIVE OBSCURITY

Last Month's Trivia Challenge: What do Consilium and the award winning "Puppets Who Kill" have in common?

A designer.

Vicki Veenstra, the lovely and charming lady from (of course) Almonte, who designs the world's favourite murderous marionettes, is a long standing friend of Consilium, and helped design our offices and colour scheme at both our old Bronson Home and new digs on Gladstone.

And the winner is - errr - nobody. Who the heck was going to guess THAT one? So we've fired the Quizzmaster. Back to the Caption Contest.

 

 

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