Our Featured Celebration

 

In Japan, February 8th marks the annual observance of Harikuyo, the Festival of Broken Needles, a ritual of thanks for the tools of the sewing trade. For the last 400 years, seamstresses and tailors have gathered together all of the needles they've used and worn out during the previous year: they gently embed the needles in tofu, and lay them to rest in a shrine, a gesture of gratitude and respect for the day-to-day objects that make our lives possible.

Inspired by this example, and given that Canadians are without a long weekend in February, we at Consilium are seeking funding to establish a "Festival of the Used-Up Toner Cartridge", and will keep our loyal readership apprised of our progress.

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      

                          
Fred Weihs travelled to Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation for two days of meetings and planning with the Lands Department, working on a plan to prepare the reserve for potential mineral development in the area. Recent increases in the price of nickel have made mining in the area economically feasible; the goal of the Sagamok team is to ensure that development is managed safely and responsibly, and that members of the reserve get their fair share of the employment and contracting possibilities.

The Not-For-Profit sector is one of the main drivers of the Nunavut economy. An Aarluk team headed by Terry Forth and including James Arreak, James Forth, Ron Ryan, Johnny Ningeonan, Chris Cloutier and Terry Rudden, will be working with the Nunavut Economic Forum on a study of this important sector, with the goal of helping not-for-profit organizations in Nunavut to better understand the challenges they face, and to deliver services and programs in a way that makes effective use of their limited financial and resource capacities.

Another key sector in Nunavut is the group of organizations that oversees the harvesting of wildlife, including more than twenty local hunters and trappers' organizations. These represent a critical part of the Nunavut traditional economy, as well as an entry point to the labour market for many Inuit. Terry Rudden will be working with Lorne Kusugak, CEO of the Nunavut Implementation Training Committee, on a strategy to help ensure that this critical segment of the territory's workforce receives the training they need. Pictured right:  Harvester's meeting, Nunavut.

 

Ron Ryan facilitated a workshop for the Board of Directors and Centre Directors, Tasiurvik Childcare Centre. Inukjuak, Nunavik in conjunction with Guerlaine Guerrier, Kativik Regional Government (KRG) Childcare Counsellor, as part of capacity building both for the Childcare Unit of the KRG and the community childcare centres Boards of Directors across Nunavik. This initiative kicks off with a Training for Trainers session in Kuujjuaq, and the development of a manual and training material geared to the circumstances of Quebec and in particular Nunavik. This capacity development project has been designed, developed and facilitated in cooperation with Carol Rowan with the ongoing support and input from the KRG. (Seated: Mina Weetaluktuk ( President) , Sarah Ruptash (Centre Director). Standing: Linda Kasudluak, Syra Qinnuajuak and Marina Annanack. Having a Hitchcock moment in the background: Ron Ryan and Guerlaine Guerrier.)

 

  

 

Aarluk Consulting will be working with the Hamlet of Coral Harbour to prepare a five year Community Economic Development Plan. Terry Forth will lead the project team of Chris Grosset, Christian Cloutier, and Johnny Ningeongan. Johnny is a resident and former Mayor of Coral Harbour; his experience and knowledge will be a significant contribution to the project.

 

 

 

Terry Forth also began work in January with the Devolution Directorate of the Government of Nunavut in the facilitation of a workshop with key GN departmental officials responsible for the GN's role in development of the Nunavut General Monitoring Program under Article 12.7.6 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.

ONGOING PROJECTS

                            

Patti Black and Greg Smith, with some design assistance from Terry Rudden, delivered a January workshop on basic program evaluation theory and practice to members of the Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre (WOCRC). The workshop was part of a larger project to develop a comprehensive evaluation framework for the $4.6 million dollar social service agency.

Next to Fred's multi-year work on the DEW Line cleanup negotiations, the second longest marathon project these days is the Formative Evaluation of the AHRDAs (Aboriginal Human Resource Development Agreements) being conducted by ARDOS for HRSDC. With a team of around 15 researchers, this is a major initiative. The team members have now wrapped up fieldwork at thirteen AHRDAs plus the Aboriginal Human Resources Sector Council of Canada, and are beginning to write up and analyse the information gathered, while still gathering socio-economic and other data from Statscan and elsewhere. Project Manager is Greg Smith.

Ron Ryan facilitated a planning session in Rankin Inlet for the Nunavut three Community Futures Groups (Baffin Business Development Corporation, Keewatin Business Development Centre, and the Kitikmeot Community Futures Incorporated.) The meeting was held to discuss the formation of an Association of the Nunavut Community Futures Groups (ANCFGs), and to examine the potential role, functions, structure and operations of such an association. The Chairs and General Managers of the three groups, following lengthy discussion and analysis, agreed to the formation of the Nunavut Community Futures Association (NCFA) developed a vision and missions statements, goals, objectives and a one year action plan, and made plans for the incorporation of the new organization.

 

 

HAPPY ENDINGS

Over the last weekend of January, Terry Forth worked with the EKOS Research Group in the delivery of a Citizen Dialogue session on behalf of the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Department of Health and Social Services. The session was part of a series of dialogues being held across Canada focusing on Pandemic Influenza planning. Helen Klengenberg and James Arreak assisted in the process of interviewing and inviting some of the participants.

 

           

TEN YEARS AGO

 

Greg Smith and Terry Rudden completed an audience survey for the Wawatay Radio and Television network, serving Aboriginal audiences across northern Ontario. Greg travelled to Moose Factory to work with and train Wawatay staff on survey design and implementation, so this was very much a collaborative project between the consultants and the client.

 

 

Terry Rudden, working with future partner Helen Klengenberg, began work on what would become a comprehensive Human Resources Policy and Procedures Manual for Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.

 

BIRTHDAYS

 

Ain't none this month. We've been relying on our dear departed accountant Mary Ann Dohler for a February birthday, but it's been six years now since she retired. Note to Personnel: ensure that next Consilium, Aarluk or ARDOS person hired is born in February.

GOSSIP       

 

Terry Rudden, to his own surprise, has been appointed to the Committee of the Arctic Circle. Established in 1947, the Arctic Circle brings together scientists, politicians, bureaucrats, artists and others with an interest in the Canadian north for monthly presentations by members and guests. The Circle's membership includes many of Canada's most distinguished arctic researchers.

Greg's wife Marianne has just returned from two weeks in Switzerland, where she visited her family in a small country village near Geneva. Hoping to avoid the drudgeries of Canadian winter (which she actually loves) she encountered freezing weather and even snow, unusual at lower altitudes in that region. Global warming or global weirdness?

LAST MONTH'S CONTEST

Last Month's Challenge: to figure out how many boxes it was going to take Ian Kenney and family to move. We received quite a few responses, including a terse "64" from our Winnipeg Connection B.McL., an eloquent analysis by D.D. at Tyendinaga (who provided a detailed projection WITH gender breakdown), and a brief essay on what constitutes a "box" from R.S. of Almonte. The winner is Caroline Lefebvre, whose estimate of 121 came closest to the actual number.

And what WAS the actual number? Ian?

"The results have been tabulated. A box has been defined for our purposes here as 'a solid-sided container of at least 5 sides used to transport items during our move on January 12, 2007.' As such, the many bags we used were excluded, as were the many other items that were hauled that day, as well as things that were purchased afterwards. Included were the cardboard and plastic boxes that continue to line our hallways.

Despite all that, I am horrified to say that we had a grand total of 193 boxes transported from one house to another. Most of which remain packed, in case anyone wonders!"

Congratulations to Caroline, lucky recipient of the soon-to-be-a-cherished-heirloom Consilium Pen and Pad Set. (This is the same Caroline who claims the credit for first introducing Ian and Annie, so there's a nice symmetry to it all. As one would expect when discussing boxes.)

 

 

(Laser Pointer, Rollomatic Flipchart, Astro Clipboard, SuperVox Recorder, SpaceSteno Pad, Filing Cabinets and Batteries Not Included). Recommended for children 21 years +. WARNING: If left unattended, these action figures may break into spontaneous working groups and/or training sessions.

 

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