Our Featured Celebration

 

If you stop what you're doing and look closely at any cat, you will observe that the cat is looking back at you with a serious question. Well, believe it or not, January 22nd is "National Answer Your Cat's Question Day" in the USA. If you happen to live in the US, or own an American cat, this is your day to practice your felinagogy and answer that question (hint: they are usually food, door, or litter related).

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 ROOMIES

One of Canada's most distinguished northern studies organizations, the
Canadian Arctic Resources Committee (CARC), will be joining us in the New
Year, when they move into an office in the Consilium building. CARC is a
citizens' organization dedicated to the long-term environmental and social well
being of northern Canada and its peoples. They may be best known for their
outstanding long-running northern policy journal "Northern Perspectives". We're
delighted to welcome Executive Director David Gladders et al to their new
Gladstone Avenue home.

 

NEW PROJECTS      

Jennifer David, working with Terry Rudden, will be preparing a progress report for the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch of Health Canada on the Aboriginal Head Start on Reserve Program (AHSOR). This is designed to prepare young First Nations children for school by meeting their emotional, social, nutritional and psychological needs.

 

                          

Patti Black, resident evaluation guru Greg Smith and training wiz Terry Rudden, will be working with the Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre to develop a comprehensive evaluation framework for the $4.6 million dollar social service agency. The project takes a capacity building approach: heavy on the training and light on the evaluation-ology.

 

Terry Rudden will be travelling to Kuujjuaq in January to participate in a meeting convened by the Kativik Regional Government to develop an IT training strategy for Nunavik. By Cosmic Coincidence, this trip occurs exactly thirteen years to the day after Terry's last trip to Nunavik, when he bought his Famous Green Pompom Hat in Salluit - (and also by amazing coincidence, when Greg Smith bought his Famous Blue pompom hat).

ONGOING 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 is heading up an ARDOS team (Andrea Johnston, Terry Rudden, Greg Smith, Ian Kenney, and Christian Cloutier) to conduct research for the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch on existing and potential structures and initiatives similar to ACCEL, with the goal of informing future development of such networks.

 

The Formative Evaluation of the AHRDAs (Aboriginal Human Resource Development Agreements) for HRSDC continues. Now that fieldwork is nearly complete, team members will turn their focus in the New Year towards analysing and writing up their findings. Project Manager Greg Smith and a large team of researchers are conducting the evaluation on behalf of ARDOS.

 

Ian Kenney facilitated a one-day workshop with the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO). The goal of the workshop was to develop the principles to guide NAHO's privacy policy as it relates to the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Health Human Resource Inventory (FNIHMMRI) initiative. Not only is this an exciting project which will fulfill a tremendous need, but it also qualifies as the second longest acronym ever used in the Commonwealth.

 

Patti Black, working with the Land Claim Agreements Coalition, organized a soiree at the Chateau Laurier on December 5th, enabling numerous MPs (including Jack Layton) and senators to meet and greet Coalition leaders. The event was followed by a very productive leadership meeting on December 6th, which included a press announcement of the "Four-Ten Declaration". For more information, or a copy of the "Four-Ten" email Patti at black@consilium.ca.

 

HAPPY ENDINGS

Chris Grosset has completed work on the Northwest Passage Trail Signage. The interpretive signs are currently being fabricated with plans for Nunavut Parks to install the signs in 2007 at six locations around the community. The project was supported by the community and, as you can see below, the signs are going to contribute significantly to documenting the communities history and compliment future tourism initiatives. Huge thanks go to the project team (Marla Limousin, Beat Studios, BGM Imaging Ltd.), the community and the client.

 

            

 

David Boult completed the revision and updating of the much-heralded The Inuit Way at the request of Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada. The Inuit Way, originally produced in 1989, is arguably the most successful publication ever among the many dozens produced by Pauktuutit. Developed initially to address a need to inform non-Inuit on the intricacies of Inuit culture, the book has since been widely utilized as an important resource by many organizations, governments and individuals. Since its initial release, over 10,000 copies of the book have been distributed across Canada and internationally. The project involved David teaming up once again with long-time friend and associate, artiste and designer Anna Tyers of Earthlore fame. When pressed by your inquiring reporter for comment, David responded articulately with "This was the best project ever".

TEN YEARS AGO

Fred Weihs facilitated a strategic planning session for the Kivalliq Inuit Association in Rankin Inlet.

In Pangnirtung, Ron conducted a planning exercise for the Uqqurmiut Inuit Artists Association.

Fred and Greg were in the process of planning for a trip to Kazakhstan to evaluate a CIDA-funded training program for Halyk Savings Bank and ALTEBA personnel, for Newbridge Networks.

BIRTHDAYS

 

Our featured celebrant this month is the Winner of the 2006 "Aarluk Employee Who Spent the Most Time In Gjoa Haven Award" – ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Chris Grosset, celebrating on January 22nd.

GOSSIP       

 

Once again this year, the Consilium Consulting Group opened its doors to family, friends, clients and colleagues, to celebrate another busy year, and to thank one and all for making it such a success. Shown right: Jennifer David transfixes Morgan Hare of Tungasuvvingat Inuit with her astonishing ability to make our corporate name materialize in thin air with the help of her patented Digi-think Gold Electro-Collar ™.

 

Ryan Lotan and Leila travelled to Argentina where they visited 5 cities starting in Buenos Aires and continuing on to Bariloche, Mendoza, Salta and Puerto Iguazu. (Pictured right:  Leila and Ryan in the Manzano mountains outside of Salta, Argentina). Highlights included;

• unknowingly chowing down on pickled cow's tongue
  
• an ARDUOUS hike of the Manzano mountain range outside of Salta
  
• THE FOOD!  THE WINE!  More specifically - THE STEAK! 
  
• Incredibly varied geography... snow-capped mountains - check, deserts - check, rainforest - check! 
  
• Some of the best (most affordable) shopping in the world... so good we each came back with an extra carry-on. 

Travel recommendation: If you're thinking about a great destination with a lot to offer - GO NOW... before the rest of the world clues in. You heard it here first!

 

Terry and Valerie performed their annual southern pilgrimage to Caribbean waters with travel buddies George and Janice. They spend a week underwater off the coast of Belize diving from the Nekton Pilot, a large and weird looking dive liveaboard, and a second week prowling around Belize City, Lamanai, San Ignacio, Cahal Pech and other contemporary and ancient Belizean ruins. (Left, Terry and Valerie at Lamanai, a large, ancient Mayan ruin in the Corozal District, constructed approximately 1500 B.M.G (before Mel Gibson).

LAST MONTH'S CONTEST

Last Month's Challenge: to caption the last-known pre-nuptial photo of Ian Kenney, shown right). The winner is a regular reader from Toronto, who suggested the following caption:

"Until we start charging for this newsletter, don't you dare complain about the coffee."

Congratulations, Anonymous in Toronto: your fabulous Consilium pen and pad set will be winging their way to you shortly.

THIS MONTH

Well, it's been six months and it's time for another Consiliumite to move. First it
was Ryan, then it was Ian, then it was Chris, then it was Chris again and, umm,
let's see, now it's Ian's turn once again. So Ian, with new wife Annie and their
three daughters, will be moving to new digs in mid-January, and a mad-frenzy of
packing is under way.

Here's the deal. Guess how many boxes it's going to take to pack up their
two households and move into one, and you'll win a…say, Don, what DO we
have for the contestants?

 

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