Our Featured Celebration 

 

 

Well, I tried to find an interesting day for this month, and then I thought, why is always ME that has to do this, so I asked Leslie, but she said the cat ate her calendar, and then Ron was going to do it but he hurt his hand golfing and couldn't type, and Helen at Aarluk said she had to go to Kugluktuk and didn't have time, and I had a couple of ideas but Fred didn't think they were very funny, so this month there's no featured celebration, and it's not my fault.

Except, of course, there IS always June 13th, -

        National Blame Someone Else Day

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

That friendly new voice you hear when you call Aarluk Consulting in Iqaluit is that of Sabrina Lewis, who joined Aarluk in May as the Office Administrator / Receptionist for both Aarluk and ComGuard CTS. Sabrina was born and raised in Iqaluit, and apart from a year and half in Ottawa has lived all of her life in the community. In this photo a very relieved Terry Forth shows Sabrina around the Aarluk Suite of offices.

NEW PROJECTS

Aarluk has been selected by the Municipal Training Organization and Arctic College to deliver a second year of training programs and courses intended to increase the skills and capacity of Municipal Government employees in hamlets across Nunavut.

Aarluk Consulting began a new project late last month with the Government of Nunavut helping to develop a Land Use Planning Policy Framework. Terry Forth is co-managing this project with local Iqaluit Lawyer, Paul Crowley assisted by another Iqalummiut Land Use Planner, Neida Gonzales, and former NTI and GN Ottawa-based lawyer, Lois Leslie. A workshop with key Government of Nunavut officials is scheduled for late June.

Following on the success of the Sylvia Grinnell Parks interpretive Signage, Chris Grosset and Terry Forth will be working with Marla Limousin to develop interpretive programs for two Department of Environment projects in the summer and fall of 2005. In the Kitikmeot, the Northwest Passage Heritage Trail in Gjoa Haven will involve the community in the design redevelopment of an interpretive walking route through the town celebrating the history of the Northwest Passage. With the centenary of Amundsen's successful navigation of the passage underway, the heritage trail documentation of the history of the community at the heart of the arctic shipping route is a legacy project for residents and future visitors to Gjoa Haven. In the Kivalliq, the Fossil Creek Interpretive Trail project is being undertaken with the residents of Coral Harbour, with a plan to design an educational trail along Fossil Creek (a short drive from the community). Working with palaeontologists from Geological Survey of Canada, the project will interpret the history of the area that is visible in the exposed fossilized coral reef, including educational resources for the school library. Photo: Fossilized Ammonite in Fossil Creek (photo by Marla Limousin)

Master of all Media and Aarluk associate Clive Tesar will be working with Terry Rudden and the Government of Nunavut on the promotion of Nunavut as part of a communications strategy leading up to Canada's Winter Games in 2007.

ONGOING PROJECTS

Nunavut has the longest saltwater coastline in Canada, and yet it lacks a functioning deepwater port. Aarluk Consulting, assisted by Gartner Lee, is hoping to help change that. Working closely with the City of Iqaluit, Aarluk is overseeing the pre-feasibility stage of a Deepwater Port facility for the Capital City. On Thursday May 26th , Aarluk partners Fred Weihs and Terry Forth together with Steve Morison from Gartner Lee and Port Planner, Captain Chris Anderson facilitated a stakeholders one day planning workshop with a group of representatives from key user groups from across the community. The workshop created an opportunity for participants to review historical shipping data and other information including a Government of Canada 1980 feasibility study.  Photo:  Mayor Elisapee Sheutiapik (centre) at News Conference following the workshop accompanied by Kim Rizzi, Economic Developoment Officer for the City of Iqaluit and Terry Forth.

 

Patti Black and Terry Rudden are completing the final draft of a three-year report on Land Claims Implementation for the Nunavut Implementation Panel. The Panel is a body comprised of representatives of the Governments of Canada and Nunavut, and of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc, charged with overseeing implementation of the Land Claims Agreement.

Chris Grosset delivered the community planning one and two course for Nunavut Arctic College and the Municipal Training Organization of Nunavut in Iqaluit. The course participants were municipal Land Administrators, and covered the processes and issues surrounding community growth and development. This class in Iqaluit included students from ten Baffin communities. Guest speakers generously offered their time to the participants, including Michele Bertol (City of Iqaluit), John Laird, Brian Lannan (Land Titles Office), Stan Hutchinson, Jaques D-Auteuil and Michael Keenainak (NRCan). Participants Pictured -: L to R: Chris Keats, Elisha Sanguya, Silas Takawgak, Leata Olayuk Qaunaq, Bill Kilabuk, Robin MacKey, Jessie Inuksuk, Pauloosie Michael. Absent: Johnnie Cookie, Kevin Qrunnuk & Mathew Ashevak.

 

HAPPY ENDINGS

Work has been completed on the Nunavut Heritage Sector Needs Assessment and Strategic Planning project, undertaken for the heritage sector under the direction of the Ericka Chemko of Inuit Heritage Trust. Begun in November 2004, a survey of the needs of over fifty heritage organizations active in the territory was undertaken by Chris Grosset and Ryan Lotan, followed by a strategic planning workshop in Iqaluit, facilitated by James Arreak and James Forth. The outcome of the project includes the formation of the Nunavut Heritage Network, a working group tasked with implementing a five-year plan to foster the development and advocate on behalf of the sector. As a first step, an interim website link to the Nunavut Heritage Network is available at www.najuqsivik.com. Newsletters, reports and a permanent website will soon follow.

The Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park Interpretive Signage plan was completed for the Department of the Environment earlier this spring. The final plan offers park visitors a survey of the cultural and natural history of the park and surrounding landscape. Park visitors will be greeted by full colour information signage kiosks at park entrance points, and following a map on the signs or the free visitor brochure, visitors will be led to further interpretive signs at the parks scenic outlook and along two hiking routes. The Department hopes to fabricate and install the signs in 2005/2006. Photo: Example of an interpretive panel for the hilltop hiking route in Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park.

 

Ian Kenney and Terry Rudden completed an extensive report for Avataq Cultural Institute, presenting the findings of a document review, consultations and information sessions held in Nunavik and Labrador in February and March 2005. The report will form the basis of a communications strategy for promoting of Arts funding and support programs to Inuit artists in Nunavik and Labrador. The client seemed pretty happy with the work: Avataq's response, communicated by e-mail was ... and we quote... "You guys are AMAZING!"

 

Depressed because you just can't seem to find walrus when you get that craving for sea mammal? Don't despair. Help could be on the way. Aarluk has completed "A Review of Intersettlement Trade Opportunities for Arctic Food Products in Nunavut" for the Government of Nunavut. The study reviewed the current opportunities for increasing commercial intersettlement trade in arctic foods, and made a number of recommendations to facilitate increased trade. Over a platter of smoked char, project manager David Boult described the project as one that he and the project team had long been interested in doing.

 

 

Ian Kenney, Greg Smith and Terry Rudden also completed a survey of Government Maternal Health Programs and Services available in Canada's Territories, on behalf of First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Health Canada.

 

GOSSIP

When last we left the exciting Pacific Adventures of Greg and Marianne, they were were en route to Hawaii. Upon arrival, Greg was given a warm welcome by many different members of the Aha Punana Leo organization, which has made tremendous progress over the past two decades in reviving the Hawaiian language and creating a number of immersion schools which incorporate cultural teachings. Aha Punana Leo is based in Hilo, on the big island of Hawaii (also known for its active volcanoes and occasional tsunamis). The organization has a consortium agreement with the state Department of Education and the University of Hawaii in Hilo, and many staffers also lecture in the Hawaiian College of the University. There is an active curriculum development department to support the schools.  Photo:  Aha Punana Leo Staff members.

While in Hilo Greg and Marianne visited the 'Nawahi' school - a total Hawaiian language immersion environment on ten acres which takes students from pre-school to Grade 12 levels. There are about 18 pre-schoolers and 150 elementary and secondary students attending, and many graduates go on to university. Older students mentor younger ones. The school also incorporates traditional Hawaiian seafaring skills including navigation and sailing, has a large garden of traditional plants used for instructional purposes, livestock, and facilities for pisciculture and cooking in the traditional Hawaiian style using heated rocks. Parents who enrol their children commit to volunteering in-kind services and attending meetings. So far Aha Punana Leo has educated around 2000 students. Photo:  Greg Smith and Kaiu Kimura in fornt ofthe Nawahi Hawaiian Language Immersion School in Hilo.

You'll be relieved to hear that Greg and Marianne's vacation was not all work - they did manage to do a lot of touring on three islands and wrap up the trip with a relaxing few days on Maui's beautiful beaches. In the departure lounge, while waiting for their flight back to Canada, they were accosted by fellow Maui-phile and Aarluk partner Helen Klengenberg, who was returning from a holiday with her family at exactly the same time. It's a small world.

Congratulations to Consilium pop-culture arbiter and literary omnivore Ryan Lotan, who'll be tying the knot later this month - not to partner Leila Heikkila, but to the bank. Yes, Ryan is abandoning the carefree renter's life for a 1908 farmhouse in Ottawa south...farther from the Consilium mothership, but a shorter walk for Leila at Health Canada. The move happens just in time for a summer of barbecues (to which all of our newsletters readers are invited, of course) and mowing the Ponderosa-sized lawn (your penance for the barbecue).

 

TEN YEARS AGO

 

Ten years ago this month, Leslie Sutherland joined the Consilium team as office administrator, after years of service at ARA Consulting. In no time at all she had us organized, and has kept us that way, more or less, ever since. With love and gratitude, we are pleased to honour Leslie Sutherland...the Godmother... with our first ever Consilium Virtual Solid Gold-Coloured Ten-Year Service Picture of a Medal.

 

  Aarluk Consulting:  Our New Look for May, 2005

 

    The Forth will be with you.  Always.

 

 

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