One of the many reasons to be glad it's January:  You can celebrate January 30th... National Change Your Answering Machine Day.

An occasion of particular significance to anyone whose answering machines include ANY of the following annoying phrases:

1) "Your call is VERY IMPORTANT to us..."

2) "Hi there (subdued chuckle)! I can't come to the phone right now..."

3) "YOU know what to do..."

And a special plea to Bell Canada: Please tell your computerised voice answering system that its name is not 'Emily', and it is not a real person. On behalf of every client who has gone round your 'voice-mail jail' circuit only to find themselves talking to 'Emily' again - please hire some real people to interact with your clients. It's the holiday season, they could use the work.

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

 

Welcome to the latest ARDOS Associate.  Grace Alicia Rhea David was born on December 21, and weighed in at 9lbs, 9 oz.  Grace and her parents Jennifer and Jerico David are all doing fine.  Grace will join brother Caleb in the ARDOS babyweight division.

  

NEW PROJECTS

Exactly how do you talk to people about organic pollutants in the Arctic...or uranium mining in Baker Lake...or the potential risks and benefits of eating country foods?

Risk communication is a specialized approach to information management that ensures audiences receive information prepared specially for them, in a climate of trust and transparency. Effective risk communication allows governments to focus more on delivering services, and less on dealing with difficulties caused by poor communication. On February 16-17 2005, the Aurora Group (Aarluk, Earthlore and Akhaliak) will jointly present a special two-day risk communication workshop delivered by communications consultant Clive Tesar, developed specifically for Nunavut with the support of Inuit communicators.

Terry Rudden will be working with CPAC, the national Cable Political Affairs Channel, on a revision of their human resources policies and procedures.

 

HAPPY ENDINGS

ARDOS team members; Ron Ryan,  David Boult, Jennifer David, Leslie Sutherland and Terrilyn Chiasson assisted the Aboriginal Human Resource Development Council of Canada (AHRDCC) with their Sixth annual Champions' dinner, meetings and reception in Ottawa, December 7-8.  As event planners, ARDOS prepared a discussion paper for the meeting and provided logistical support in organizing a dinner for 125 people, preparations for two meetings for the same number of people and organizing a reception for over 250 people to end the successful two-day meeting.  Pictured right:  Kelly Lendsay, President of AHRDCC, pictured left:  traditional dancer, Greg Dreaver.

 

ONGOING PROJECTS

Greg Smith (Consilium) and Carol Rowan have completed background research to assist Avataq Cultural Institute with strategic planning. The results of a document review, more than thirty interviews with key informants throughout Nunavik, and four focus groups with Inuit elders, youth and teachers will be presented in January. The next stage will be the development of a strategic plan with the Avataq steering committee for the Institute's future in light of pending self-government in Nunavik. Avataq's mandate is to promote, preserve and protect Inuit language and culture in Northern Quebec.

Aarluk Consulting is nearing completion of the Kakivak Association Service Review.  Kakivak Association provides programs and services to Inuit in the Qikiqtaaluk region of Nunavut, in the areas of business development and support, employment and training, childcare, youth, and disabilities.  The Service Review includes a survey of all clients in the thirteen communities served by Kakivak, and personal interviews with a sample of clients and focus group sessions with community organizations in all of the communities, and interviews with all Kakivak Board members and senior staff of the organization.  Aarluk will be delivering a final report in the new year, to be presented to the Kakivak Board of Directors at their meeting in February.  The Aarluk team includes Fred Weihs (project leader), Terry Forth, James Arreak, James Forth, Terry Rudden,  Ron Ryan, Robert Higgins and Ryan Lotan.

Aarluk continues delivering workshops for Arctic College and the Municipal Training Organization of Nunavut as part of an extensive training program for municipal employees in 12 communities.

MTO students in Sanikiluaq:  Nellie Pearce Nellie Meeko, Sarah Uppika (Front row left to right)
Mary Inuktaluk , Jimmy Meeko,
Louisa Meeko ( Middle row left to right )
Wendy Pearce, Bob McLean, Moses Novalinga Sr, Johnny Cookie, Deborah Thomas, Eli Kavik ( Back row left to right )

Terry Forth, Patti Black and Ryan Lotan have completed the first draft of the Atuqtuarvik survey of companies registered on the Inuit Firm Registry. The confidential survey is to give Atuqtuarvik Board and staff, as well as Nunavut Tunngavik Inc, some very important information about the plans that Inuit Firms in Nunavut are making with regard to business expansion and acquisitions.

Aarluk Consulting, in partnership with Akhaliak, is working as part of a team led by Gartner Lee Ltd. To develop a Nunavut Mineral Exploration and Mining Strategy for the Department of Economic Development and Transportation. The process was kicked off in early December with a successful workshop of key stakeholders facilitated by Steve Morison of Gartner Lee and Terry Forth of Aarluk Consulting. Stakeholder representatives came from Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., Government of Nunavut Department of Economic Development and Transportation, Department of Justice and Department of the Environment as well as Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and the Nunavut Chamber of Mines. From the workshop proceedings Gartner Lee and Aarluk have developed a Draft Strategy to be used in early 2005 as the basis for an extensive consultation process.

Work continues on the Inuit Heritage Trust needs assessment of heritage stakeholders from across Nunavut. The Heritage Trust has one of the most interesting and complex mandates within the Nunavut Land Claim. Dedicated to dedicated to the preservation, enrichment and protection of Inuit cultural heritage and identity, the Trust is working with an Aarluk project team led by Chris Grosset, with Greg Smith, Ryan Lotan, James Arreak, and James Forth. A workshop in Iqaluit is scheduled for later this month. 

 

Preliminary findings from the evaluation of the Canada-Nunavut Cooperation Agreement on Official Languages - Inuktitut component have been provided to the GN Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth (CLEY) and the Department of Canadian Heritage. Greg Smith is project manager. The evaluation included a literature review of Canadian and international Inuktitut and minority language protection, extensive interviews and an Inuktitut-language focus group. The final report is due in February.

GOSSIP

Well, normally we eschew (bless you) product advertising in this newsletter. However, some things are too cool NOT to be plugged. "Dive Bonaire", an interactive DVD, is now available from Underwater Motion Inc. If you've ever wanted to experience scuba diving vicariously, here's your chance to indulge in twenty virtual dives on the most beautiful reef in the world, with commentary by Terry Rudden and George Hargrave. You can order a copy from hargrave@nutaaq.com , thrill to the stunning scuba technique of Terry and Valerie (and a cast of Ottawa dive buddies), and astonish your friends with your knowledge of tropical fish in either English, French or Dutch.

And since we're shamelessly flogging partner product here..."Story Keepers", Jennifer David's wonderful book on contemporary Aboriginal authors (edited by Terry Rudden) has just been published by Ningwakwe Press. An early review described the book as "...well-written, thoughtful and thought-provoking. Even before you realize it, you discover that something subtle and mysterious is happening".  "Story Keepers" is available from Ningwakwe Learning Press.

For years Consilium Associate Yew Lee has been working to win acknowledgement from the Canadian government of the Chinese Head Tax and Exclusion Act, a shameful episode in our history. On Tuesday January 11th at 10pm ET/PT, CBC's "Rough Cuts" will premiere "In the Shadow of Gold Mountain", a moving and powerful National Film Board documentary featuring interviews with the last living survivors of the Head Tax era. For more information on the Last Spike Campaign for REDRESS or the Canadians for REDRESS support group, see www.ccnc.ca/redress or contact Victor Wong, Executive Director of the Chinese National Council at (416) 977-9871.

Consilium, Aarluuk and ARDOS hosted their biggest and best ever Christmas Party on December 3rd, hosting over a hundred clients, colleagues and friends at 488 Gladstone. Music was played, jigs were...err...jigged, food and drink were consumed, much hilarity ensued, and this crowd of festive Consiliumites was spotted closing the Royal Oak later that night.

 

 

Greg and Marianne Smith mechanized the traditional Christmas tree hunt this year. Unfortunately the results were not up to the calibre of previous years, when the whole family went out on foot to scour the woods for the nicest tree. Their sons have unanimously voted the 2004 tree the worst ever.

 

Consilium partners, staff, family and associates on the hunt for the perfect Christmas tree at associate Robert Higgins 'tree farm' in early December.

TEN YEARS AGO

 

Terry Rudden travelled to Belize to help plan the organization that would become the Belize Indigenous Training Institute.

Greg Smith and Fred Weihs were developing a business plan for an office complex, bakery and hotel in the Cree Village, Moose Factory, for MoCreebec Council of the Crees. Greg was also completing an evaluation of a Child-to-Child pilot program in nine Inuit communities for Health Canada.

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