Veteran Nunavut workers honoured in Cambridge Bay

These long-serving Government of Nunavut employees, all from Cambridge Bay, received the 15-year long service award Feb. 9 at a ceremony in Cambridge Bay. From left: Cambridge Bay MLA Keith Peterson, the finance minister; Donna Ekpakohak; Mike Kaiyogana; Nora Evaglok; Cambridge Bay, mayor, Jeannie Ehaloak; and Chris D’Arcy, the deputy minister of finance. (PHOTO BY KELCEY WRIGHT)

Special to Nunatsiaq News

CAMBRIDGE BAY — After a delay of nearly two months due to power outages in Cambridge Bay, the Government of Nunavut finally managed to hand out its long-term service awards Feb. 9 in that western Nunavut town.

“It was [very] successful,” said Denise Ohokak, one of the co-ordinators of this event, which filled the Northwest Passage room at the Arctic Islands Lodge.

Finance Minister Keith Peterson, Deputy Minister of Finance Chris D’Arcy, and Cambridge Bay Mayor Jeannie Ehaloak were on hand to present the awards, which included four categories of service awards — for five,10, 15 and 25 years of employment with the territorial government.

The following were honoured for their service:

Five-year: Karen Kamoayok and Zita Nasalik;

10-year: Derek Elias, Polly Mahik and Shannon McCallum; and,

15-year: Donna Ekpakohak, Nora Evaglok and Mike Kaiyogana.

“You get a certificate and you put it on your wall and it’s special,” said Kaiyogana. “It gets better when you get more long term service awards. I look forward to [receiving] another one.”

The sole 25-year award went to John Hummiqtuq of Gjoa Haven.

The GN paid to fly Hummiqtuq from Gjoa Haven to Cambridge Bay so he could receive his award in person. All other long-term service award recipients live in Cambridge Bay.