Jeff Tabvahtah often gave talks, performances for teens, children

Jeff Tabvahtah, shining Nunavut youth role model and celebrated cultural performer, faces two child pornography charges following a police search of his Ottawa residence Feb. 13.

Tabvahtah, 32, is charged with one count of making child pornography available and one count of possessing child pornography. He appeared Feb. 14 at Ottawa's Elgin Street courthouse for a show cause hearing, and was released with conditions.

Ottawa police said in a press release that in their search of Tabvahtah's house they seized CDs, DVDs and a computer containing child pornography.

This makes Tabvahtah the 24th person to be scooped up in an Ontario-wide sweep that started Feb. 11.

Police used the massive takedown, which spanned 16 Ontario communities, to target people who use the internet for collecting and distributing images showing child sexual abuse.

The Ontario Provincial Police and 18 municipal police forces took part.

Staff-Sgt. Monique Perras, head of the high-tech crime unit at the Ottawa Police Service, said police have so far arrested 24 people and laid 75 charges, most related to the possession or distribution of child pornography.

"It is a vicious crime. The pictures and movies are from real children being abused," Perras said.

Tabvahtah, who was born in Arviat, now works in Ottawa as a research officer with the Ajunnginiq Centre, the Inuit section of the Ottawa-based National Aboriginal Health Organization. One of his recent projects focused on the health, social and economic problems of Inuit men.

A graduate of the Nunavut Sivuniksavut program, Tabvahtah graduated from the University of Winnipeg in 2004 with a B.A. in geography.

As a drum dancer and actor, Tabvahtah has given performances at numerous music festivals, trade shows and other venues, including the National Aboriginal Music Awards and the Alianait arts festival in Iqaluit. He has also represented Nunavut at functions held in Richmond, Virginia, New York City and Boston.

Tabvahtah has often given talks to children and youth. A NAHO newsletter says he gave several presentations at a youth-elder conference held in Baker Lake in March of 2007, including a session with teens aimed at encouraging them to stay in school to better prepare for careers in health.

In 1995, Tabvahtah worked for Pauktuutit, the Inuit women's association, on an anti-tobacco campaign conducted among Inuit school children.

In May of 2005, Tab­vahtah earned an honourable mention in a special edition of Nunatsiaq News devoted to outstanding young people under the age of 35 in Nunavut and Nunavik.