Kuujjuaq prepares for population influx during conference

KUUJJUAQ — When the Inuit Circumpolar Conference meets in Kuujjuaq from Aug. 11 to 17, the community’s population will increase by 1,000.

“Our population will go up by 50 per cent,” said Susan Rushton, one of the co-ordinators of the Kuujjuaq meeting.

The ICC represents about 150,000 Inuit in the circumpolar world. Each nation sends official delegations and performers to the community hosting the general assembly.

Rushton and fellow co-ordinator, Sandy Tooma, want to make sure the event — the largest in Kuujjuaq — goes off without a hitch. But it won’t be easy.

First, they have to find lodging for the visitors, who will include VIPs, Inuit delegations from Greenland, Alaska, Russia and other regions of Canada, musicians from all over the circumpolar world, media as well as Nunavimmiut who want to catch the action at the ICC meeting or attend the annual Aqpik music festival, which will be held at the same time.

There are only 300 rooms at Kuujjuaq hotels, residences and camps, so many of the expected visitors will have to be billeted in private homes.

Feeding everyone will also be a huge challenge, as Kuujjuaq lacks the storage facilities for the enormous amount of food the visitors will require. Fresh supplies will have to flown in once or even twice daily.

“For 1,000 people, for a week, that’s a lot of bread,” Rushton said.

Country foods will also be available.

Also daunting are the logistics of moving people from the ICC conference headquarters at the new convention centre near the airport over to the Forum at the other end of town, where many other events will take place.

Security and safety are an issue, too. The Kativik Regional Police Force plans to have at least 15 officers in the community, while the Tulattavik Hospital will have its full staff of doctors and nurses on stand-by.

However, Rushton and Tooma aren’t alone in having to tackle these details. Many committees are already meeting to deal with such concerns as lodging, food services, transportation, performances, exhibitions, communications and translation.

“We want to get the whole community involved,” Tooma said.

During the ICC meeting, many local residents will be offered jobs — as pages inside the hall, janitors, drivers and guides.

But even before August, the co-ordinators want to get Kuujjuamiut of all ages involved in the event. They’re planning to hold a poster contest for students on the theme of ICC’s 25th anniversary meeting: “Enlightening the World.”

A selection of the best posters will be on display in the conference centre during the event.