Lessons from the fire? Concern, caring and kindness

Concern, caring and kindness are things Nunatsiaq News found in the aftermath of the fire that destroyed the paper’s Iqaluit office on March 26.

Last week, as Nunatsiaq’s employees were reeling from the news that hadn’t yet sunk in, Nunavummiut began an outpouring of support.

Our attention — from both news and neighbourly perspectives — was for the tenant who lived in an apartment in the distinctive blue two-storey building on Nipisa Street.

It was a relief to learn Markosie Aningmiuq was not home when the fire gutted his home. We found him at a hotel and talked to him about how he had lost all his belongings and was starting over. His story appears on page 3 of this week’s print edition.

While the fire was a significant setback for Nunatsiaq News and its sister company Ayaya Marketing & Communications, the office’s contents are insured and equipment can be replaced. The building had been home to the paper for half of its 50-year existence and to Ayaya for its entire history.

Aningmiuq, who lived there, lost his home and everything he owned. Ayaya has also offered to help him furnish a new apartment.

Shortly after we published a story about how the fire affected Aningmiuq, Arctic Co-operatives Ltd. came forward to provide a generous store credit for him to buy clothes and to help replace lost belongings.

In the news business, it can be easy to get jaded. You see spin from politicians, heartache in the courts, and tragedies in people’s lives. News stories are often bleak. It comes with the territory.

But when things are darkest, glimmers of hope shine through.

Journalists often see a community come together to help people through a devastating situation. It’s what good neighbours do. While it was heartening to see people come through for Aningmiuq, it wasn’t entirely a surprise.

But there were numerous similar gestures for Nunatsiaq News — from offers to provide short-term workspace, to replace office supplies, and to help get new equipment onto a sealift, if necessary.

It’s still too early to know what the paper will need in the long term. But it sure was encouraging that so many community members and businesses expressed their concern and offered to help us keep pumping out the news.

Every newspaper takes it on the chin from its readers from time to time. That also comes with the territory.

But whenever a community’s newspaper is threatened, there’s a reminder of the paper’s role. And  conjures images of what would be missing if a paper weren’t there.

Two regular sources came forward to say they wanted to help Nunatsiaq recover because they share “a conviction about the important role of a free and independent press.”

They are news sources whose businesses sometimes receive critical coverage in this paper. But in a time of adversity, they recognized the important role a newspaper plays in the community.

From a professional and journalistic point of view, it was encouraging that our team — especially the crew in Iqaluit — didn’t skip a beat.

We covered the fire as it was happening. Our website continued to deliver the news even as our own house was on fire. Our print edition met its deadlines, in time to cover two significant stories: the 25^th anniversary of the creation of Nunavut, and Gov. Gen. Mary Simon’s visit.

After the fire, we vowed to carry on. With your help, we’re doing it. Thanks for the kind words.