News quiz Nov. 2 | Sailing ships and leadership make this week’s headlines

Have you been following the news this week? Here’s a chance to test your knowledge of current events across Nunavut, Nunavik and the Arctic.

Five questions — let’s go! Scroll down to see Answers.

1. The Nattilik Heritage Centre in Gjoa Haven has a new book out Nov. 1 called The Land Was Always Used: An Inuit Oral History of the Franklin Expedition. The two ships on the doomed expedition led by Sir John Franklin to find the Northwest Passage famously went down in 1845. What were the ships’ names?

A. HMS Erasmus and HMS Tenor
B. HMS Endurance and HMS Terra Nova
C. HMS Erebus and HMS Terror

2. Speaking of ships, Baffin Fisheries’ new Inuksuk II got off to a rough start. The 80-metre stern trawler, described as the largest Canadian-owned fishing vessel, set off on its maiden voyage last month bound for St. John’s., N.L. But after 36 hours, its main engine conked out and the ship was forced to wait two weeks for repairs in which city?

A. Athens, Greece
B. Valencia, Spain
C. Genoa, Italy

3. Which former Nunavut politician appeared before Iqaluit’s development appeal board two weeks ago with concerns over the impact a new business might have on the neighbourhood where they live?

A. Former senator Dennis Patterson
B. Former Iqaluit mayor Kenny Bell
C. Former Iqaluit mayor Madeleine Redfern

4. This week, Nunavik MP Sylvie Bérubé announced she will seek a third term representing the federal riding of Abitibi-Baie-James-Nunavik-Eeyou. She was first elected in 2019. Who was Nunavik’s federal representative before that?

A. Pita Aatami
B. Hilda Snowball
C. Romeo Saganash

5. This week in the legislative assembly, MLA Janet Pitsiulaaq Brewster called for an end to the delay in filling Nunavut’s only Senate seat, which has been vacant since Dennis Patterson retired last December. Whose job is it to choose the new senator?

A. Premier P.J. Akeeagok
B. The voters of Nunavut
C. The governor general, on the advice of the prime minister

It has been nearly 11 months since Nunavut was represented in the Canadian Senate. Former senator Dennis Patterson, shown here, retired in December 2023. (Photo courtesy of Senate ParlVu)

ANSWERS

1: The correct answer is C — the ships’ names were HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, the latter being a sadly ironic moniker given the terrible fate the crew and captain met.

2: A — The Inuksuk II was finally able to pull out of Athens, Greece, and return to the Turkish shipyard where it was built for further repairs on Oct. 29.

3: B — It was former mayor Kenny Bell who returned to his old stomping ground to express concerns over a home-based daycare that opened near his home.

4: C — When Sylvie Bérubé was first elected in 2019, she replaced Romeo Saganash who had represented the federal riding of Abitibi-Baie-James-Nunavik-Eeyou for eight years.

5: C — Gov. Gen. Mary Simon will officially name Nunavut’s next senator, assuming it happens before her term expires in 2026.