Nunavik: Kativik Regional Government fall roundup

Kativik Regional Government regional councillors Mary Pilurtuut from Kangiqsujuaq and Siasi Smiler from Inukjuak pose in traditional amautis at a meeting of regional government in Kuujjuaq earlier this month. The clothing is being used as part of the KRG’s intercultural training sessions offered to staff at Xstrata’s Raglan mine, which could be the key to making Inuit staff feel welcome at the mine. (PHOTO BY SARAH ROGERS)

Clean-up in store for Kuujjuaraapik barrels

The Kativik Regional Government will team up with the northern village of Kuujjuaraapik in 2011 to clean up more than 1,500 barrels that contain tar and other potentially dangerous substances.

It’s not clear where they came from, but some say the barrels were transported and abandoned near the community in the 1950s by Canadian or American forces, Michael Barrett, associate director of renewable resources at the KRG, said at the recent regional council meeting in Kuujjuaq.

“We’ve tried for a number of years to remove them,” Barrett told the councillors.

Now, through Quebec’s environment and sustainable development department, KRG has $2.25 million earmarjed for the clean-up, which is expected to happen by sealift in 2011.

The KRG will also oversee work to treat contaminated soil on two pieces of land outside the village where the barrels are located.



Nunavik will see more road paving in 2011

A second phase of road paving is set to get underway across Nunavik in 2011, regional councillors learned at their recent meeting in Kuujjuaq.

Under a new agreement with Quebec’s transportation department, new roadway across the region will be paved over the next five years.

“Some communities were paved in 2002, so they’ve added new road networks since then,” said Frédéric Gagné, head of the KRG’s municipal public works department.

All communities will be re-visited, Gagné said, but those that have added an additional two to three kilometres of roadway since they were first paved will be prioritized.

Kuujjuaq and Salluit will be among the first, he said.

During the last seven years, Nunavik went from dusty roads to more than 90 kilometres of paved roadway in its 14 communities.



Retention of Inuit workers improves at Raglan

More Inuit workers are staying on at Xstrata’s Raglan mine, according to information distributed at the recent Kativik Regional Government meeting in Kuujjuaq.

“Of all (Inuit) who go work at the mine, two-thirds used to leave after some time, but now two-thirds stay,” said Margaret Gauvin, head of the KRG’s employment, training, income security and child care department. “These are really good statistics for us.”

Gauvin said that intercultural training has helped improve the atmosphere at the mine.

“When you walk into the mine site you get the feeling that you’re not just anywhere in Quebec, it feels like it’s on Inuit territory,” she said. “I think Inuit feel comfortable there.”

Of the 711 workers at Raglan mine in September 2010, 114 were Inuit or 16 per cent of the workforce— about the same as in June of 2010.

Overall Inuit employment at the mine remains less than 15 per cent.

Since 2008, 38 new positions have been created for the Inuit under the Tamatumani training program; of that group, 18 employees are still active in the training program, eight have completed it and another 12 resigned or left.



Nunavik’s fire safety cover plan moves ahead

Nunavik should see its fire prevention and training improve next year, with the approval of a second version of Nunavik’s fire safety cover plan, according to information distributed at the recent Kativik Regional Government meeting in Kuujjuaq.

“It’s taken us eight years,” said Craig Lingard, KRG’s head of civil security. “It’s a big step forward.”

The plan calls for about $9.5 million of provincial money for new firefighting and fire prevention training, plus new equipment and infrastructure – all to bring Nunavik’s firefighting up to Quebec standards.

The plan spells out plan to hire and train at least 15 firefighters per community as well as new trucks and fire halls.

Now the plan will go back the provincial government, who has 120 days to approve it.

The KRG’s regional council will then formally adopt the plan in the new year.