Mark Blair has been named as the new general manager at Ilagisaq-Fédération des coopératives du Nouveau-Québec. (Photo courtesy of Ilagiisaq)
Nunavik’s co-op association announces new GM
Mark Blair has worked for Ilagiisaq since 2001
Nunavik’s co-op association welcomed new leadership earlier this month; Mark Blair is the new general manager of Ilagiisaq-Fédération des coopératives du Nouveau-Québec.
Blair has worked for Ilagiisaq since 2001, largely in the co-operatives’ accounting services department. He has served as interim general manager since March 2020, following the departure of Ilagiisaq’s previous GM, François Day.
Moving into 2021, Blair said his goal is to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Nunavik’s 14 member co-ops and the organization’s subsidiary companies.
“The last few months have been quite challenging, which we were able to overcome,” Blair said in a Dec. 23 release.
“I am proud to have participated in this teamwork. I admire the commitment and solidarity which drives our movement.”
Ilagiisaq oversees co-op stores in each of Nunavik’s 14 communities, all of which remain open as essential services. The co-operative association employs 1,110 staff, 800 of whom are based in Nunavik.
The co-op’s subsidiaries include Nunavik Petro Inc., FCNQ Construction Inc., Taqramut Transport Inc. Transport Katinniq Inc., Voyages FCNQ Inc. and Tarquti Energy Inc.
The co-op was able to return $10.5 million to its member co-ops earlier this year.
Ilagiisaq celebrated its 53rd anniversary in 2020.
There’s a few very serious issues mostly in kuujjuaq. The no show of employees at the store and the gas bar is out of control. That store could be ran so well, and without beer and wine sales it would go out of business. The prices set by fcnq are highly ridiculous. It baffles me how the population and the local board is not outrageous. It’s the locals own fault as well to have no insight into how much they’re being ripped off. If this new manager could at least address these issues, it would be a great start, and will have respect of the customer. Please get each employee an alarm clock to begin the process.
If , I cant find the item i m looking for at Tullik or Northern, then i go to the Co-op because , i know what ever i m looking for will be double or triple the price. The FCNQ should compaire their prices with the other store
Oh yes, that’s about right. This is a business that functions in the real business world for up north, but from down south. No qualified Inuit for this job, Charlie. Self government with have to model after such resumes also, which we all know are not there yet.