Through a cracked crystal ball

Predictions. Everyone loves to read them.

But most journalists hate to make them, mostly because of an egotistical fear of being proven wrong, but also because journalists know, or ought to know, that in a world changing as fast as ours, predictions are a vain and foolish exercise.
They are, however, a New Year’s tradition. Since this is the last Nunatsiaq News of 2001, here are our clumsy attempts to predict what will happen in 2002.

Nunavut

The Qikiqtani Inuit Association will not only make it to the end of 2002 without removing a president, it will fill all vacant staff positions and even earn back some of the respect it has lost in the past couple of years.
The introduction of a new Nunavut education bill in the legislative assembly, along with Jack Anawak’s work in the CLEY portfolio, will focus more attention on language and culture issues.
The government of Nunavut and Nunavut Tunngavik will continue to snipe at each other over the application of Nunavummi Nangminiqaqtunik Ikajuuti, the territorial government Inuit business incentive policy designed to meet the terms of Article 24 of the Nunavut land claim agreement. But in the real world, Nunavut’s economy will continue to circle the drain.
By the end of the year, the government of Nunavut will have an Inuktitut language policy.
A well-known Iqaluit broadcaster will win a national aboriginal award.
Regional birthright corporations such as Qikiqtaaluk and Saaku will continue to struggle financially as they cope with unleased office space, and disappointing results from Nunavut Eastern Arctic Shipping and other ventures.
Iqaluit

The City of Iqaluit will hold a by-election to fill at least one vacant seat on city council.
Blunders committed during previous administrations will continue to haunt the City of Iqaluit – a consultant hired by the city to study the cost of running its new, non-functioning $7-million sewage plant will find that it’s too expensive to operate.
After more study, the City of Iqaluit will decide not to buy an incinerator and will invest instead in a garbage compacting system.
Nunavik

Despite growing grass-roots opposition, Nunavik negotiators will reach an agreement-in-principle on self-government with the province of Quebec by the end of the year.
The circumpolar world

Despite a shortage of volunteers and accommodation, the 2002 Arctic Winter Games in Iqaluit and Nuuk will be successful.
A Canadian airline will introduce a new Canada-Greenland scheduled airline service.
Canada

Grant Hill will win the leadership of the Canadian Alliance this February, and then go on to lead his moribund party into the garbage bin of history.
A coalition of left-wing activists within the New Democratic Party called the New Politics Initiative will break away to form a new party. They’ll end up in the garbage bin even faster than the Alliance.
Inspired by Canada’s hopeless collection of ineffective opposition parties, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien will hang on as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada – much to the despair of Paul Martin, Brian Tobin, Allan Rock, Anne McLelland, John Manley and other leadership hopefuls.
The world of sports

The Czech Republic will win the gold medal in hockey at next year’s Winter Olympics. Wayne Gretzky’s Team Canada will put up a brave battle, but will end up with silver.
Backed by the heroic pitching of Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson, the Arizona Diamondbacks will once again win the World Series, but not until after another thrilling battle with a revamped New York Yankees.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will meet the Colorado Avalanche in a Stanley Cup final that will pit Curtis Joseph against Patrick Roy. The team with the best goaltending will win the cup.