Most Arctic Council applicants pose little risk

We don’t know for certain if Canada will use its effective veto on the Arctic Council this month to bar the granting of observer status to the European Union, or any other applicant.

But it’s fair to say that Canada’s Arctic Council minister, Leona Aglukkaq, now faces pressure from those who want......

Retail booze in Nunavut? Proceed with caution

Despite its sometimes questionable recommendations, last fall’s report of the Nunavut Liquor Act Review Task Force got at least one thing right: that Nunavut’s destructive relationship with alcohol is rooted in culture, specifically “drinking culture.”

By this they mean the widespread veneration...

Idle No More: not yet relevant to Nunavut

If you’re inclined to sympathize with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his government over the now dissipating waves of Idle No More protests that peaked last month — don’t bother.

The Conservative government — mostly on their own— provoked nearly every element of that complex but unnecessary...

An assembly without integrity?

The squalid tale of South Baffin MLA Fred Schell’s most recent rendezvous with Norman Pickell, the Nunavut Integrity Commissioner, begins around Nov. 1, 2011.

That was when Chris Scullion, Schell’s temporary executive assistant, told Joe Kunuk, the deputy minister of human resources, that Schell,...

It’s time for movement on Arctic telecoms

You know how bad it can get.

It’s the government employer who blocks websites to save bandwidth. It’s the internet link that dies in the middle of an email download. Or maybe it’s the cell phone — if you’re lucky enough to even get cell service — that never works when you need it the most.

No...

In its 50th year, the Coast Guard proved its worth

After an unusual summer that featured fog, rain, heavy ice and unpredictable winds throughout much of the Eastern Arctic, many Nunavut residents likely came to appreciate the valuable and sometimes life-essential work of the Canadian Coast Guard, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this...

It’s Iqaluit’s time to decide

This Oct. 15, eligible voters in Iqaluit face a long list of big decisions. For starters, they must choose a new mayor, a new city council and fill vacant spots on three different school bodies.

At the same time, people and corporate entities who own property must decide if the City of Iqaluit can...