Above & Beyond
Frequent contributor to this magazine, Quebecbased photographer, Pierre Dunnigan, spent 40 challenging but glorious days in the Kivalliq (Wager Bay, Coral Harbour and Naujat regions) providing camp support to a joint National Geographic and Arctic Bear Productions film crew.
Over the last decade and a half or so the visual reproduction of the written syllabic form of the Inuktitut language has overcome many challenges while delivering more than a few “hits and misses” in its necessary transition to achieve cross-platform versatility and typographical perfection in our advancing digital age, the online revolution and the age of social media and instantaneous mass communication.
The Conference Board of Canada, the Centre for the North (CFN) was established in 2009 to research the challenges and opportunities faced on the road to creating a strong, safe, healthy and prosperous North. Toward achieving that goal, the CFN has focused on assembling Aboriginal leaders, community representatives, businesses, governments and academics.
Since 2006, the federal government continues to increase its capabilities and operational expertise and capacity in affirmation of its Arctic Sovereignty strategy. This summer, Canada Command (Canadian Military headquarters based in Ottawa) with the assistance of Joint Task Force North, based in Yellowknife, again conducted one of three annual Arctic safety and security exercises.
For Inuit the bowhead still represent a precious source of food, essential to their diets. In the community context, their harvest — a successful bowhead hunt — is also an important component to the preservation of their cultural traditions, food source aside.
A large team of scientists and explorers from Canada, the US and the UK, are conducting ice and oceanographic experiments in Canada’s High Arctic to better understand the effects of climate change in the North. The Catlin Arctic Survey began its work in 2009; that year studying the polar ice-cap ice surface to collect data that would help form projections.
Oh no! Those polar bears are getting all the attention. Again! First we hear that their survival is at risk due to climate change. If you ask the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) that is. Then, we find out that, no, bears in Nunavut, at least, seem to be plentiful.
On March 31, First Air unveiled their Sivurariaqnik employment program in Rankin Inlet with a career showcase at the Siniktarvik Hotel in the afternoon, followed by an event at the airport that evening.
In an effort to inspire other youth to get active and get outside, the Pitterak team of Nunavummiut, siblings Sarah and Eric McNair- Landry, departed Inuvik, NWT, on March 19, 2011 on an E-X-T-R-E-M-E Northwest Passage adventure.
Norway’s Arctic initiatives seek to take a leading role in the development of a healthy and sustainable social and economic future for all the peoples of the northern hemisphere.
