We're in the middle of a two-day blizzard (so far) here now. School was closed yesterday. I can just see the neighbouring houses across the lane. When the wind blows from the northwest, I have a -40 C draft over my feet while I sit at the computer. I am now trying a high-tech cardboard box--my feet rest inside the box while I keyboard. Seems to be working. I might add that I am wearing kamiks and double wool socks.
Sam, my Samoyed, is curled up outside in the blizzard, completely covered in snow. Nansen used Samoyeds when he made his attempt at the North Pole 100 years ago this year--1895. He left the "Fram" on his dogteam attempt February 26. His subsequent trek and return to Norway is an incredible adventure.
Here are the recent locations for the 3 cows being tracked by satellite and a copy of a Kivilliq News article from the Feb.1, 1995 edition, page 3. After you read it see if you can answer these questions:
1) Why are the people happy about the plans to harvest caribou?
2) Why has permission been granted?
3) What's the unemployment rate in your city, state/province and country and how does it compare to the unemployment rate in these arctic communities?
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JOBS FOR CORAL: Caribou Harvest Set to Start March 10 by Ronna Bremer Northern News Services, Coral Harbour
Coral Harbour will have up to 38 new jobs in the next few months, and more may come next year as a full-scale caribou harvest is planned. The harvest is to begin March 10 and run to the end of April.
"These aren't full-time, but are seasonal-hunt orientated positions," said Gerry LePrieur, the Keewatin's regional superintendent of Renewable Resources.
LePrieur's department is just one of three territorial government departments involved in the harvest. Under the federal- territorial Economic Development Agreement, $1.1 million has been allotted to the project. Along with Renewable Resources, the departments of Economic Development and Tourism and Education, Culture and Employment hope to bring in 2,000 animals. "That's about 150,000 pounds of caribou," said Graeme Dargo, assistant superintendent of Economic Development in the Keewatin.
The meat will be federally inspected, since it will be marketed in southern Canada through the NWT Development Corporation. The Keewatin Meat and Fish Plant in Rankin Inlet will get about 20,000 pounds of the caribou.
The number of caribou harvested is expected to climb in the next few years. A harvest of 3,000 animals is expected in 1995-96, and 4,000 the year following.
"This is a test year, a time to work out the bugs, train people...this is a long-term project for us," Dargo said.
Next year's hunt is expected to go for two full months and could provide twelve additional jobs, Dargo said.
The benefits to the community are obvious. The harvest will provide jobs and training in a centre where the unemployment rate is almost 40 percent.
New jobs will include hunters, skinners, packers, cooks and maintenance personnel. Ten people are currently being trained in skinning, proper packaging and other skills needed for the harvest.
Samuel Emiktowt, president of the Aiviit Hunters and Trappers Association in Coral Harbour, said the new jobs are welcome.
"They're seasonal, but hopefully if everything goes well it could operate on a yearly basis," said the newly elected HTA president.
The commercial harvest was initiated because of fears that caribou on Southampton Island would die out because of the great size of the herd, LePrieur said.
Caribou eat lichen and willows. The island couldn't sustain the size herd, which is now estimated to include more than 30,000 animals. Caribou were reintroduced to Southampton Island in 1967, when 48 animals were moved from nearby Coats Island.
LePrieur said the herd is disease-free right now, but if the numbers continue to climb as they have, that could change.
Dargo said a portable camp will be set up for the seven weeks of harvest. A project manager has been hired to run things for the first two years, but eventually it will be managed locally."
Seeya, ...Orin orin.durey@canrem.com Baker Lake, NWT, Canada
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