Christina Best has been hired as the new community wellness coordinator for the community of Rankin Inlet.
Photo courtesy hamlet of Rankin Inlet
The hamlet announced the hiring on Oct. 14.
The hamlet's announcement states that Best originally hails from the communities of Chesterfield Inlet and Rankin Inlet before spending some years in Ottawa.
During that time, she worked as a trauma and addictions counsellor at the Mamisarvik Healing Centre and supported Inuit attending medical treatment in her employment at Larga Baffin.
In 2018, she was accepted into the Inuit community support worker two-year diploma program, and recently graduated at the top of her class.
Her work placement included delving into occupational health and safety, human resources recruiting and staff wellness at Qikiqtani Inuit Association, as well as working with ilinniapaa Skills Development Centre in Iqaluit on workplace harassment and violence community training from a wellness lens in collaboration with the Nunavut Law Society.
The announcement said Best is excited to be back home in Rankin Inlet with her husband, six children and extended family. She is also excited to work with the community in the community wellness coordinator role and continuing her learning in the field with the Government of Nunavut health department and partners.
Niqitsiavut cooking class
Baker Lake
Tracy U. Pattunguyak, Jocelyn Meeka Amitnaaq, Gloria Anawak, Marina Kunilusie, Elizabeth Tunguaq and Annie Akilak were selected to take part in an afternoon Niqitsiavut cooking class at the Baker Lake prenatal nutrition program (old dental clinic) this past Monday, Oct. 19.
The group spent the class cooking caribou soup.
Space for the Niqitsiavut cooking class was limited to six people due to restrictions in place regarding Covid-19.
Hockey camp underway
Rankin Inlet
The annual Rankin Rock Hockey Camp underway this week is running from Oct. 19 until Oct. 24.
The camp is holding on-ice and off-ice sessions for kids in the age brackets of U7, U9, U11, U13, U15, U17 and U18.
The on-ice instructors are David Clark, Stephane Nukapiak and Seth Ningeongan, while Pujjuut Kusugak and Tyrese Dias will handle fitness instruction.
The literacy instructors for the camp are Kelly Lindell, Tati Connelly-Clark, Shanti Dias and Alexia Galloway-Alainga.
Parents and players are reminded that all Covid-19 restrictions are in place for the hockey camp and must be followed at all times.
Environmental investigation complete
Rankin Inlet
Qulliq Energy Corporation (QEC) has informed the residents of Rankin Inlet that an environmental investigation along Kivalliq Street has been completed, and that propylene glycol was below laboratory detection limits in soil, groundwater and surface water where sampling took place.
The announcement stated that the environmental investigation was completed following a leak in the corporation’s district heating system in the fall of 2019.
About 30,000 to 40,000 litres of a mixture of propylene glycol and water leaked from a section of pipeline connected to the Kivalliq Health Centre as a result of equipment failure. Frozen ground conditions prevented the investigation from taking place until summer 2020.
The report states that based on the results of the environmental investigation, residual propylene glycol impacts do not appear to be present and no remedial action was recommended by the contractor.
Propylene glycol is relatively non-toxic to humans and wildlife, and is used in district heating because of its ability to transfer heat.
QEC has provided the results of the investigation to appropriate authorities for review. QEC also safely took the health centre’s district heating system out of operation when the leak was discovered. The corporation will assess the pipeline and decide whether to decommission or repair the district heat system in this area.