Only the answering machine was on duty at Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.'s Iqaluit office, and even the answering machine had checked out in their Rankin Inlet office.

There was a sign of life, a busy signal, at the GNWT's financial management board secretariat office in Iqaluit, but a minute later the phone just kept on ringing and ringing, as it did at the Rankin office.

The hospital worker who answered the phone when the Baffin Regional Health Board number was dialled said everybody at the board had called it quits for the night.

No one was home at the regional operations office for education culture and employment.

Hope was fading fast as 7:30 p.m. rolled around, but just then, another busy signal at the Iqaluit office of resources, wildlife and economic development.

Busy again, and again, and again...

Nunavut Arctic College's Igloolik research centre's answering machine indicated it, too, had turned off the reading lamps for the night.

Then, as the clock wound to 7:45, Eureka!

Mike Ferris, superintendent of municipal and community affairs, what's making you put in the overtime?

"I'm not putting in overtime, because I don't get paid overtime," said Ferris.

"It's been a busy day. I had a number of conference calls and I don't like to leave a lot of things on my desk when I go home."

Ferris, a 19-year resident of Iqaluit, said he started the day at 6:45 a.m. that morning.

You aren't working 13 hours a day every day are you?

"I definitely hope not, but there are certain times of every year where things pile up."