Northern News Services

IQALUIT (May 11/98) - Iqaluit moved one step closer this week towards opening up Nunavut's international business community.

Canada Post Corporation and the Greenland General Post Office signed a protocol agreement last Thursday thereby setting up a mail link between Iqaluit and Nuuk.

In a press release issued by Canada Post, NWT Chamber of Commerce vice-president Alain Carriere called it "a welcome event. It opens one more channel between Nunavut and Greenland and should have a very significant impact for the business community."

It is hoped the mail link will lead to a parcel link and a customs gate.

Healthy consultation

Building a health-care system tailored to the needs of Nunavut was the focus of a week-long conference held in Rankin Inlet last week.

Addressing the conference, Interim Commissioner Jack Anawak called health care "one of the most important subjects we can put our minds to."

The conference and workshops were organized to help newly appointed Nunavut deputy health minister Ken MacRury identify the key health issues and needs of Nunavut.

New staffing staffers

Marius Tungalik, deputy minister of personnel, reports that two of the people responsible for staffing the new bureaucracy have been hired.

Peepeele Qarpic and Joamie Eegeesiak, both Iqaluit residents, have been hired as staffing officers.

Qarpic started two weeks ago, said Tungalik, and Eegeesiak moves into the new job May 19.

Tungalik said it was hard to say at this point exactly how many positions remain to be filled. "We know what we would like to see, but it has to be agreed to by the three parties (the GNWT, government of Canada, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.) and they will be meeting in either late June or early July."

At that meeting details of federal funding for the two new territories will be finalized.