Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

IQALUIT (Aug 03/98) - A handful of businesses in Nunavut have put their drive to earn a dollar on the back burner and got involved in a business deal that they hope will, in the long run, profit their communities.

In a project engineered by a volunteer group known as the Nortel Pioneers, 24 computers have been redeployed from their offices and sent to several Nunavut communities.

"We recognized the need that, as Nunavut is being developed, we need to use the resources that are available," Aggie Murray said.

Murray, currently a member of the Nortel Pioneers in Ottawa, noted that the organization raises millions of dollars every year to support community services.

The computer drive was initiated when Murray, a past employee of First Air, became acquainted with the North and found that more learning resources were needed.

Murray then contacted Gilbert Normandeau, the General Manager of First Air in Nunavut, and asked if he could find a use for the computers.

Normandeau jumped at the chance to provide students in Nunavut the tools to help them grow and meet the challenges of an ever changing world.

He then took the project one step further and contacted Nunanet, the Internet service provider in Iqaluit, and together, they came up with the idea of dispersing the computers to schools in Cambridge Bay, Rankin Inlet and Iqaluit and getting them online.

"We could knit the three regions together as we get closer to the new territory," Normandeau said.

All told, First Air will spend about $10,000 on the project.

"We're partners in developing the new North. We're here for the long haul and that's our investment," Normandeau said.

Nunanet owner Adamee Itoracheak said he was more than willing to get involved in the project.

Not only did he agree to provide free internet hook-up, maintenance and long-term technical support, Itoracheak also convinced his counterparts in Cambridge Bay and Rankin Inlet to do the same.

The venture will cost each Internet service provider about $3,000 a year.

"It's a long-term solution. Students will learn to work with computers and eventually become customers one day," Itoracheak said.

To make sure that everyone was in it together, he contacted members of the new government and asked them if they would publicly endorse the project.

"Of course we do. It's the private sector and the public sector taking more responsibility," Bob Moody, the deputy minister of education, said.

Carmen Levi, his assistant deputy minister, agreed.

"It has a direct impact on our activities here."

The deal has also been backed by John Thomas, the chair of the Iqaluit District Education Authority.

He said the project fits in perfectly with the role technology plays in the North.

"We want to give children in this community every opportunity to excel at that."