Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

IQALUIT (Mar 08/99) - Organizers of a community feast in Iqaluit, scheduled for April 1, need Nunavut residents to come forward with donations of country food.

Cheri Kemp-Kinnear of Kemp-Kinnear Tour Planning & Consulting said last week that she needs enough country food to feed up to 2,000 people and that she needs it right away.

"We're looking for polar bear, muskox, caribou, seal, char, turbot, shrimps and clams," said Kemp-Kinnear, the task team co-ordinator of food services for the celebrations in Iqaluit.

As a replacement of the Arctic food fare held each year in Iqaluit, Kemp-Kinnear said the feast would require people from other communities outside of Iqaluit to get into the spirit of things and donate food.

"Other communities have been asked to participate because what we'll get most of from Iqaluit is caribou and seal. We're also looking for muskox, and clams which aren't normally available here at this time of year."

Kemp-Kinnear said that while people would be paid for their contributions, she also hoped that some would simply donate the food.

Human resources

Organizers of the Nunavut celebrations in Iqaluit also need people to work during the activities.

Joe Boisvert, one of the members of the human resources task team, said he needed to fill a total of 71 positions in 19 different areas, ranging from baggage handlers to feast helpers and stage hands.

"The jobs cover all the different task teams and all their jobs," said Boisvert.

For more information and a complete listing of the jobs that are available, contact Boisvert or Kemp-Kinnear.

Accommodations

While visitors planning to fly into the capital for the big party continue to scramble for accommodations, the students at Nunavut Arctic College might be able to lend a helping hand.

Bert Rose, the co-ordinator of celebrations for the Nunavut Implementation Commission, said in order to free up a few more available spaces, the students living in residence at the Nunatta campus had been offered a free trip home.

"The Arctic College students have been offered the option of a ticket to go home to free up their beds," said Rose.

So far, about 45 students have expressed interest in the offer, but Rose was quick to point out that no one was required to leave their rooms.

Rose also added that the cost of flying the students back to their homes was not going to be absorbed by NIC, by the celebrations committee or by any government department.

"It will be paid for by the people staying there," said Rose. He explained that the cost of the guests staying in the residence over a six-day period would adequately cover the cost of flying the students home.

Residents excluded?

As the big day approaches, some Iqaluit residents feel that many of the festivities being planned are for the dignitaries who will be in town rather than for the residents of the capital.

But Bert Rose, the co-ordinator of celebrations for the Nunavut Implementation Commission, said that was not the case.

"There's lots of space for the community of Iqaluit and the residents of Nunavut," said Rose.

The gala at the FOL site on the evening of April 1 can accommodate 2,000 people and Rose said that of the 1,000 or so people currently on the guest list, several of them are from other communities in Nunavut.

"It's about a two to three ratio. Two people from the south to about three people from the North coming in," said Rose.

Including Prime Minister Jean Chretien and Governor-General Romeo LeBlanc, the guest list also includes all of the Nunavut mayors and their spouses, media and the entertainment.

Rose said the celebrations committee was over capacity and had begun to turn away tour groups and government agencies from the south and that they were considering an alternate site for celebrations.

"Rather than turn people away, we're looking at Rankin Inlet as an overflow venue," said Rose.