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Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Receiving awards were Jordin Tootoo, Jim and Sue Shirley and Simon Kowmuk.
The awards were announced during the KCC's annual general meeting in Rankin Inlet.
KCC president Ray Mercer said both Tootoo and Team Tootoo, the company that sells his products, were named on the award.
Mercer said in addition to Tootoo's economic success, his accomplishments have also had a tremendous impact on all Nunavummiut, especially youth.
"On the business side, we've seen Jordin attract bus- and plane-loads of people wherever he's played," said Mercer.
"So, the airlines must be benefitting from people going to see his games in major cities across Canada."
Mercer said Tootoo has put Rankin Inlet on both the sports and business maps.
He said people everywhere buy Team Tootoo products and Bell ExpressVu's subscription rate is up about 70 per cent in Nunavut.
"Jordin's also had an impact on business that we're not really seeing right now, but we will see a little further down the road.
"Even tourism stands to gain from his success."
Jim Shirley has been outspoken for a long time on the fact arts-and-crafts funding is hard to come by in Nunavut.
A fact more than a little disconcerting when one takes into account how much money arts and crafts brings into Nunavut.
Mercer said when the GNWT pulled the money from the pottery program it started in Rankin Inlet many years ago and let the project die, Shirley came to Rankin and, with his own resources, picked up the remnants of what was left.
Mercer actually helped Shirley move the little house he bought in the middle of the night after getting his own kiln going.
"Jim opened up his shop and invited anyone who was interested to come in and do pottery.
"Now, some 20 years later, he's had exhibitions from that tiny shop in many places around the world.
"Pottery is still alive and well in Nunavut, thanks to Jim and Sue Shirley.
"The award also recognizes all the people who work at the Matchbox Gallery."
Mercer said without Kowmuk's Bombardier transport service, many a project would not have been completed in the Kivalliq.
Kowmuk is well known for his frequent trips to Baker Lake, Arviat, Whale Cove, Chesterfield Inlet and Churchill in all sorts of weather.
"Kowmuk's also done plenty of hauls for the mining companies and got hockey teams to communities for tournaments.
"The list of things that would never have moved if it weren't for him goes on and on.
"Whatever he was asked to do, he somehow managed to do it.
