Stephan Burnett
Northern News Services

Iglulik (Apr 05/04) - De Beers Canada Corporation came to Iglulik March 25 with news that they will be active in the area this coming spring.

Iglulik Mayor Elijah Evaloarjuk said close to 30 people turned out for the meeting held at hamlet chambers.

"I announced it on the local radio before the meeting occurred," said the mayor.

"There were some young people there. It was a very good meeting," he said.

De Beers manager of public and corporate affairs, Linda Dorrington, agreed the meeting went well.

"We will be doing some drilling while the ground is still frozen and that will be done in April," said Dorrington.

"Then when the ground has thawed there will be further till sampling done and then any further work will depend on the results of that."

De Beers plans to be on Baffin Island, at a base camp at Erichsen Lake, 160 km north of Iglulik, earlier than last year.

"They'll be coming in April and they didn't start until June last year," said Evaloarjuk.

The presentation was made by Paul Hunt, De Beers project geologist, Doug Winzar, another geologist for De Beers, and Michael Cunningham, De Beers aboriginal affairs manager.

During the visit to Iglulik, Hunt met with 10 of the people who have previously worked on the project in part to discuss candidates for employment on this year's project and encouraged people to take the prospectors course and the first-aid course.

De Beers has arranged for and will cover the costs for a first-aid course, to be taught by paramedics to project employees.

De Beers also spoke to Iglulik suppliers about purchasing goods and services to cover the project.

The biggest concern for the people in Iglulik is to make sure that the 45 gallon drums shipped to Baffin Island are not left there.

"Overall, people from Iglulik are very happy," said mayor Evaloarjuk.

This year about 12 aboriginal people will be employed with De Beers in the area with close to 50 per cent being from aboriginal communities.

In the spring a lot of people are out on the land, said Evaloarjuk.

"They don't spend a lot of time in their houses, they're out on the land so it worked out really well for people last year," he said.

Iglulik has the highest unemployment rate in Nunavut and if a mine eventually comes, Evaloarjuk says the townspeople will be ready.

"A lot of guys are taking courses for equipment and in the future we'll be ready," he said.