Rankin Inlet (Sep 01/04) - A 24-hour care facility is getting closer to becoming a reality for the hamlet of Rankin Inlet, thanks in part to a petition started by a concerned resident.

Nancy Gordon collected 204 signatures supporting the building of a multi-bed facility for elders and others who need long-term care.

Gordon was prompted into action by her own family crisis. Her ailing mother requires around-the-clock care in her housing unit -- something the family is struggling to provide.

"I just can't balance going to work all day, going to her house to look after her and my kids, too," said the single mother.

The family is facing the possibility of sending their mother out of the community for better care, either to Baker Lake or Arviat. However, the Baker facility has a waiting list, while the Arviat one can't provide the care she needs, said Gordon.

She says she's not the only one with this dilemma.

"There are others out there who need 24-hour care as well," she said.

The community currently has a four-room unit that serves people needing care.

Gordon presented the petition to Tagak Curley, MLA for Rankin North, and Levinia Brown, minister of health, shortly after collecting the signatures.

Curley said the community has his full support. After addressing Rankin Inlet council Aug. 23 with the issue, he started the legislative process to present it to the Government of Nunavut.

"It's a long overdue facility needed in this town," he said.

"The amount of interest is really exciting," said Curley.

He asked for and received the support of the hamlet council during the regular meeting.

"I'm asking for more vocal support, so our job can be more unified in presenting it to the government," said Curley.

The facility has been on the hamlet council agenda for a year and a half, said Rankin mayor Lorne Kusugak.

"The hamlet feels it's definitely a need for the community," he said.

Though he wasn't approached to sign the petition, Kusugak said he would gladly have become the 205th person on the list.

The community involvement is a welcome sight for Kusugak.

Into own hands

"I think it's time people took things like this into their own hands. We need more of that. We need people in the community to feel strongly about issues like that," he said.

Kusugak wants the government to think big if they plan to support the facility, so that future needs are anticipated.

"Let's think big instead of small. Let's not put a six-bed facility in Rankin and then find out it's too small," he said.

Curley plans to sign the supporting documents and table them to the house when the legislative assembly meets in November.