Pond Inlet (Feb 14/05) - When he first started working as a water truck driver in 1973, Timothy Aksarjuk would use a harpoon to create holes in the frozen lake.

Now, with the help of a generator, he only has to connect a hose and push a button.

Recently, Pond Inlet's approximately 50 hamlet staff members voted him their employee of the year.

"I'm happy and honoured that they picked me as employee of the year," the 61-year-old says through assistant James Simonie's translation.

He has lived in Pond Inlet for so long that he does not remember when he arrived. But he does remember being born in a camp near the community.

Simonie says Aksarjuk is always on time for work, rarely takes vacations and provides an excellent example for other employees.

And Aksarjuk likes his job.

"When I drive around, everybody's talking to me, being friendly. They never stop talking to me," he says.

Now he gets to drive the hamlet's newest water truck. Having Simonie as his assistant makes him happy.

He looks forward to training and helping new employees.

As he still likes going to work, he currently has no plans to retire.

If the weather is good, he will go out hunting on the weekends. Sometimes he will stay at a cabin with Annie, his wife of 24 years.

"It's hard being alone without someone," he says of their time spent together.

Life is getting better for Nunavummiut, he says, and many things are easier than they used to be.

He appreciates the technology advances like computers, even though he doesn't use them often in his job.

"I think it makes it easier," he says.