Kent Driscoll
Northern News Services

Pangnirtung (Jan 09/06) - Jennifer Ejetsiak waited at the hospital in Iqaluit for a month for 20 minutes that started her year off right: the birth of her daughter, Naiomi Ejetsiak.

Naiomi has a great sense of timing. The newborn arrived into the world one week late, but she was the first baby born in Nunavut in 2006.

Ejetsiak speaks some English, but prefers to talk in Inuktitut. Dennis Shappa provided translation and she was happy to share her joy with readers.

"I heard that she was the first baby at the hospital this year. I'm really happy about it," said Ejetsiak.

Naiomi was named after a late relative of Jennifer's, and was a highlight in a hard year for her.

Ejetsiak had a baby die on March 15, 2005. This new baby doesn't take away from the pain of that, but it does help.

"I was happy and sad at the same time," said Ejetsiak.

Newborns are always a centre of attention, but with Naiomi being born at 6:24 a.m. on Jan. 1, her timely arrival has pleased the residents of Pangnirtung.

"People are really supportive and they are happy that we have a new member in the community," said Ejetsiak.

There were five babies born in Iqaluit on Jan. 1. One Kugaaruk mother gave birth on that same day in Yellowknife while a woman from Rankin Inlet delivered in Manitoba on New Year's Day as well.

That just shows the trend in Nunavut for plenty of new community members.

According to Statistics Canada, the birth rate in Nunavut was 26.3 births for every 1,000 people. For the rest of Canada, that number is 10.5.

For 2003, Nunavut averaged 3.1 children per woman. The rate for the rest of Canada is 1.53.