SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Well over 600 international delegates from the world's polar regions are coming to Yellowknife for the International Congress on Circumpolar Health, which begins today.

Luke Wood, owner of Woodstove Catering, stands in his cooler on Thursday next to the stacks of 5,000 juice-boxes that have been stockpiled for the International Congress on Circumpolar Health. Woodstove will also be providing 2,500 lunches and 2,500 continental breakfasts for the 600 international visitors arriving in Yellowknife for next week's health conference. - Tim Edwards/NNSL photo

This is the first time the congress, which is held every three years, has taken place in Yellowknife since 1974, which is around the time the congress began, according to Rajiv Rawat, director of technology and communication for the Institute for Circumpolar Health Research.

"This is to make sure that International Polar Year (health) research leads to action, as well as to discuss things that were not covered (throughout the year)," said Rawat.

The International Polar Year (IPY) was a year of international scientific research that happened over 2007 and 2008, with some of the research drifting into 2009.

The IPY dates back to the 1800s, and has only happened three times since – the first being 1882-1883, the second being 1932-1933, and the third being 2007-2009.

"There was quite a lot of research done by members if all nations, so this is kind of a chance to really take stock of all that research and make sure it doesn't sit on the shelf," said Rawat.

Other congresses in the past have dealt with things such as keeping the polar health community in open communication, as well as specifics to do with the regions where it was held.

Coinciding with IPY this year has brought forward a wealth of information

"The scientific program, which is pretty much the centre of this thing consists of well over 450 presentations," said Rawat.

Rawat said there will also be plenaries where the keynote speakers are going to speak, and there's going to be "cordial debate" with response panels.

Much of the discussions and presentations will have to do with the health of indigenous peoples in the polar regions.

"A lot of community participatory research and community health and holistic health, and mental health, and indigenous research – that's almost 80 or 90 per cent (of the Congress)," said Rawat.

Some major issues that will be covered, and some that are especially pertinent to the NWT, have to do with mental health, substance abuse, women's health. Traditional and holistic medicine will also be discussed.

"It really covers both sides – both the traditional knowledge and the straightforward research," said Rawat.

Key speakers will include federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq as well as the territorial Health Minister Sandy Lee, and other specialists from around the polar regions as well as chiefs and prominent community members.

Some notable NWT speakers include Suzanne L. Stewart, a member of the Yellowknife Dene Nation who holds a PhD and is a professor of aboriginal healing in Counselling Psychology at the University of Toronto, and John B. Zoe, who is the Chief Executive Officer for the Tlicho government, and Francois Paulette, who became the youngest chief of the NWT Indian Brotherhood in 1972. Many, though, will be from around the world.

"Be on the lookout for quite a large international crowd on the streets of Yellowknife next week," said Rawat, who claims that almost all Yellowknife's hotels will be filled.

The conference runs through Thursday.