Coast Guard looks for Inuit hires
Traditional knowledge valuable to federal organization
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Monday, July 18, 2016
IQALUIT
As the Canadian Coast Guard expands its services in the Arctic, and as the sea ice changes, the need for talent from Nunavut to join its ranks only increases.
Marine communications and traffic services officer Daniel Racine, left, Canadian Coast Guard commissioner Jody Thomas, MCTS officer Jamesie Padluq and MCTS officer Robert Lanteigne. Padluq is a model for young Inuit looking to join the Coast Guard. - photo courtesy of the Canadian Coast Guard |
"People who are providing services in the North should be from the North and we have to increase our partnership with local communities," said Canadian Coast Guard commissioner Jody Thomas.
"I think we serve two purposes (doing that): increasing employment in communities but also increasing Coast Guard presence in communities by recruiting Northerners. They know the ice, they know the land, they know the weather, they know the people. With the kinds of things we do - search and rescue, environmental response - all of those qualities are really critical."
If the Coast Guard expands its auxiliary presence or search and rescue lifeboat stations in the Arctic, it needs to recruit people from the communities, she said.
Not only would that improve the quality of service, but it would also foster a better relationship with the communities and give the Coast Guard the benefits of traditional knowledge, she added.
"The two combined (technological and traditional knowledge) are very powerful tools and will only improve the service that we give."
One shining example of Inuit employment in the Coast Guard is Jamesie Padluq, who received a 15-year service award July 8. Padluq is the first and only Inuit from Nunavut to graduate from Coast Guard College to become a marine communications and traffic services (MCTS ) officer.
"He is an example of why it matters that we're in Iqaluit and engaged with the community," said Thomas.
Padluq graduated from Coast Guard College in 2002 and spent time at the Coast Guard's Inuvik centre before coming to Iqaluit in 2012.
"He is a model for other members of his community who would like a career in the federal government or particularly in the Coast Guard, and he's an inspiration to many people in the community," said Thomas.
At the Iqaluit office, the Coast Guard is currently training two young students in the station, who are spending four months learning different aspects of what the Coast Guard does. Eventually, they will get a trip to Montreal and then to Ottawa for further education.
"Somebody like Jamesie is critical to show them that you can have a career in the Coast Guard but live in your community and serve your community, and I think that's really important," said Thomas. "He is an excellent employee, he's certainly a very talented radio operator, he knows the area extremely well, he's very professional, a great team player, which is what we need in all our stations, and he's a model employee for all of us in the community."
Daniel Racine, an MCTS officer, was also awarded for 10 years of service, while MCTS officer Robert Lanteigne received an award for 35 years of service.
Additionally, Thomas was in Iqaluit July 8 for the ribbon cutting on a systems upgrade for the Coast Guard office, which will modernize the organization's services.
"What it means is more stability with a modernized communications control software that we've put in across the country," said Thomas.
The upgrade will future-proof the Coast Guard's equipment for the next 20 years.
