by Jeff Colbourne
Northern News Services

BAKER LAKE (June 11/97) - Baker Lake's Marie Bouchard has been forced to leave her home of 10 years after her husband, dental therapist Jim McLeod, was laid off because of downsizing and budget cuts.

"You can't just uproot yourself and start all over again," said Bouchard last Tuesday, two days prior to leaving. "I really loved my work."

Bouchard has owned and operated the Baker Lake Fine Arts shop since 1987.

She opened the shop in response to the closing of the Miqsuvik sewing centre in the community after funds to the program were cut. She hired 20 female sewers to make wall hangings which she marketed and sold to buyers and galleries in the south.

Over the years the arts shop has gained a lot of recognition. She figures her biggest accomplishment has been helping to bring traditional Inuit art into the Canadian mainstream.

Since Inuit art has been around it has always been separated and segregated into its own category and never put in the same competitive field with other Canadian artists.

"People should look at it for its artistic and aesthetic merit, look at the art for art's sake," Bouchard said.

While pleased with the success of the shop and the art, Bouchard said it has been a very stressful winter for both her and the women she employs.

She put her shop up for sale last fall after hearing rumor that her husband was going to be let go by the Keewatin Regional Health Board.

"I was very concerned," she said. "They were really concerned, those women really, really rely on that income."

Bouchard said there is a silver lining in this dark cloud. After looking all winter, she finally found a buyer for her business. Sally Webster, originally of Baker Lake and who works with the women's Inuit organization Pauktutiit, has decided to give it a go.

"For Sally it has always been her dream to be involved in arts and crafts," said Bouchard. "I think it's a very positive move. I think she's the first Inuk to own an arts and crafts shop."

Webster will have an easier time communicating with the artists because she can speak the language. Bouchard was forced to use an interpreter.

Bouchard figures there will also be fewer obstacles for Webster as a businesswoman.

Looking back over her stay, Bouchard said it was tough for her to make a living in Baker Lake.

"There's not a lot of support for non-Inuit in terms of assistance and it's becoming more and more difficult to get grants. They complain that there are not enough people investing in the North, but they don't make it easy for you," she said.

Bouchard left on Thursday to join her husband in Winnipeg. He left Baker Lake two weeks ago. She has agreed to consult with Sally Webster from a distance for a year as the shop gets up and running again.

While in the South, Bouchard intends to relax for a while and eventually get around to writing a book, something she initially planned to do in the North.