Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Apr 19/99) - Makivik Corp., the Inuit organization representing Nunavik Inuit, has taken a position with Nunavut Eastern Arctic Shipping.

NEAS is 51 per cent Inuit owned. The stake is equally-owned by Sakku Investments, the economic development arm of the Kivalliq Inuit Association, Qikiqtaaluk Corp., the economic development corporation of Qikiqtani Inuit Assoc., and now Makivik.

The remaining 49 per cent is owned by managing partner Transport Nanuk.

NEAS is a major dry goods carrier servicing the Baffin and Kivalliq regions of Nunavut. The company charters two vessels, the MV Lucien-Paquin and the MV Aivik from Transport Nanook.

Over the past two years, NEAS has been the main carrier for Nunavut Construction Corporation. Among its other business is supplying goods to the Northern Stores, owned by the North West Company.

"Through Inuit majority ownership, Inuit will now become more pro-active on the revenue side," QC CEO Pitseolak Pfeifer said.

There are also training and employment opportunities, he adds.

Abraham Tagalik, QC's executive vice-president, marketing, sees the addition of Makivik as a forerunner to increasing NEAS's cargo volumes. The move puts NEAS in a better position competitively, he said.

NEAS is looking to capture some of the business the Coast Guard contracts out.

The Coast Guard is currently amid a three-year contract with the Nunavut and federal governments. Under the contract, the Coast Guard co-ordinates sealift operations for 14 Nunavut communities. The materials shipped are those required by Nunavut and federal governments.

"We're looking at the long-term benefits, in terms of growth of the region," KIA president Paul Kaludjak said.

"We're directing our development corporation (Sakku) to pursue every business opportunity available," Kaludjak said.

Much of the Kivalliq's resupply by sea comes via Northern Transportation Company Ltd. ships sailing out of the Port of Churchill in Manitoba.

Makivik communications officer Stephen Hendrie said this move, announced recently in Iqaluit, is part of an effort to develop more joint ventures.

He cited Dew Line maintenance firm Pan Arctic Inuit Logistics and Unaaq Fisheries as other examples of joint ventures.

"We are an 'island' in northern Quebec and we depend on sealift. So it's natural to invest in this joint venture," he said.

Some 14 Nunavik communities are resupplied yearly by sea.