Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

RESOLUTION ISLAND (Sep 20/99) - Soloman Atagoyuk wants to go places in life. More specifically, he wants to go to abandoned DEW-line sites across Nunavut to lend a helping hand in cleaning up the toxic waste.

It gets even better.

Because of the last two years he has spent on Resolution Island, Atagoyuk is becoming fully versed in the many skills required when working on a contaminated site.

"It gives you more experience in so many different areas," said Atagoyuk, a week after he finished his second year with the Resolution Island clean-up project.

Atagoyuk was just one of the 67 workers from Iqaluit and Kimmirut, 85 per cent of whom were Inuit, to be rotated on and off the island in two-week stints this year. The 1999 season is slated to wrap up this week.

Atagoyuk said he hoped to go back out next year for the third official season of the five-year, $30-million project. He also added that once the island was brought into legal compliance with various federal environmental regulations, he hoped to be part of the trained workforce that would be mobilized to clean-up the dozens of other contaminated sites in Nunavut.

That attitude is exactly what the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs had in mind when they hired the Qikiqtaaluk Corp. to be the site contractor in 1997.

"There was a major emphasis on training and to build the capacity so in future years, (the Qikiqtaaluk Corp.) would be able to continue with other clean-ups," said Scott Mitchell, the head of DIAND's contaminated sites office.

Site technical advisor Gary Vaillancourt agreed with Mitchell and added that the skilled workers would also prove valuable in helping to build Nunavut's infrastructure.

To that end, a Contaminated Site Worker Certificate is being developed by QC in conjunction with Arctic College.

"This is the first year of the pilot project. We hope to establish a formal certified trade that can be used at other toxic waste sites around the world," said Vaillancourt.

Conceived last year after the supervisors realized the multiple and varied tasks that had to be completed on the former United States Air Force pole vault station, the certificate program covers about 16 different components including everything from administrative duties, electrical work and handling PCBs.

Trainees must pass junior, intermediate and senior levels of education before they receive their certificate.