Maria Canton
Northern News Services

Iqaluit ( Jun 12/00) - Ensuring that everything was working was the last step for Erik Hughson as he completed his electrical wiring project at the Canadian Skills Competition last week in Quebec City.

As a second-year electrician apprentice studying at Aurora College in Fort Smith, the Baker Lake resident said he was calm throughout the entire two days.

"I competed in the competition last year in Kitchener-Waterloo (Ont.), so I had an idea of what would happen. This time I was competing against 11 people," said Hughson during a stopover at the Iqaluit airport on his way home.

"You have six hours each day for two days to set up your project before judging, then you're judged on how much is done, if it works and quality."

Hughson's work must have been excellent because he finished fifth in the country.

Another competitor from Nunavut came in ninth nationwide in the carpentry event.

Lino Aqatsiaq of Iglulik, a first-year carpentry student at Arctic College in Iqaluit, actually scored 100 per cent on his work, but because his project didn't include a staircase, he couldn't be awarded a medal.

"I enjoyed everything about the competition," said Aqatsiaq, who built his own house 10 years ago in Iglulik.

"I was competing against 20 other people and we had to build a little house -- we were all about the same (skill) level."

Aqatsaiq continued to score 100 per cent during the judging, until the stair section came up -- his entry was a bungalow.

Despite losing out on a medal, Aqatsaiq says he feels great about his finish and the competition overall.

Team NWT\Nunavut fielded 26 competitors, all of whom qualified for the national competition by winning gold at the territorials in Yellowknife last month.

Skills Canada board of directors member for Nunavut, Carla St. Louis, travelled to Quebec City with the team and said everyone performed extremely well.

"In our eyes, and the Department of Education's eyes, they all won gold," said St. Louis. The department provided funding for the Nunavut competitors.

Executive director for Skills Canada NWT, Heather Hay, also said everything went very well.

"They (the competitors) were great, we are very proud of everyone's performance," she said.

"In total, we had seven top-five finishes, including three bronze and one silver."

A third Nunavut competitor, Sonia Marchand, finished seventh overall in the hairdressing event.