Governer General's husband writing in Pond Inlet
Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services
Pond Inlet (Feb 19/01) - John Raulston Saul has been living in Pond Inlet for weeks working on a new book.
Saul, a contemporary Canadian political writer and husband of Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, took part in a community feast earlier this month, where he donated three of his books. He also went out on the land and visited Ulaajuk school.
And residents say he has been spending a lot time at the library.
"He's an author and apparently making a book so he came to a quiet place, a nice place to write a book," said hamlet mayor Paul Haulli.
Haulli said Saul was scheduled to leave the hamlet Feb. 23.
He has written several non-fiction books on Canadian civilization, politics and culture.
News/North was not able to contact Saul and the subject of his latest project is unknown.
When he visited the school he answered questions from students for a half hour, principal Steve Handspiker said.
One of them was about the subject of his work in progress.
"He just indicated he was writing a book and did not get into any details," Handspiker said. He also talked to elders who dropped by the school, as well children and other teachers.
Pond Inlet prides itself on being home to several authors, many of whom teach school.
"I pointed that out to him and he commented that he shared the same type of experiences as other writers," Handspiker said. He talked about getting together with them to talk about that but I don't know if anything ever came of it."
"He likes the community quite a bit and went camping a few nights outside of Pond Inlet," he said. "He said he had a very good time and it was a good learning experience."
"They (residents) are very happy that he is here in Pond Inlet," he said. "But they just see him as an ordinary person."
