Iqaluit (Aug 25/03) - It was sheer passion for news that drove Vince Ningark to produce a community newsletter month after month in Kugaaruk in 1998.

"That was my project," he said recently, clearly relishing the memory.

"I enjoyed doing it."

The newsletter was a cover page wrapped around three pages.

It contained mayor's announcements, ads for ATVs for sale, and sales at the Co-op printed both in English and Inuktitut on 11x17 paper.

There were write-ups about car safety, and the latest news from the health care centers and the schools.

It appeared in people's mailboxes and on the front desk at the hamlet office.

"It was sort of time consuming," said Ningark, "but it was worth it."

The project had a budget of $3,000 a year, and about 150 copies were made a month.

But after four months, it was all over.

"It was going great for a month or two," he recalled.

"Then it all died off on me."

Ningark can't pin-point exactly when it went from a consuming passion to just paper in the wind.

But he knows one thing -- he wants to do it again.

"And get more people involved," he said.

Kugaaruk isn't the only community without a free newsletter. Cambridge Bay, Taloyoak, and Gjoa Haven are currently without newsletters.

However, Ted Schabell, recreation director in Cambridge Bay, has been encouraged to start one.

And in Gjoa Haven, Louie Kamookak said he wants to get their now-defunct newsletter started up again.

"People liked it," he said.

Twenty-five years ago, Iqaluit had a free newsletter known as the Inukshuk newsletter, long-time resident Jeanie Eeseemailee recalled.

She thinks Iqaluit could use one like it today.

"We do have newspapers," she said. "But I think Iqaluit would do better with its own newsletter. Just about its community and who's all new in town."

According to Jose Arreak, municipal liason officer for the City of Iqaluit, attempts were made to put together a monthly City of Iqaluit newsletter, "for the union, the management and for the pubic," he said.

"But I have not seen the newsletter for a while," he said.

Every two months Kugluktuk's newsletter appears.

It's been around for about three years, a labour of love for Rachel Horn at the Wellness Centre.

Three hundred or so get distributed, often shoved into shopping bags along with groceries.

People find it informative, said recreation director Ron Tologanak.

"It keeps everybody updated about what's going on," he said. "It lets everybody know what's happening, anybody who doesn't read news bulletin boards."

The newsletter situation in Kugluktuk is so good, the local RCMP wants to get in on the action.

"It's on our agenda," said Cst. John Baranyi.

Baranyi remembers working for a detachment in Alberta that had a newsletter, and it went over well with the public.

"We included everything -- people charged, statistics, programs going on, anything involving the police we did. I would like to see the same here."