Cambridge Bay (Oct 25/04) - Public voting for the NorthwesTel phone directory covers closed at midnight last Wednesday, but not without leaving controversy in its wake.

At the heart of the debate is the geographical origin of artist Cameron MacLeod. MacLeod entered a portrait of elder Doug Stern in the contest and listed his home community as Cambridge Bay.

Luke Novoligak holds a portrait of himself painted by Cameron MacLeod. MacLeod entered a portrait of another Cambridge Bay elder in the cover art contest for the Nunavut phone directory. - photo courtesy of Keith Peterson

Nunavut News/North columnist Helen Tologanak of Cambridge Bay says MacLeod spent a single summer up North and has never made his home in the Kitikmeot.

Other residents in the hamlet said they remember MacLeod living there, but weren't sure how long he had stayed.

The rules for the phone directory cover art contest state that artists must be current residents of the NorthwesTel operating area.

MacLeod, when reached at his home in Thunder Bay, said he has spent about 75 per cent of his time in Cambridge Bay since February 1999.

Originally from Nova Scotia and a graduate of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, he is finishing three credits of independent study through Concordia University in Montreal and intends to return to Cambridge Bay in December.

Working on Cambridge portraits

MacLeod has been working on a series of portraits of Cambridge Bay elders for the Kitikmeot Inuit Association. He is also applying to do some paintings for the interior of the new hospital there.

"Cambridge Bay has been the most dramatic influence on my life that I've ever had," said MacLeod.

Anne Kennedy, director of public affairs for NorthwesTel, said the phone company prefers entries to come from people currently living north of 60, but that they allow some flexibility for artists who are temporarily living away from home.

As an example, Kennedy said a recent Nunavut phone book cover winner from Cambridge Bay, Tanya Tagaq Gillis, was living in Spain when she won the contest.

The biography MacLeod submitted to contest organizers indicated he lived in Cambridge Bay for four years and was currently away for school, but intended to return.