Jillian Dickens and Kent Driscoll
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Jan 09/06) - Expectations for 2006 are as diverse as the territory is large.

Michelle Gillis will be sworn in as Mayor of Cambridge on Jan. 15, and she is hoping for a productive year for the community.

Timothy Tiessen, 1, gets a push on the swing from his sister, five-year-old Roberta Marko. For the new year, Marko wants more crafts in kindergarten. Her mother, Kathleen Marko, is hoping for more recreational activities for her daughter. - Kent Driscoll/NNSL photo

"Recreation and youth, and elders, too," said Gillis, 26. She wants to see youth doing more things with elders, to improve the language skills of the youth.

Her hamlet will be receiving its Community Economic Development plan in the new year, and that will guide her council.

Ask Scotty Edgerton - the senior administrative officer for Taloyoak - what he wants, his answer is always the same, regardless of time of year.

"Housing, we really need housing. Housing causes all sorts of problems, and people are agitated when they can't get it," said Edgerton.

His other hope is for a major renovation of the community hall. "On a scale of one to 10, it is lower than a five. It's our dance hall, our auditorium, our recreation facility. It needs an overhaul," he said.

Mary-Ann Westwood in Kugluktuk wants the same thing she wanted last year, a new church. "The church arriving would be great," said Westwood. She is praying for the new Catholic Church to get on the sea-lift this year.

The church burned down in 2004.

Kristiina Alariaq - from Huit Huit Tours in Cape Dorset - is hoping for a peaceful year. "I want to be happy and stress free. I'm hoping for an uneventful new year," said Alariaq.

Youth, adults and elders alike in Arctic Bay say they are in desperate need of a community centre to get youth off the street.

"I would like to see youth make more positive decisions, leading to positive actions," said Arctic Bay's Neil Kigutaq, 18. "For that to happen here we need a place where we can talk and be active - so a building for that is what I would expect for the new year."

Friend Nathaniel Chouinerd, 18, says the same.

"I'd like to see a community hall in Arctic Bay for the youth to have something to do. When the gym at the school is closed, they just walk around the town, or stay home, watch TV and are bored."

Kathleen Marko, who has been in Iqaluit for a year and a half, is concerned about the next few years for her five-year-old daughter Roberta.

"I'd like to see more rec activities for the kids in town. There are things for the younger ones, and for the teenagers, but kids between five and 11 are being left out," said Marko during an outing with her children at the playground.

Roberta is content to push her brother Timothy Tiessen on a swing for now - while shouting "go Timmy go" - but may bore of that in the future. When that happens, her mom wants programs she can take part in.

The younger Marko has lesser goals for the new year. She wants to see more arts and crafts in her kindergarten class.

In Grise Fiord, the first thing that comes to Marty Kuluguqtuq's mind when asked of 2006 is flight costs.

"I'd like to see compassion for our air fare situation and understanding of our needs."

It's expensive to fly anywhere in the North, but from Grise Fiord to Resolute - the word "expensive" doesn't cut it. A return ticket is more than $900.

"We simply want the airlines, the federal and territorial government, and the Inuit agencies to help with a solution," said Kuluguqtuq. "So far the response has been zero."

Recycling in all forms is the key to a brighter future for the world and Nunavut, said elder Markosie Audlakiak in Qikiqtarjuaq.

"There needs to be more energy saving around the world and everything we have left should be recycled... especially in the High Arctic," said the retired Nunavut Power Corporation employee.

"We should be recycling parts for vehicles, plastic, glass, cardboard, paper, wood, anything."

He hopes the new year will bring increased lobbying of the GN for recycling services.

Iqaluit recycles some of it's metal. Other Nunavut communities recycle nothing.