BAKER LAKE - Tom Faess of TT Enterprises had his camp set up and welcomed his first group of tourists to Baker Lake earlier this month.

Known as Tundra Tommy, Faess operates the Great Canadian Wilderness Adventures.

Tom Faess says he has no idea why the Nunavut government suspended his outfitter's licence earlier this month.

Unfortunately for Faess and his clients they were about to embark on a totally different type of adventure, and one that would leave a sour taste in their mouths.

On Friday, Aug. 13, Faess received a cease and desist order from Robert Connelly of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (ED&T).

The order informed Faess his outfitter's licence had been temporarily suspended, pending an investigation into a serious complaint lodged against TT Enterprises.

Faess says he was not told what the complaint was or who had filed it.

He said he'd been in Baker for about a week preparing for his popular tour.

"I had about 38 people ready to go for the next three weeks, an airplane leased, and boats and local people hired to transport tourists back and forth to camp," said Faess.

"On opening day I had 13 Taiwanese here for the first trip, when I got an e-mail and phone call from Connelly telling me they pulled my outfitter's licence and to cease and desist my operations.

"Connelly claimed it resulted from a serious customer complaint, but wouldn't give me a copy.

"He'd never had any contact with me prior to this, so, to get blind-sided like this with these allegations was a tremendous shock."

Despite numerous requests by Kivalliq News, ED&T refused to comment on the situation.

Faess said he might not be the Government of Nunavut's (GN) version of the perfect operator, but he's never had a single incident or emergency during his entire 39 year Northern career.

He said ED&T referred to the complaint as being safety related but wouldn't explain what or why.

"The executive director of Arctic Tourism, Colleen Dupuis, contacted me and told me to contact the clients I had booked for the next two weeks and tell them their trip's off.

"They've all paid up-front, have airline tickets to Baker and their hotels booked.

"Meanwhile, I'm broke, having spent all those funds to have camps set up, aircraft leased, boats, loaders and staff prepaid, and $8,000 in groceries at the camp."

"My company probably won't survive this."

Faess said he's operating at about one-third the capacity he was 10 years ago while trying to move to Baker.

He said he's been trying to recreate tourism in a community where there's absolutely none right now.

"With the closure of all the caribou hunt camps, we're the only organized tourism operator in the Baker (Lake and) Chesterfield Inlet area.

"It's a pretty serious manoeuvre for them to be able to pull our licence on opening day without notice and force us to cancel our tours.

"I don't think I've done anything so wrong in my operation to justify such a dramatic manoeuvre that's going to put serious egg on Nunavut's face for tourism.

"This has destroyed my reputation in the market."

American Lee Mann of Lee And Bryce Mann Photography in Sedro Woolley, Wash., had a pair of backtoback trips to Nunavut with Faess cancelled by the suspension.

Mann sent letters to the GN for an explanation, and said the cancellations are going to cost him about US$8,000.

"I have done four other trips with Tom (Faess) over quite a few years, and I've always found them safe and rewarding," said Mann.

"Tom is a Canadian original and an absolute backer of conservation, First Nations and aboriginal cultures.

"I want to hear what dangerous condition existed at Tom's camp that necessitated destroying the trips of a bunch of photographers and causing us each to lose between $5,000 to $8,000?

"I want to know if Tom Faess has suddenly turned into an axe murderer, or what horrible crime he committed that we have to pay for it?"

Mann said everyone has the right to face their accuser and the complaint should be revealed.

He said the GN could have waited two more weeks, until the end of the season, unless a condition endangering one of the clients existed.

"I consider Canada an exemplar to the world on how to behave, but secret charges seem very un-Canadian!

"Unless the charges are that serious, the GN has done a serious wrong and we should be fully compensated.

"Tom was having a tough time trying to re-establish himself after his camp in the Barrens was destroyed.

"I doubt Tom can bounce back from this unless he is cleared and gets a huge settlement from Nunavut."

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