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Becoming protectors of the land Darrell Greer Northern News Services Published Wednesday, July 11, 2012
The program, developed by ECO Canada's Building Environmental Aboriginal Human Resources Program, was delivered by the Sakku Investment Corp.'s affiliate company, Nunami Stantec. Completing the program were Craig Beardsall, Gary Ippiak, Jamila Gordon, Johnny Ittursardjuak, Kris Okpatauyak, and Andrew Panigoniak Jr. Sakku business development officer Robert Tookoome said students received instruction in environmental management theory and practical environmental monitoring skills following the occupationally certified program. He said the students also went on field trips to learn sampling methods. "Formal instruction was provided by two instructors, including Inuk biologist Cheryl Tupik Wray," said Tookoome. "Elder Leo Subgut also provided the students with Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit about many of the topics that were talked about in the classroom. "Leo was especially important in helping the students design their research projects, which they completed as part of the program, while Tony Manernaluk and Helen Iguptak were elder resources with the students' research projects." Beardsall, 21, said he enjoyed the course, even though he covered most of the material while in college taking environmental technology. He said he took the course to help in his search for job opportunities. "I'd covered most of it before, but I still found the course good," said Beardsall. "It was about a month long, and we did a lot of field work in addition to our time in the classroom. "Much of what we did in the field was pretty basic, but everyone learned the basics of what they need to know for monitoring." Beardsall said he'd rather be a conservation officer, given a choice, but he's focused on landing a job and doesn't mind environmental monitoring work. He said between college and the monitoring course, he feels prepared should he get a call for work. "I'd like to get a job with Areva Resources. "What they do looks pretty interesting, and I wouldn't mind checking out Areva's mine in northern Saskatchewan." Beardsall said environmental monitoring isn't being taken as seriously now as it will be in the future. He said monitoring is important for mining operations to run safely in Nunavut. "Right now a lot of people are just looking at it as a job, but Nunavut's still trying to learn the western science kind of way of doing things. "But, we're going to have so much mining in Nunavut in the future, we're going to need people doing a good job at environmental monitoring to keep it safe."
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