NUNAVUT
Inuit employees of Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation (BIMC) in the High Arctic now have an elder on hand to offer counselling and guidance, thanks to a stipulation in an agreement signed last summer between the company and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association.

Inuit employees working at the Baffinland mine site near Pond Inlet now have an Inuk elder to offer guidance and support. A clause in the Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement, being signed by Qikiqtani Inuit Association president Okalik Eegeesiak, right, and Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation president and CEO Tom Paddon on Sept. 6, 2013, specifies the need for an Inuk elder to be on site at all times. - NNSL file photo

A clause in the Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement, in regard to the Mary River project, states the need for an Inuk elder to be on site at all times.

"BIMC will provide Inuit employees with access to counselling and support services to assist them with career development as well as personal problems," the agreement states.

"Whenever possible the counsellors will be Inuit. Inuit elders will be hired to act as counsellors to Inuit employees and will live on-site at all times."

An elder from Iglulik already began his two weeks on, two weeks off rotational shift in early April.

The elder's roles include helping implement the IIBA, providing counselling and guidance to non-Inuit about cultural differences, developing cross-cultural activities at the site and producing weekly reports for a supervisor.

Greg Missal, vice-president of corporate affairs at Baffinland, said it's a unique position that may not exist anywhere else in the country.

He said it's a progressive approach to helping make the workforce as comfortable as possible.

"I think it's important to have someone at the site who isn't necessarily a manager, someone the Inuit employees can speak to openly. It's not easy for everyone to be away from their families and children, sometimes for the first time. It's an opportunity to have someone from North Baffin who is respected and who can assist with certain challenges that may arise."

When it comes to qualifications, there is no specific age requirement for the position but the perfect candidate is expected to be an upstanding citizen, bilingual and seen as a role model in their community.

Missal said early reports have been very positive. As always, there is an adaptation period that comes with the new position, as with any new job.

"This is a new role and at the moment we only have one of the two positions filled, so we've asked him to split his time between the Milne Inlet and Mary River sites," he said.

The concept of having an Inuk elder on site had been floating around for a few years, he added, and was mentioned during the course of various community meetings in the High Arctic.

The numerous benefits of having an elder on site have also been documented elsewhere.

In January, Pauktuutit - a non-profit organization representing Inuit women in Canada - published a lengthy report on the impact of the Meadowbank open-pit gold mine on Inuit women and families living in nearby Baker Lake.

In their report, they suggested having an elder on-site "for support, counselling and cultural continuity purposes."

"An elder should be present at the mine as a counsellor and adviser for Inuit mine employees who wish to communicate their feelings and insights about their experiences working at the mine," they stated.

"On-site, Inuit need an elder to go to for advice and counselling, more cultural programming, access to country food and family-oriented ways of doing things. Consulting Inuit mine employees and recognizing and taking these needs seriously shows an appreciation for people's self-determination - people understand and know what will work best for them, and can make their own choices in deciding what best supports their well-being in the workplace."

Baffinland is in the process of hiring the second elder for the site, Missal said.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.