Representing the North
Tusarvik School invited to join Trudeau swearing-in ceremony
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
NAUJAAT
Naujaat's Tusarvik School was one of only five across Canada to be linked via video to the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Nov. 4.
Tusarvik School Grade 6 students Pauline Kopak, Emmanuel Jr. Arnatsiaq and Heather Putulik, front row from the left, anxiously await the arrival of the prime minister during a video link to Justin Trudeau's swearing-in ceremony in Naujaat on Nov. 4. - photo courtesy of Julia MacPherson |
Three 11-year-old Grade 6 students - Emmanual Jr. Arnatsiaq, Pauline Kopak and Heather Putulik - were selected to pose a question to the prime minister following the swearing-in ceremony.
Other schools selected for the event were in Winnipeg, Toronto, Gatineau and Cape Breton's Membertou Elementary in Sydney, N.S.
Tusarvik vice-principal Julia MacPherson said when first informed of the event, she was told there may be a chance to ask up to three questions, depending on the available time.
She said rather than select one student and three questions, they decided to select three students with one question each.
"The way it turned out, Prime Minister Trudeau was running a little late, so Heather (Putulik) got to ask her question," said MacPherson.
"We prepared about 15 questions in total and, from that, we selected three.
"Our principal, Aubrey Bolt, and I decided it would be great if we could include the entire student body, so we set everyone up, from kindergarten to high school, in the gym.
"The students were seated in rows to the back of the gym, and our three selected students were all dressed in traditional clothes for the event."
Tusarvik was the first school called upon to ask a question during the video link.
MacPherson said the students were very excited to take part in the event and the entire student body stayed well-behaved throughout the link.
"Three of the other schools did it in a Grade 6 classroom, and one held it in an auditorium. Because we had almost 400 very excited students in our gym, it was amazing how respectful everyone was wearing their poppies and remaining so, so quiet so they could hear the prime minister's answer to our student question.
"We were told it was meant to be just a student-school activity, but we did invite the members of our district education authority and the RCMP dropped by to see what was going on.
"It was meant to be very personal and it was a great experience."
Putulik asked Trudeau what he knew about Inuit and their culture. She said he gave about a three-minute answer and seemed like a very nice person.
"He said he's been to the North and thinks it's a beautiful place," said Putulik.
"Then he said he very much values Inuit culture and he's taken his family up North. He told us he's participated in community feasts and, in the past, he came to the North with his father, so he shared the same experience twice with his family.
"I was really excited to welcome him, and a little bit nervous getting to talk to him,but he was really nice."
Kopak said she likes Trudeau because he used to be a teacher.
She said if she could have asked her question, she was going to ask Trudeau if he was her teacher, how would he make her class exciting?
"He really seems nice and he has really young kids," said Kopak. "I'm pretty excited he's our new prime minister, and I think he's going to do a really good job.
"It was very exciting to be dressed in an amauti and kimiik while talking to him."
Arnatsiaq said he also thinks Prime Minister Trudeau is going to do a good job.
He said he likes Trudeau because he's so young and he likes the North.
"I was excited to listen to him and I think he'll keep all his promises," said Arnatsiaq.
"It was pretty cool to be the only school in the North to do this, so that's what I found most exciting about it.
"If they had time for my question, I was going to ask if he likes his new job."
MacPherson said the video link was two-way, so Trudeau could see the Tusarvik gathering.
She said it was very important to the students to be dressed in traditional clothing for the video link.
"This was an amazing opportunity for us to be selected as the only school to represent the North.
"And it was quite the honour for Tusarvik to represent Nunavut and Inuit culture. You could tell a lot of people were very excited about that fact.
"We proudly displayed a welcome sign in Inuktitut, the students were very passionate about wearing traditional Inuit clothing and we were very proud to be included in the prime minister's swearing-in ceremony."
