KIVALLIQ
Members of the Kivalliq Chamber of Commerce (KCC) met to revitalize the chamber at its annual general meeting (AGM) at the Meadowbank mine near Baker Lake earlier this month.

Ryan St. John of Arviat, left, and Hamish Tatty of Rankin Inlet check out the vault pit during the Kivalliq Chamber of Commerce's tour of the Meadowbank gold mine near Baker Lake earlier this month. - photo courtesy of John Main

The members were given a tour of the Agnico Eagle gold mine before getting down to business on June 14.

Arviat's John Main (president) and Ryan St. John (first vice-president) were voted into two-year terms, as was Hamish Tatty of Rankin Inlet (second vice-president).

The board is rounded-out by lifetime member Ellie Cansfield of Rankin Inlet and secretary-treasurer Karen Yip of Baker Lake.

Main said he was pleased with how the AGM went for the chamber.

He said the KCC did well for many years before its recent doldrums.

"The chamber started in the 1970s as the Keewatin Chamber of Commerce and, during the past few years, it kind of fell off the radar," said Main.

"The tone of the meeting was quite positive and, being held at the mine, it was also interesting and unique.

"Agnico Eagle was kind enough to host us at the mine site, and being at an operating mine put people in a positive frame of mind.

"People left interested and engaged, so that's a good start going forward."

Main said the chamber's outgoing interim president, Glenn McLean, brought the members up to speed with a good update on the KCC's recent activity.

Main said McLean is a strong supporter of resource development, but also sees the need for a balanced economy in the region.

"Glenn told the AGM the Kivalliq needs to develop all sectors going forward.

"The KCC passed a resolution to look into the trades-education system in Nunavut.

"We're going to create a subcommittee to look at the territory's apprenticeship system because, hearing from the businesses around the table, it's just not working.

"Hopefully, we can bring something positive and constructive to that area."

Main said the KCC heard it's much too difficult to register apprentices and log their hours.

He said another problem is, if, for example, an apprentice has to switch employers halfway through his or her apprenticeship, there's all sorts of different road blocks put in the way.

"You have all these private employers really having to pour a lot of time and energy into just getting their apprentices registered.

"It doesn't seem to be a very good system, based on what people who deal with it were saying.

"It can definitely be improved upon.

"There are a number of people actively involved in looking at the trades-education system now, and the chamber wants to be part of the solution to make things better."

The Nunavummi Nangminiqaqtunik Ikajuuti (NNI policy) 2.0 comes into effect on April 1, 2017.

The original NNI policy was developed by the Government of Nunavut (GN) in close consultation with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. to create good value and competition, help strengthen the Nunavut economy, bring about a level of Inuit participation in the provision of goods and services to the GN that reflect the Inuit proportion of the Nunavut population, and increase the number of trained and skilled Nunavut residents in all parts of the workplace and business community.

Main said the KCC intends to look at the new 2.0 NNI policy in detail.

He said the chamber wants to anticipate the effects, both positive and negative, the policy could have on Kivalliq businesses.

"We want to look ahead, not let it land on April 1 and deal with surprise, surprise.

"Basically, we want to understand it better in terms of how it will affect our private companies here in the region.

"We have a good executive in place, and we have good support from former executive members like Glenn (McLean), and it's good to have that experience to draw upon.

"There hasn't been a lot of chamber activity during the past few years, so it will be interesting to see what we can accomplish during the next two years."

Main said a lot can be accomplished in a two-year period, and there's a lot that needs working on in the region.

He said, in his personal opinion, the Kivalliq's private business owners need to be celebrated more.

"We have strong entrepreneurs employing people and creating wealth in the region.

"We need to support these people more, as well as working to develop the entrepreneurs of the future.

"The KCC doesn't exist in isolation, in a vacuum.

"The KCC exists to serve the needs of its members, who are business owners in the region, so what they want us to be is an important question in further defining our role as we move forward."

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