Ookpik Blog

Dialogue Towards a University in Canda's Far North

2010-03-16T16:26:00Z

Here is a letter from the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation, presenting a report on having a university in Canada's Arctic. You can view the report here.

We are pleased to provide you with the report Dialogue Towards a University in Canada's Far North, an environmental scan commissioned by the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation. This document provides some initial context for a pan-northern/national conversation regarding the future of advanced post-secondary education for (and by) northerners, exploring in particular the idea of a university in Canada's far north.

The report, as well as the dialogue to flow from it, was initiated by the Foundation with the goal of helping catalyze discussion and more focused action around such an initiative. It identifies a spectrum of key stakeholders, provides an overview of organizations and programs working on various advanced post-secondary initiatives and visions in the far north (mainly within Canada, but drawing on examples from elsewhere in the circumpolar world), and summarizes the perspectives of thirty key informants on such issues as the rationale and demand for a university in the far north, its potential structure and governance, success factors and financing/sustainability questions.While it begins to probe some of these elements, please note that this is not intended as a feasibility study.

The document recommends next steps in this process, focusing on how, where and with whom a dialogue should be structured. The key lesson: While the Foundation's role is welcome as a catalyst and neutral convener, the vision of a university in the far north must be created and driven by northerners themselves, respecting and responding to unique cultural and regional contexts. Anything less would risk replicating colonial approaches.

To this end, the Gordon Foundation will convene a steering committee of Northerners to determine next steps for a dialogue. Please contact us at info@gordonfn.org if you would like to be kept abreast of next steps or if you are interested in participating in a dialogue on this issue.

We welcome and encourage your feedback on this report as well as your thoughts on the broader notion of a university in Canada's far north. For those who would like to share their comments more broadly, we will post them on our website with your permission.

Exciting opportunies to participate in the Students on Ice Arctic Expedition 2010

2010-03-09T10:51:00Z

Students on Ice is proud to offer several fully funded scholarships for our upcoming Arctic Youth Expedition from August 4-20, 2010!

This expedition represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for youth to expand their knowledge about the circumpolar world, and to gain a global perspective of the Arctic, its wonders, and its present and future challenges. Students on Ice offers unique educational expeditions to the Antarctic and the Arctic. Their mandate is to provide students, educators and scientists from around the world with inspiring educational opportunities at the ends of the Earth and, in doing so, help them foster a new understanding and respect for the planet.

Scholarships are available for youth, currently studying in high school who are between the ages of 14-18. Application deadlines are April 15^th (Canadian Students) and April 23^rd (Norwegian Students).

Please visit the following link for more information and application forms: Here.

If you are not eligible for these scholarships, but are interested in joining us as a student or chaperone, please contact the Participant Coordinator, Niki Trudeau: apply@studentsonice.com

Quebec Innu declare war on development

2010-03-04T15:28:00Z

From the National Post:

By Marianne White

Published: Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Innu from five Quebec communities said yesterday they are willing to block every development project in northern Quebec and Labrador until all of their ancestral rights, including the caribou hunt, are recognized.

"It's a war that is getting underway," said Real McKenzie, chief of Matimekush-Lac-John, on the behalf of the Innu Strategic Alliance, representing 12,000 Innu. "We are ready to fight."

Last week, some 150 Quebec Innu went on a caribou hunting trip in Labrador to protest a deal that gives Labrador Innu hunting rights and compensation for the hydroelectric development of the lower Churchill River.

Ottawa is set to sign the deal in the coming weeks and the Quebec Innu want to prevent that from happening because the treaty would end their rights in Labrador.

Chief McKenzie said the Quebec Innu have exhausted diplomatic avenues and are stepping up their actions to get their message across.

He said that could include blocking natural resources projects such as Labrador's Lower Churchill project and two mining projects in Schefferville, Que.

"Our people will rise up. If we need to use barricades, we'll use them," Chief McKenzie said, adding the Innu are also preparing legal proceedings against the federal government to block the deal with the Labrador Innu.

The Innu Alliance also told reporters in Quebec City yesterday they're still reeling from what they said was the "avoidable" death of one of their own late last year.

Innu hunters said they were taking their ill friend to a Churchill Falls, N.L., hospital last November when they were stopped by Newfoundland conservation officers.

The Innu claim they were stopped for three hours and that despite their calls for help and the hunter's condition, provincial officers refused to request a helicopter to take him to the hospital. When Innu hunter Jean-Marc Bellefleur reached the Churchill Falls hospital he was transferred to Goose Bay, N.L., in critical condition and eventually to St. John's, where he was pronounced dead.

"This is very serious. It's almost murder," said George Bacon, chief of the Unamen Shipu community. "Had the officers requested the helicopter nearby, Mr. Bellefleur would still be alive today."

Chief Bacon has called for a public inquiry into Mr. Bellefleur's death and said the Innu are preparing legal actions against the conservation officers.

The Innu didn't explain why they didn't raise the hunter's death earlier.

The Newfoundland government was not available to comment yesterday.

Newfoundland and Labrador criticized the Quebec Innu for hunting caribou last week in a protected area that is home to an endangered herd. The Quebec Innu dispute that claim.

"For us, it's all the same woodland caribou and it's not endangered," said Chief Bacon.

He said the 150 hunters have killed 250 caribous that will feed Innu families.

The Innu do not recognize the border between Quebec and Labrador and stress it is their right to keep hunting where they always have.

Newfoundland and Labrador Justice Minister Felix Collins has said charges could be laid against the hunters if evidence of illegal activities is gathered.

Canada's Arctic Colonies?

2010-02-13T14:53:00Z

From the Globe & Mail:

Doug Saunders, Published on Friday, Feb. 12, 2010

[H]ere above the Arctic Circle in the bracing cold, the talk in bars and saunas is entirely devoted to events in balmy Vancouver.

Yes, Laplanders tell me over reindeer-meat lunches, they've made elaborate plans to stay up all night to watch the opening ceremonies of the Winter Games, and to see how NHL stars Miikka Kiprusoff and Sami Salo fare with the Finnish Olympic hockey team.

But they're even more excited about the prospects of cross-country skiers Aino-Kaisa Saarinen and Virpi Kuitunen, household names who make the front pages in non-Olympic years, and ski jumper Janne Ahonen, who is probably Finland's best-known and most-respected sports figure.

People here don't suddenly rediscover obscure events such as luge and biathlon every four years: Those activities, like all things Arctic and northern, are intimate parts of daily life, as they are for Norwegians, Swedes and Russians.

Canadians are somewhat surprised every few years to find themselves included in a tightly knit Nordic community that commands little attention the rest of the time.

We are trying, in a spate of public seal-munching, inukshuk -displaying and maritime missions into our thawing northern passages, to look more northern. The people who actually make their lives in the Far North are not yet convinced, although our new commitment to our polar parts is certainly welcomed.

Last year, the Harper government launched its Northern Strategy, a bold package of military and development measures, along with cultural and communications initiatives, to build Canada's legal and public identity as a “northern power.” It reversed a century of efforts to convince the world that the dog-sledding, ice-fishing image of Canada is a myth.

It also offers the promise of doing something, finally, to improve the living conditions and economic opportunities of the Inuit, and perhaps to bring an end to their land-claim odyssey. And the dreadful infrastructure of our tiny settlements may finally get an upgrade.

We played a key role in founding, in 1996, the Arctic Council, a surprisingly successful intergovernmental body that has managed to resolve, by unanimous agreement, all but the most petty of the territorial disagreements between the eight countries with land above the Arctic Circle. Talk of a “war for the North” is purely political hyperbole.

But our approach has become less co-operative, and the countries that reside in the Arctic are being rubbed the wrong way. In March, the five states that border the Arctic Ocean – Canada, Norway, the U.S., Russia and Denmark – will gather in Gatineau to divide up the undersea resources. The meeting will exclude the Arctic Council and the Inuit.

“Feelings in Finland are confused,” says Markku Heikkilä, a well-known Arctic author and official at the University of Lapland. “This will literally ruin the Arctic Council.” Canada's policies appear, to the more collegial Nordic states, to be devoted singularly to domestic energy.

We own the Arctic but, unlike most of our northern neighbours, we are not Arctic. Rovaniemi is a serious city of 60,000 people, with a major university, a large airport and important ties to the mainstream of Finnish life. Like the Arctic cities of Tromso, Norway (60,000) and Murmansk, Russia (325,000), it's a major centre of business, learning and tourism.

So when Canada tried to impress the world's finance ministers and media with its Arctic identity by holding a summit in Iqaluit, a remote and somewhat inaccessible town of 7,000 just below the Arctic Circle in Nunavut, it didn't completely work. “It looked like the Canadians had just arrived there – they didn't seem to know the place any better than we did,” one European official told me.

What those leaders realized, and what Canadians instinctively know, is that we relate to the Arctic not as a part of our identity or culture or traditional economy, but as a foreign, faraway land we happen to control. The Far North is, in short, our colony.

Our relationship to the Arctic is much more like that of the Danes, an Arctic people by merit of owning Greenland – an Inuit-majority place that was granted economic autonomy last year. We can get to New Delhi from Ottawa or Toronto more easily, and do so more often, than to Iqaluit.

The discovery of northern resource wealth, and the fear that others may lay claim to it, has suddenly turned us into the better sort of colonial masters: We're spending some money, and caring about the people there.

But our commitment to the North does look a lot like our commitment to the two-man luge: When it matters to us, we pay attention. We own it, but it isn't us.

Arctic Indigenous Organizations Not Invited to Arctic Leaders Summit

2010-02-12T10:13:00Z

From cbc.ca:

Arctic indigenous groups are criticizing Canada's decision to leave them out of an upcoming meeting of Arctic nations in Quebec next month.

Federal Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon recently announced that he will host a meeting of foreign ministers from the Arctic Ocean coastal countries of Norway, Russia, Denmark (which includes Greenland) and the United States on March 29 in Chelsea, Que.

The Arctic leaders will discuss ways to pursue responsible economic development in the North, Cannon said in a release.

"I think it's vitally important that Arctic indigenous voices are heard at this meeting [and] that our participation is taken into consideration," Cindy Dickson, executive director of the Arctic Athabaskan Council, told CBC News.

The five coastal nations border on the Arctic Ocean, and leaders from each country are trying to extend their sovereign claims over a larger area of the Arctic seabed, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Discussions about Arctic issues are usually held at the Arctic Council, which has representatives from governments and northern indigenous groups.

But officials from the five countries have started meeting independently of the Arctic Council, first in Ilulissat, Greenland, in 2008, and now in Quebec next month.

"It's our concern that we see some of the states involved in the Arctic Council now … move the discussions out of the Arctic Council and to create kind of separate bodies," said Gunn Britt Retter of the Saami Council in Norway.

In announcing the upcoming meeting, Cannon said it will reinforce "ongoing collaboration in the region, including in the Arctic Council."

But Dickson said she is especially displeased that indigenous groups are not being invited to a meeting where northern economic development will be discussed.

Both the Arctic Athabaskan Council and the Inuit Circumpolar Council plan to lobby the federal government to include them in next month's summit.

Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada president Duane Smith told CBC News that his organization has contacted various government officials, and plans to correspond with Cannon shortly.

The Arctic meeting will take place right before Cannon hosts the G8 foreign ministers' meeting in Gatineau, Que., on March 29 and 30.

A Forever Pessimistic Optimist

2010-02-09T12:30:00Z

On a not so CliC note. The past few weeks have been jammed packed. The 18^th to the 24^th was the Tromsø International Film Festival, and it was amazing. When discussing with a friend how many movies I should buy in a pass, the thought of watching ten movies in a week was a little overwhelming – five, five will be enough. Not so much. As soon as I got the catalog of movies I had picked my five and wished I had more, but its always good to show a little self control sometimes so I kept it to five. My movie selection was a fairly dark repertoire, and I think last week and this week I have only finally gotten over being spooked and no longer check under my bed for infected zombie humans or cannibals. A couple times walking home alone after midnight after seeing a scary movie I really doubted my intelligence. Two movies that I would recommend are “The Road” and “Pontypool”. “The Road” is a post apocalyptic movie about a father and son surviving through horrific conditions. It is an amazing movie, but is very difficult to watch and not for the faint of heart. “Pontypool” is definitely a new take on the zombie thriller with a touch of comedy and intellect – I still don’t quite “get it”.

The week after that was Arctic Frontiers held at the University of Tromsø. I was a volunteer for the technical support group for a few days and got to see some of the background chaos of conferences. The majority of my volunteering time was spent doing two awkward jobs of telling people when their time was running out and getting a microphone to people who had questions after talks. For the Science section of the conference there was six parallel session going at once for two of the days if I remember correctly. The session that I volunteered for and sat in on was two of the marine biodiversity days - all very interesting talks. The amazing bonus of volunteering for the conference was the being able to attend the social events in the evening throughout the week. Amazing dinners, solar system and outer space inspired movies, and a photo exhibit. Amazing food! Anyone who knows me knows how much I love food and that the way to my heart is through my stomach. Its amazing though the things you discover about yourself when put in the situation to socialize with so many different people from all walks of life. I was maintaining conversations with an ambassador and business executives. Social events at conferences are key – and you learn a lot about your confidence and capabilities during them. And boy did it feel amazing when someone asked me about my CANADIAN accent – your in my good books after that.

Then the past week I spent in Jokkmokk, Sweden, with my fellow CliC interns. Tromsø hadn’t any snow by then, so driving into Sweden and staying in a city with piles of snow just reminded me of home and did amazing things for my spirit. There was an historical market for a few days which was amazing to experience, and I definitely fell in love with a beautiful pair of skis – although my bank account could not possibly afford them. The Winter Conference was nice to be a part of, and I was able to learn more about the Sami culture. I am both a pessimist and an optimist at times, and so when talking about COP 15 and “Solutions” for Climate Change I often have mixed feelings. In my own opinion, which is neither right nor wrong, I have never liked the phrase “solutions for climate change”. To the extent that I understand it, I do not think that climate change is something that we can solve, but more something that we will adapt to. We will or will not make changes to match the changing climate. We cannot undo it, but perhaps learn to live with it. Humans have caused problems, and now there are consequences, and we panic to make changes. The more pessimist side of me knows that the world will move on without us (if that should be the case) – the Earth has been going/living long (long does not quite express this true extent of time) before humans. But the optimist in me still believes that one person can make a change. The changes you make in your home and, when I think of my young cousins, what you can teach children does matter. When I am at home and my dad is bagging the recycling and getting ready to bring it into town, every time he mumbles “Will this milk jug save the world…I doubt it.” Making him glad about recycling is like pulling teeth, but he still does it and it makes me smile every time.

Small CliC Update

2010-02-09T10:34:00Z

Right now both the Director and Coordinator are away participating in CliC’s 6^th Scientific Steering Group meeting, taking place in Valdivia, Chile. The weeks leading up were a little hectic with having to arrange logistics for the venue and accommodations as well as coordinating arrangements with a Glaciology conference that was taking place before hand. But it was really interesting to get a glimpse of all the work and effort that has to go into arranging meetings of this magnitude – especially when they are on the other side of the world. We worked on finishing the Arctic Sea-Ice Workshop Report so that it could be “showcased” during the SSG. That was really fun because it was a report that I had been working on since I first arrived, and being able to see it in its nearly completed state was pretty rewarding. I definitely have a new outlook on all the tiny fixer uppers that happen throughout the process though. Often I would have the “Ah HA, yes I’ve done it” moments and then receive one or two comments about capitals in a spot where they shouldn’t be or consistency errors, and you realize that you have read the document over so many times if there are errors you are not going to find them – you need fresh eyes. I also helped format a report from China-CliC and design a poster for the Director to present at the Glaciology Conference.

While I did not get to go to Chile, I did go to Jokkmokk, Sweden for the Winter Conference, Winter Market, as well as, my internship debriefing. Speaking about coordinating conferences/meetings on the other side of the world – kudos to Napatsi! I was confused when planning the logistics to get to Sweden and she had even more on her plate and having to coordinate travel for four others.

Nasivvik Summer Student Research Awards 2010 (Undergraduate level)

2010-01-25T13:57:00Z

Description
The Nasivvik Centre for Inuit Health and Changing Environments is a multidisciplinary research and training centre funded by the Institute of Aboriginal Peoples Health (IAPH), one of the 13 institutes of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The Nasivvik Centre is focused on building capacity in Inuit health research through trainee support, and promoting research in specific areas of Inuit environmental healthThe three (3) theme areas, as they pertain to community responses to environmental change, and in particular issues related to Inuit health and well-being are:

Food
Water
Natural/traditional medicines and remedies .

For more information click here

IPY Oslo Science Conference: Call for Abstracts!

2010-01-22T13:46:00Z

The IPY Oslo Science Conference will be the largest polar science event to date! Twice as large as the last, and up to then largest, global polar science meeting in terms of submissions. It will demonstrate, strengthen, and extend the International Polar Year’s accomplishments in science and outreach. The conference is an essential opportunity to display and explore the full breadth and implications of IPY activities. The international and interdisciplinary science conference will in particular highlight the global impact of the changes that have been observed in the Polar Regions.

The IPY-OSC steering committee received more than 2200 abstracts from 58 countries on deadline, however, as a courtesy to some partners, in particular Antarctic scientists returning from the field, the committee has decided to slightly extend the deadline until January 25, 2010.

Submit your abstract now!

PLEASE NOTE: PolarTEACHERS can still apply, and PolarCINEMA receives entries until 15th of February.

Over 100 conveners are being brought together to review the submitted abstracts, which are categorized into 6 overarching conference themes including:

Theme 1. Linkages between Polar Regions and global systems
Theme 2. Past, present and future changes in Polar Regions
Theme 3. Polar ecosystems and biodiversity
Theme 4. Human dimensions of change: Health, society and resources
Theme 5. New frontiers, data practices and directions in polar research
Theme 6. Polar science education, outreach and communication

Limited travel support is available for researchers through the International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks. Priority will be given to young researchers and educators. These travel grants are available for US researchers, teachers and foreign scientists working at US institutions.

More information can be found here.

The International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) also provide travel grants for early career scientists to attend the IPY Oslo Science Conference. A special committee appointed by the conference organizers will coordinate the selection procedure.

Further announcements regarding the stipend and travel support for early career scientists and an overview of conference activities especially focused on early career scientists can be found on the APECS website.

Do you really mean what you say?

2010-01-21T16:25:00Z

I've been thinking lately about language and messages. Listening to talks about the recent COP 15 meetings in Copenhagen, and listening to political promises on the news, and thinking that all this talk is the same as it always has been. Fluff. Promises that don't mean anything, and watching my fellow citizens become more and more cynical around me (me along with them). I also notice a lot of meaning being lost in jargon, Government jargon, NGO jargon, corporate jargon. I've sat through a lot of conference calls over the last six years, and I'm not sorry to admit that for the first few months of them, I had no idea what anybody was talking about. Then I picked up on the jargon. I figured out the 5000 different words these analysts use for "discussion paper" and I was good. Bored, but good. Language is like an outfit, you pick what you wear to make an impression on people. And some people are all flash.

This got me thinking about meaning, what do people really mean when they speak. I've always been a pretty honest person, in the sense that I grew up in a family where open-mindedness was encouraged, and I was comfortable being my weird self at home. Nobody bothered me if I was belting out the words to the My Girl soundtrack and I didn't bother them about their weird stuff. We accepted each other. Sure I've told a few lies here and there, but what I've noticed looking back on it, was that when I lied, it was to fit in, it was to get that weird look off everyone's faces. So why do we lie? For approval? To look more appealing in the eyes of others?

Bear with me for a minute here, because I've been thinking about this for a long time. And there were two significant moments that made me REALLY think about it. The first was last year, I was on an airplane going to Iqaluit, and I had the window seat. An old Inuk was sitting in his aisle seat already and he got up to let me in. I said, "sorry!" and he looked at me very sternly and said, "don't say sorry. That's not a real reason to be sorry. All you young people and qallunaqs say sorry for everything. It makes the word mean nothing. Don't say sorry unless you really have something to be sorry about." I was shocked. It was so true, and he wasn't mad at me or judging me, he was just giving me advice. We had a pleasant conversation after that, but that first comment really stuck with me. Was I really sorry for having to sit down? No. The second moment, was while visiting my brother in Ottawa, we were arguing. I won't get into details, but I said something that offended him. He was really upset and I was getting mad because he knew I didn't mean to hurt his feelings. He KNEW I didn't mean what I said, and that I just used the wrong phrase. But he wouldn't let it go. And then after another frustrated "Mosha I didn't MEAN it!" he looked at me and said "that's the problem Nap, if you didn't mean it then why did you say it? People say things they don't mean all the time. Without thinking that there might be consequences." He won the argument. Again.

These two situations were really significant to me. I started to watch what I was saying, I started to listen to what people say and do everyday. And it was appalling. I know that you shouldn't take everything literally, and as a big fan of hyperbole, I often exaggerate, but language has become so casual, so careless and shallow. I'm writing this in the hopes that you, the reader, will start to check your own language and meaning. How many fights start because you said something without meaning it? Most of them probably. Because when you say something, even if you don't mean it, there is always that little seed of doubt, forever looming in the back of someones head. "If they didn't mean it, why did they say it?"

Greetings are another example of mixed messaging, count how many times you say or have said to you "How are you?" as a greeting in a day. Then count how many times the person asking doesn't even wait for your response. How many times is your response "fine, how are you?" Are you fine? I don't know about you but I am almost never just fine. My emotional range is a little more sophisticated then "fine," and hopefully so is everyone elses. I have started to make a point of saying "hello" or "good morning" if I don't have time to chat. Little things like that. And maybe you think I'm being anal about grammar or something, but it's bigger then that. It's about thinking before you speak. Not enough people do that anymore. Honesty is important, but so is sensitivity to the people around you. This fast paced world allows for us to react to everything so quickly. Maybe we should hold on to our reactions once in a while. And get ready for a lame sounding, Hallmarkesk statement, but I can't think of an original, eloquent way to say it, maybe if we think about what we are saying more and actually listen to the people around us, we will get to know ourselves a little better.

I'm off to say "good morning" to my co-workers....

By all means comment and let me know your thoughts! (I think you need to join the site to comment... ;)

Native identity from an Inuk’s perspective

2010-01-21T14:39:00Z

One day, I was asked what makes you Native? Is it in your blood? Is it because you speak your own language? Is it because you identify with a particular group? What makes you Native?

I really had to think about this. And so I did.

I realize that being Native in Canada means a lot of different things, depending on who you talk to. It could mean that you are one of the founding peoples of Canada, it could mean that you have a beautiful and rich culture and language, it could mean that you are respected under the British North American Act of 1867.

To me I think that being Native has become more political than anything. The introduction of the Indian Act in 1876 was used to assimilate Indians’ onto reserves and into the dominant form of governance. This has had a lasting effect on the First Nations’ in Canada, but the Inuit were not targeted in the Indian Act until the introduction of an amendment to the Indian Act that made it mandatory for all Native children to attend Residential School’s in 1884. So, being Native throughout the past century meant that you were largely influenced by the decisions that were made by the federal government of Canada and also the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. I could continue to write about how these decisions have influenced many Native people in Canada, but I would like to emphasize something I think is more important than politics.

Being Native for me does not mean that I am accepted into a certain category of people that is determined by bureaucrats, but rather I identify with a group of people who speak the same language, follow the same customs and understand the history of our ancestry. I would like to call these aspects of being Native the cultural aspects. The political aspects of being Native include those that are determined through administrative bureaucracy, the paper part of being Native.

So, now when I am asked what makes you Native? I just say do you mean politically or culturally? There are two different parts to take into consideration when I am asked about my identity.

What do you think makes a Native Canadian a Native Canadian?

Elizabeth Zarpa

IPY International Eary Career Researcher Symposium

2010-01-08T15:45:00Z

I’ve been owing a blog entry for a while now. However, this one won’t be on working at CliC. At the beginning of December I was able to attend the IPY International Early Career Researcher Symposium in Victoria, BC. My attendance was only made possible through the work and support of my supervisors here at CliC who completely funded my travel to and from the conference. On a side note – this helped me get to Canada and made it possible for me to spend the holidays with my family and friends…Christmas miracle, I think so.

This was the first conference that I have attended, hopefully not my last, and it was an amazing experience. I walked into the Icebreaker feeling pretty nervous. Some people might agree with me when I say looking at a room or two crowded with people, knowing you have to go in there, makes my stomach a little uneasy. But something that my internship and time in Norway has taught me is that I am more capable than I’ve ever given myself credit. I have definitely had those ”Dang, my parents WERE right” moments. I walked in and just started talking. I think my sister once told me - Worst case scenario, go the food table, food is always your friend. And your likely to find someone as equally nervous as you… or just a really hungry person.

At the Icebreaker, Chris Olex was there to challenge us with a few activities to move around and mingle. One of which was group yourself with people who have the same years of education! Me, I was at four (my four year undergrad), thinking for sure I was the only one, but luckily another gent showed up with the same number although a masters under his belt. Another exercise was using the room as a map and to stand were your home is or where you come from. This was pretty hilarious and difficult. By the end there were some miraculous continental shifts having happened.

The real work started the next day with some small presentations from organizers and funders. I was actually asked to speak on behalf of CliC at this time, and I think it went quite well. There was also another workshop with Chris Olex dealing with personality types and preferences which I thought was fascinating. Before going to the conference we were all asked to fill out a survey (which you can do here…http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp) and then Chris talked about the results and explained how it all worked and what it all meant. If you get the chance, check it out, and if you are ever organizing a conference or workshop I would definitely recommend Chris. She was amazing! The afternoon was filled with participants doing five minute presentations on their research.

The next few days were filled with various workshops. Some with the entire group and others a little smaller. The two sessions I had selected beforehand were How to get started in Science and Funding your ideas and I am pretty happy with my choices. There were many other presentations, but I think my favorite and the one I took the most from was by Dave Carlson (IPY IPO) who gave Communications 101: Giving your best presentation. Dave Carlson was a mentor at the symposium and was present throughout the entire time welcoming questions and offering advice.

During the symposium and looking back on it, I took what I could for this time in my life. I have not yet started a masters, and I cannot say with 100% certainty that that is where my next steps will take me. So even if at times during that symposium I could not relate to the information given to me, (e.g., comments for funding millions of dollars or balancing children and work) I knew that in the future it might. I would also remember that the other participants around me relate to vary degrees. The organizers gave us the opportunity to absorb buckets of information that we can use it now or in the future, and in the very least encourage thought and conversation. I am trying not to say too much about my opinion of the sessions because I think its important for people to make up their own minds. Things that may stand out to me might not to you. All of the presentations at the symposium were tapped and/or video recorded, and will be on the APECS website soon. I have been checking, and I have not seen anything yet but I will post a link as soon as I find it. And yes, “find”, sometimes my internet skills fail me. When it is available, I heard excellent reviews about the Community-Based Research session.

One might say, well if everything is on the internet what was the benefit of going? Its about meeting the people. I spoke with so many interesting people and heard so many stories of polar adventures. It was the perfect opportunity to be inspired. To put faces to names. And put yourself out there.

If you are a young or early career researcher I would definitely recommend you become a member of APECS (http://apecs.is/). Its an amazing organization built on the shoulders of people scattered around the world.

National Native Organizations brief introduction

2010-01-06T14:32:00Z

Canada has a large Native population. Largely Native’s are known as the Aboriginal people of Canada. Many do not understand that Aboriginal is not one homogeneous group, but rather consists of a diverse group of different peoples. Generally there are three and they are Inuit, Métis and First Nations. Each has their own national organization that represents their constituency at the federal level. Examples include the Assembly of First Nations, Métis National Council, Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK).

Recently the organization that represents Inuit, ITK launched their ‘2010 year of the Inuit’ campaign. The campaign gained a better understanding of how to structure its content from a Ipsos Reid North poll done in November 2009 the outcome produced results that are as follows “One in Three (31%) Canadians Score a ‘D’ (18%) or Fail (13%) a simple True or False Quiz About Canada’s Arctic. Just 16% pass with flying colours (grade of A)the national average is 12.7 out of 20 questions correct, Totalling 64% Average (Grade of C) Also 65% said they have a fondness for the Arctic” (http://www.itk.ca/north-poll-results) other highlights included…

Ø 74% said they would like to learn more about the Inuit way of life

Ø 81% know that climate change is affecting Inuit more so than the rest of Canadians

Ø 75% do not know that Inuit pay taxes

Ø 63% do not know Inuit are not First Nations” (http://www.itk.ca/north-poll-results)

As 2010 continues there will continue to be information updated on the current ‘2010 year of the Inuit’ website www.inuit2010.ca or to follow up on information about other national Native organizations you can go to:

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) www.itk.ca

Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada www.pauktuutit.ca

Assembly of First Nations www.afn.ca

Métis National Countil www.metisnation.ca

Government priorities could be education, but...

2010-01-06T12:37:00Z

The Nordic model of governance used by the Nordic countries of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Denmark emphasize the importance of taking responsibility of post secondary education for its citizens. This type of governance system promotes and funds students who are interested in obtaining a higher education through university or college. Coming from Canada I have realized that this is very effective in creating an atmosphere where education is not a privilege for a certain group of people, but it is just a part of life.

In Canada students who are interested in pursuing a post secondary education have to work part time while in school, spend family’s savings or get a loan from the bank. What ever route they choose to take in funding their education they are responsible for paying thousands in tuition.

Also in Canada there are different levels of governments that are responsible for different things and examples include the federal, provincial, municipal and land claims governments/self governments. The land claims governments like the Nunavut, Nunatsiavut, Nunavik and Inuvialuit called the Inuit Nunangat (where Inuit live) have a set of priorities that are different than other levels of government in Canada. Education is a priority for land claim governments and therefore beneficiaries from Inuit Nunangat have the opportunity to pursue their studies at a post secondary education institution and it’s paid for.

Like the Finnish, Inuit in Canada are not burdened finically when it comes to seeking a higher education. But, on the other hand citizens that are Canadian and do not belong to a land claims government have to pay for their tuition and therefore are burdened by their finances.

I have realized that those who do not get their post secondary education paid for could fall under the impression that Inuit are privileged because their education is paid for. And unfortunately, individuals who identify as Inuit beneficiaries sometimes have to face discrimination based on the fact that they do not have to pay for their university or college tuition. In situations like this it is important to outline that Inuit do not receive ‘special status’ from the government. Rather the land claims government that represents them and their needs understand the importance of funding post secondary education. It is not a case built on privilege, but a case built on a different set of government priorities.

The provincial, municipal or federal governments could follow the Nordic model or the land claim government’s model and fund post secondary education. Why they choose not to, I am still in question about this one………..

COP 15 - Amy Thompson

2009-12-14T23:07:00Z

Hi all, my name is Amy Thompson, a Gwich'in participant from Inuvik, NWT. I am one of three Youth Advisors for the Canadian Advisory Committee for the Arctic Council (ACAC) and I represent the Gwich'in Counci International. I arrived in Copenhagen on December 7th for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) COP15 negotiations. My role is to network with youth and others to promote the work of the Arctic Council and the Gwich'in Council International. I accomplish this by meeting youth at presentations, press briefings and other side events at the convention center. I distribute information pamphlets and brochures to anyone interested on the Arctic Council and Youth Matters. I also attend and network at the Arctic World Widlife Foundation (WWF) tent which is located in downtown Copenhagen. This tent is open for the first week of Cop15 and has daily themes. For example, December 8th was Indigenous Peoples Day and included presentations from local leaders and youth performances. There was also a Youth Day and a Arts and Culture Day. During the Youth Day, there were presentations from the Canadian Youth Delegation on their work as well as Students on Ice. I was able to attend the last couple presentations for this day. At the convention center, today is "Young and Future Generations Day" as well so there are many presentations from youth promoting their positions on climate change and related issues. The theme of the day is to give recognition to youth and future generations that demand a fair and ambitious international deal to solve the climate crisis ("Don't leave youth in the cold"). So, my day (so far) has been composed of attending as many of these presenations as possible. Sandi Vincent, one of the other Youth Advisors for the ACAC that represents the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) is scheduled to arrive in Copenhagen this morning and I plan to meet up with her and see how we can network together to accomplish further outreach. Please feel free to blog if you are interested in more updates or more information.