Nunatsiavut President, Johannes Lampe says he’s looking forward to working with new Federal Indigenous Services Minister, Seamus O’Regan, who was appointed to the position yesterday by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

O’Regan, who is also the province’s federal cabinet minister, replaces Jane Philpott, who was appointed as President of Treasury Board.

“As a member from Newfoundland and Labrador, and former resident of Happy Valley- Goose Bay, Minister O’Regan should be well-versed on indigenous issues in our region,” notes President Lampe.

“We welcome the opportunity to open lines of communications with him so that we can continue to advance issues that are of importance to Labrador Inuit.”

At the same time, President Lampe thanked former Minister Philpott for the leadership role she played in trying to improve the lives of Labrador Inuit.

The President added “Minister Philpott took a hands-on approach, was easily accessible and was very proactive on a number of fronts when it came to matters that affected Labrador Inuit. We wish her luck in her new role.”

The Students on Ice is an amazing program and is also an award winning organization that offers unique educational expeditions to the Antarctic and the Arctic.

Their mandate is to educate the world’s youth about the importance of the Polar Regions, support their continued growth and inspire and catalyze initiatives that contribute to global sustainability.

The 2019 Arctic Expedition will begin their new program starting from July 23 to August 7, 2019.

The Arctic 2019 expedition will bring together more than 100 high school and university students from across the Arctic and around the world along with inspiring scientists, elders, artists, musicians, dignitaries, historians, thought leaders and innovators.

To find out more about programs or about the 2019 Arctic Expedition you can go onto their website at www.studentsonice.com.

Immersed in nature and engaged in cross disciplinary activity, students will be inspired, motivated, educated and challenged.

Updates are added regularly so check back for more information.

In the meantime, explore this site to learn about the Itinerary for the 2019 Arctic Expedition, Participant Resources and How to Apply.

Full scholarships are available for a majority of participants.

The deadline to submit the Arctic 2019 application form is 11:59pm (local time) on Sunday, February 17, 2019.

The next give away for the TaKuaKautik food bank will be January 30th from 6-8pm at the Nigivik Centre. The community is reminded to call into the toll free number 709-700-4739 to place an order.

And intake forms can be picked up at the clinic, Nunatsiavut government building porch, family connections staff, and the Nigivik centre.

The intake forms can be filled ahead of time and dropped off when you are picking up your bag or filled at the Nigivik centre on January 30th from 6-8pm with the help of a volunteer.

A reminder to the community:

**The TaKuaKautik will be handing out food once a month only**

It will be on the one day a month that is designated and advertised. If people miss this date, you will have to wait until the next month to pick up food.

The Food Bank volunteers are asking to please make sure to put extra effort into making an order and picking up a bag on that one day of the giveaway.

TaKuaKautik food bank is run completely by volunteers and due to the amount of work put into the food bank, this is what they are able to provide for the community until further notice.

Also please note: The Nigivik is not a part of the TaKuaKautik food bank. It is just space the TaKuaKautik volunteers use once a month for the give always. Nigivik staff are NOT food bank staff.

If you have any questions please reach out to the food bank committee.

OK Radio contacted the coastal communities to see what their ice conditions are like in their communities.

Ronald Webb is one of the owners of Sikumiut in Nain.

He spent the day out on the ice yesterday and says it’s safe to travel and that there have been people going out to Kikkertavak, Black Island, Taber Island, and Cape Little.

Also, there have been some people from the community who had started to get some wood from Anaktalâk and added that the ice there has frozen over later than previous years.

Webb says that the rattles are still open and wishes to advise everyone to be careful when traveling on the ice.

OK Radio will have more information on the ice conditions from Postville once it becomes available.

The 16th Annual Inuktitut Speak-Off will be held in Makkovik on January 16, 2019 at 7pm at the John Christian Erhardt Memorial School gym.

There will be nine students participating from the four communities.

Participants from Makkovik are Hannah Gear, Lucas Lane and Michelle Nochasak and the Inuktitut Teacher is Hulda Rice.

Hopedale participants are Kendra Winters and Eliza Tuglavina and Inuktitut Teacher is Rosie Piercy.

Students from Nain are Emelia Angnatok and Samantha Saksagiak and Inuktitut Teacher is Julie Dicker.

Rigolet participants also has two students Shania Williams and Ocean-Pottle Shiwak and Inuktitut teacher is Ellen Adams.

The Judges for this year are Katie Haye from Makkovik, Joan Dicker from Nain, and Gus Semigak from Hopedale.

This comes from the Curriculum Centre.

Nunatsiavut Government is dealing with many issues from last year 2018 and into this New Year 2019.

Johannes Lampe is the President of NG.

He says there is a lot of work in the issues that NG is dealing with, it seems like the work is moving in a slow pace, but the work continues.

Lampe says the issues they are dealing include: Nain Airstrip, the new vessel to serve North Coast of Labrador, and the George River Caribou Herd that keep declining and this is a very big concern for everyone.

To hear part one of Lampe speaking about these issues, click HERE.

Yesterday OK Radio contacted some Nunatsiavut communities to see what they have to offer in their communities freezers.

In Makkovik, they have Char and Polar Bear meat to offer in their community.

The Hopedale freezer has Moose meat and Char.

The Traditional Young Men’s Day is fast approaching.

Gabriel Saurak is one of the AngajukKât.

He says that since they have started planning they have had two meetings and last night was the most recent one.

There were six boys that shown up to the meeting who will be celebrating their day.

Saurak says they need to find a place for the boys to celebrate their young men’s day, as the new fire hall is under construction.

Their next meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 14, 2019; and it will be at the Nigivik centre at 3:30pm.

Congratulations to Michele Wood, a Researcher/Evaluator with Department of Health and Social Development on being awarded an ITK Inuit Research Recognition Award for 2018.

The award was handed out during ArcticNet’s Annual Science Conference in Ottawa in mid-December.
Michele had three nominators:

Ashlee Cunsolo, Director of Labrador Institute of Memorial University.

Inez Shiwak, Co-ordinator of the Digital Storytelling Media Lab in Rigolet.

And Sherilee Harper, Associate Professor of School of Public Health with the University of Alberta.

Toby Andersen, Deputy Minister of Lands and Resources, accepted a gift from Brian Lyall, Implementation Analyst, as a show of appreciation for his many years of service to the Labrador Inuit Association and the Nunatsiavut Government.

Toby Andersen will be retiring in the New Year.

Legal Counsel and Advisor, Veryan Haysom, was presented with a retirement gift from Shelia, Registrar of Beneficiaries, and Loretta Michelin, Director of Legal Services.

Veryan retired in December after many years working on behalf of the Labrador Inuit Association and Nunatsiavut Government