Meeting The Minister of National Defence

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presented itself on August 15.  The federal Minister of National Defence, Harjiit Sajjan, was travelling to Arctic Bay to inspect the Nanisivik Naval Facility currently under construction.  He and his entourage had to land in Arctic Bay because the Nansivik Airport hasn’t been in use since 2010.  I was able to get permission from the principal of Inuujaq School to meet the minister.  (I had to ask permission because all teachers were required to be at school on the 15^th to prepare for the first day of school).

            

Frank, the mayor of Arctic Bay, drove me to the airport.  We were able to recruit the most senior cadet of 3045 to come along.  She was dressed in her green uniform and I was wearing my military CADPAT fatigues.  An Inuit elder, Kigutikarjuk Shappa, representing the community, would also greet the minister.  Shappa is the same lady who made my sealskin kamiks in 2015.

            

We anxiously waited for the arrival of minister.  The summer weather was bright & sunny.  There were a few small icebergs in the bay.  At 9:45am we heard a distant roar of engines.  Then we spotted a tall dark grey metal tail moving towards the terminal.  The Hercules military transport slowly turned towards the terminal and continued taxiing towards us.  It’s four large propellers spun loudly, kicking up dust behind the large aircraft.  The pilots found a place to park and turned off the engines.  When the propellers stopped spinning, a side door at the front of the plane opened and the back door was also lowered.  People began disembarking from the plane.  The Hercules plane arrived from Resolute Bay, but started flying from CFS Alert!

            

The Arctic Bay “Welcoming Party” walked onto the gravel tarmac to meet the visitors.  I quickly snapped several pictures of the Herc.  Harjiit Sajjan was surrounded by high ranking officers as well as a few reporters.  A lot of saluting was about to happen. 

Kigutikarjuk Shappa meets Harjiit Sajjan.

Arctic Bay mayor Frank May meets
Harjiit Sajjan.

When the minister stepped up to me, I came to attention and saluted him.  I introduced myself as the commanding officer of 3045 Army Cadet Corps.  I shook his hand and presented him a green 3045 fidget spinner.  He thanked me for the gift and passed it on to this aide.  Cadet Sergeant Pauloosie followed suit and presented a corps hoodie.  He shook her hand and thanked her for the clothing.  As the minister moved on to the mayor, the high-ranking air force generals, colonels, and a major, walked up to me to as well.  I saluted each of them and shook their hands.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have any spinners for them.

Once all the greetings were done, a school bus drove onto the tarmac.  Everyone began boarding the bus to Nanisivik.  The original plan was for me to head back to school and for the cadet sergeant to accompany the minister for the tour.  As I watched everyone get on the bus, a voice in my head urged me to do the same.  This may be your only chance to spend time with the Minister of National Defence.  Get on that bus!  I listened to the voice.

The bus ride was slow & bumpy.  The gravel road looked flat but there were constant sounds of little rocks hitting the underside of the bus.  I spoke with several officers and reporters about what I do in the community and how long I’ve resided there.  We had to speak quite loudly over the noise.  I also played tour guide, briefly describing several landmarks along the way.

All the workers at the naval facility were waiting for us to arrive.  A cold wind greeted us as we stepped off the bus.  The minister and his entourage were greeted by representatives of Almiq Contracting, the company hired to build the naval facility.  A lot of greetings and handshakes were exchanged.  The minister also posed for pictures with individual workers.  Everyone then assembled around a tall flagpole that resemble a ship mast.  The Canadian and Nunavut flags were tied to the mast.  All Inuit workers were asked to stand close to the pole for the flag raising.  I instructed my cadet Sergeant to do the same.  Pictures were taken of the minister raising the Canadian flag.  An Inuk worker raised the Nunavut flag.

Sajjan was given a tour of the facilities.  He listened intently while everyone followed him.  The tour continued down to the docks where the future Harry DeWolf class ships will be able to dock during the brief summer months to refuel.  It was here at the docks where reporters conducted their filmed interviews with Sajjan and other senior military officers about the importance of the Nanisivik Naval Facility.  The theme of the interviews was asserting Canadian Arctic sovereignty.

Workers' Barracks

Everyone headed inside the workers’ barracks for lunch.  The kitchen staff had been preparing delicious meals for the special guests.  Arctic char was the main course.  Sergeant Pauloosie and I were able to sit & eat with the Defence Minister.  I extended an invitation for him to be a guest reviewing officer at 3045’s Annual Ceremonial Review Parade in April 2019.  He thanked me for the invitation. 

Sergeant Pauloosie and I were presented with Minister of National Defence coins from Sajjan.  One side of the coin has a coat of arms while on the other side, there is a picture of the National War Monument in Ottawa.  Sajjan encouraged Pauloosie to stay in cadets & go to the very top, and he thanked me for training Inuit youth leaders.  We both posed for photographs with the minister.

The open waters next to Nanisivik.

The bus ride back was just as slow & bumpy.  The school bus parked on the gravel tarmac and we all got out.  I saluted the minister for the last time before he walked over to the Hercules plane.  Unfortunately, Sajjan could not stay to visit the community.  He was working on a tight schedule.  He had to be down in Alberta by the end of the day.  Frank drove Pauloosie, Shappa, and myself back into town.

I was walking to school when the Hercules took off.  The plane left a massive dust cloud that slowly drifted towards King George V Mountain.  I stopped and watched the plane circle around and fly over Arctic Bay before heading south.  As I continued walking to school, I thought to myself, I’m glad I got on that school bus.    

Returning To Arctic Bay & The First Day of School

I returned to Arctic Bay in early August.  Upon stepping out of the First Air plane on the gravel tarmac, I breathed in the fresh arctic air and quietly whispered, “Home.”  I collected my bags and was driven into town by Frank.  The only snow I could see were of small patches high up in the mountains.  The remaining landscape was brown and the water was dark blue.  It took me three hours to unpack and settle in. 

The only major change I had to do was buy the new 4G Qiniq modem that the company recently introduced.  The old black modems that many had relied upon for many years were no longer being supported and their links to the Internet were cut.  I didn’t mind switching to the new modem, despite the price, because the uploading & downloading speeds were much better.  The only downside is that the usage cap is set at 25GB per month.  You can go higher but have to pay a really high price.  If it’s one thing I miss, and Nunavut really needs, is unlimited Internet usage.

            

My classroom looked the same as I left it in June: empty in the centre and all the chairs & tables piled up in a corner.  I organized the tables & chairs just the way I wanted and then went to work getting my teaching materials ready.  I already new since June that this year was going to be different: new school administration and several new teachers from the south.  However, the school still had plenty of veterans on staff to help the students with the transition.

            

The staff had its first meeting several days before the beginning of school.  We had a minute of silence for a high school student who tragically passed away over the summer.  What followed were introductions, schedules, list of committees, and upcoming events.  Once the meeting concluded, everyone was dismissed to prepare their classrooms for the following week.

            

Arctic Bay is accessible by boat for about two & a half months of the year, beginning in July.  Aside from local boat owners who take advantage of the open waters to hunt, fish, & camp, the region is frequented by foreign vessels.  And when I say foreign vessels, I mean any ship that doesn’t originate from Arctic Bay.  There were three foreign vessels, two tall ships & a very expensive looking yacht, anchored in the bay when I came back.  I learned through word-of-mouth that the yacht belonged to a German man.            

All vessels have to anchor in the bay because the community doesn’t have a small craft harbour.  The small breakwater pier doesn’t count.  If anyone from the Nunavut Government is reading this: Arctic Bay could really use a small craft harbour right now!  If you want to get ashore, you have to use a small boat like a Zodiac. 

            

The first day of school was August 16.  The staff followed the established routines of the previous years and came to school early to get the Welcome Back breakfast ready.  The gym was also set up with tables, chairs, and a sound system.  The teachers quickly divided up the food onto paper plates before the first bell of the school year rang.  The student body & parents came down to the gym at 9:15am.

            

I introduce myself.

The new principal & vice-principal introduced themselves and welcomed everyone to the 2018-19 school year.  They passed the microphone down the line of staff standing at the front of the gym.  Each staff member introduced themselves and explained their role at the school.  The food was then blessed by an elder.  The food, consisting of various fruits, vegetables, cheese, and crackers, was distributed by staff.  Everyone enjoyed the breakfast.  At the conclusion of the breakfast, students & teachers were sent back to their classes and the parents were free to go.

           

My schedule for the fall semester is the same as last year: Grade 10 English, Grade 10 Social Studies, and Grade 10 Drums.  I just spent the first day going through course outlines, assigning binders & folders, explaining the layout of the classroom, and playing several ice breaker games. 

            

A new school year has begun. 

Quick Summer of 2018

The summer of 2018 has come and gone.  It always amazes me to see eight weeks just fly by in a flash.  Maybe it’s because I kept myself busy and didn’t spend the entire summer looking at the clock.  When the First Air plane lifted off into the sky in June and flew down to Iqaluit, I already knew “the clock was ticking”.  I only had a limited amount of time to do a certain number of things before it was time to pack up and head north.  Thanks to early long-term planning, I had a summer schedule ready to go when my vacation began.

            

Yes, that's the actual length!

I stayed on the North American continent this time and travelled to Las Vegas, Nevada, USA for the first time.  I flew Air Canada Business Class.  Naturally, I booked a hotel room along The Strip for a week.  I made sure to bring a hat & lots of sunscreen because the city is baking in the sun in mid-June.  I have enough material to write a separate, dedicated blog about my Las Vegas Trip, but I’ll be giving you the short version here.  Sorry.

            

I explored most of the hotels along The Strip, walking through the casinos and checking out the various stores.  The main issue I have with the casinos is that smoking is allowed.  The awful stench of nicotine is always present despite the hotels’ best ventilation efforts.  It was the main reason why I only gambled once and for 20 minutes.  I lost $45USD on slot machines.  If the hotels want more of my money then ban smoking indoors.

            

Finding a place to eat wasn’t a problem.  I particularly enjoyed the buffet at the Golden Nugget Hotel and In-N-Out Burger.  I had heard of the successful burger chain and wanted to see if the rumours about their excellent burgers were true.  They were.  Now I know what all the fuss is about. 

While I was roaming through Fremont Street, I discovered a restaurant called Heart Attack Grill where anyone over 350lbs eats for free.  I stayed away from that place.  The food is probably good but there was a long line and I didn’t feel like waiting.  Speaking of Fremont Street, the open mall has a zipline attraction called SlotZilla.  I did the Zoomline; “11 stories up [&] fly[ing] Super Hero style.”  I waved at all the pedestrians below.  My only gripe is that the staff do not let you film the experience with a GoPro.

Downtown Container Park, an outdoor shopping center near Fremont Street, features a large praying mantis that shoots fire out of its antennae.  I happened to be walking by when the large bug started shooting fire set to recorded music.  I’m glad I had my camera at the ready.

I didn’t see any shows.  I was more interested in exploring the city on foot and trying other things.  I really enjoyed shooting a variety of weapons – including a minigun! - at Battlefield Vegas.  The whole package cost $500USD but it was so worth it!  I’ll definitely visit this indoor range again in the future.

        

I found the Pawn Stars shop by accident while I was walking along The Strip.  The place looks a lot bigger on tv.  The store is actually really small.  Unfortunately, you’re not allowed to take pictures inside.  I didn’t buy nor pawn anything. 

              

Bottom of the Hoover Dam.

I rented a car to get to the Hoover Dam.  Driving to the landmark wasn’t a problem.  There are a lot of tourists who frequent the megastructure so finding a parking spot is a challenge.  There also isn’t enough shade space so you need to wear a hat, wear sunscreen, and bring plenty of water.  Besides the hot sun, I took great pictures & videos of the structure.

            

The height of my Las Vegas trip was successfully completing my fourth tandem skydive at the Jean Sport Aviation Centre.  I did it through the Vegas Extreme Skydiving company.  Falling towards the earth from 15,000 feet at terminal velocity in a controlled environment is an experience unlike any other.  The adrenaline-fueled fall is a feeling you never forget.  You feel free & living on the edge.  Just don’t let go of your bowels.

            

Whoever on staff did this, I
hope you got a raise!

The two last places I want to mention are the Las Vegas Sign and the Mob Museum.  It wouldn’t be a true Las Vegas trip unless I went to the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada” sign.  So many tourists come to the iconic sign that the city had to build a large parking lot to accommodate all the cars and hire guides to manage the take-a-photograph-of-me line.  The Mob Museum is located in Downtown and is a great place for anyone interested in the history of American organized crime.  I was able to get a ticket discount because I’m in the Canadian military.  And you’re allowed to take photographs of the exhibits!

            

I had an amazing time in Las Vegas.  I’ll definitely visit the city again in the future.

                 

Late June was spent on driving around Ottawa buying & collecting everything that I would need for the next school year.  I was doing another sealift and all my items had to be in by June 30^th.  The items were mostly liquids, dry goods, school supplies, and office stationary.  I found a company in Ottawa that would pack everything and transport it to the port in Montreal.  The entire endeavour cost me slightly less than $1000.

            

I spent Canada Day 151 in Ottawa, the nation’s capital.  The festivities were better organized than the previous year and the evening fireworks show is always a sight to behold.

            

The last big trip I took was to the island of Newfoundland in mid to late July.  This was my first time visiting the last province to join Canadian confederation.  Originally, I had planned to drive across the province in a rental car but realized I would be spending more time driving than exploring.  Instead, I chose to stay on west side of the island.  I saw a lot and experienced a lot.  Just like Las Vegas, I have more than enough photographs and stories to write a separate blog but I don’t have the time to do that.  Another short, condensed version is in order.

            

I landed in Deer Lake and drove north in a rental car.  I passed several large signs instructing me to be on the lookout for moose.  Vehicle collisions with moose is a serious problem in Newfoundland.  I did see one moose on the side of the road but it disappeared into the forest before I could take a picture.  I limited myself to driving no more than 4 hours per day.  I had planned to stop & overnight in several small towns to rest & regain my strength.

            

Norris Point

I drove the entire length of Route 430, a two-lane paved highway that stretches across the Great Northern Peninsula.  There are places where the highway expands to include passing lanes.  Unfortunately, the further north you go, the quality of the highway lessens.  There were some sections that were being repaved at the time of my visit, but much more needs to be done.  I visited almost all the towns along Route 430:  Norris Point, Rocky Harbour, Lobster Cove, St. Paul’s, Cow Head, Parson’s Pond, Hawke’s Bay, Port Au Choix, St. Barbe, and St.Anthony.  Driving through Gros Morne National Park reminded me of the mountainous landscape around Arctic Bay, except with trees.  If I had more time, I would have hiked a few trails.  There’s always a next time.

            

Roddickton

The one road that really needs paving is Route 432.  I lost count of the many potholes I had to slalom around while I was driving.  The two-lane highway snakes its way through the middle & eastern side of the northern peninsula.  I was glad there was enough asphalt on the ground to enable me to drive down to Roddickton, Englee, and back.

            

St. Anthony.

I stayed in St. Anthony for three nights.  The large town is located at the very top of the peninsula and is at the end of Route 430.  I explored much of the town on foot and visited the L’Anse Aux Meadows National Historic Site to the north.  (You need a vehicle to get there from St. Anthony).  The Historic Site is a large expansive area that showcases remnants of a Viking settlement.  The remnants were discovered in 1960.  There’s even a Heritage Minutes commercial about it!  If you’re ever exploring this part of Newfoundland, you need to come to L’Anse Aux Meadows and spend the day there.  It’s worth the trip.

            

The highlight of my visit occurred when I was photographing the large Viking grass huts.  Several locals are employed to dress up as period Vikings and act as if they were from that area.  One actor, fully dressed in character, came out with a water hose and began spraying water on the roof.  “Vikings had water hoses back then?” I asked.  “They were quite ingenious,” remarked the actor.  If I had stayed longer, I could have photographed a “Viking” using a smartphone.

            

Arches Provincial Park.

Corner Brook

Near the end of my trip, I drove south of Deer Lake and explored the towns of Corner Brook, Stephenville, and Port au Port.  I was surprised to see an Alpaca farm near Port au Port.  Corner Brook reminds me of Iqaluit because the town is built on hillsides.  Stephenville to me is a quieter town.  During my visit, I learned that Stephenville played host to passengers on 37 planes that were diverted to the airport on September 11, 2001.  It was a tremendous undertaking for the community but they succeeded and forever earned the love & respect from the stranded passengers.          

            

Western Brook Pond.

And finally, I visited two Nunavut coworkers, originally from Newfoundland.  They both live on the west side of the island but in different towns.  The trip gave me the opportunity to pay them a visit and to catch up on what they’ve been doing since we last saw each other.  They took time out of their summer to give me tours of their towns and introduced me to their families and friends.  Thank you for your hospitality!  

            

Overall, I had a great summer.  I was able to do everything I set out to do in just 8 short weeks.