QIA Meeting & Ransomware Update

Sorry about the two-week delay.  I’ve decided to summarize all that's transpired during the second half of November.

           

Since moving to Arctic Bay in 2013, I have learned when to expect the freezing of the large bodies of water around the community.  I don’t get out on the ice with my skidoo until November and even then, it’s only within the bay.  The more experienced hunters & fishers travel beyond the confines of Arctic Bay before the end of the year.  They’ve described what the conditions are but I’ve never seen them with my own eyes.  I got my chance in the middle of the month.

            

Arctic Bay. November 13, 2019.

I was flying south on personal business.  The plane took off in the direction of the town, north, then turned around and flew south towards Iqaluit.  I had a window seat and happened to be sitting on the left side of the plane.  My camera was at the ready and I snapped several photographs of the area below, hoping I had at least one good picture.  Thankfully, I did.  Turns out the ice is more visible beyond the bay.  You can still see the cracks.  The ice is thick enough to support skidoos but be careful nonetheless.  In sharp contrast, the ice within the bay is covered with snow.

            

The plane flew with Adams Sounds on the left side.  I took a photograph of the spot where I saw open water in late April.  (I was on my way to revisit the rocky Pond Inlet Shortcut).  I knew it was the same spot because there was still open water.  The ice hadn’t completely formed.  Forms late, melts early, I thought.

            

Aqsarniit Hotel & Conference Centre under construction.

While I was passing through Iqaluit in both directions, I photographed a new hotel being constructed near the airport, Big Racks Restaurant, and the Iqaluit deep sea port from a distance.  The territorial capital has been suffering a shortage of hotel rooms but thankfully, two new hotels are currently under construction.  I only had time to see the Aqsarniit Hotel & Conference Centre.  Big Racks suffered a fire at the beginning of the month.  The cause it still under investigation.  The building is still standing but the windows and doors are boarded up.  I’ve never been inside the restaurant but I have eaten their food.  Big Racks provided food to First Air flights.  The deep sea port is slowly taking shape.  Construction appears to be halted for the winter.

            

Iqaluit's deep-sea port under construction.

Representatives from the Qikiqtani Inuit Assocation (QIA) visited Arctic Bay on November 19 to give a presentation titled, “Highlights of the Tallurutiup Imanga and Tuvaijuittuq Agreements.”  QIA was touring five communities directly affected by these agreements.  Arctic Bay was the third community on the tour.  QIA was here around the same time last year to talk about the progress being done on these agreements between the Inuit & Federal Government.  A lot of work has been done in the last year.  In April, QIA, Government of Nunavut, and Federal Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding.  Then on August 1, interim protection for Tuvaijuittuq was announced.  Tuvaijuittuq means “the place where the ice never melts.”  The whole document was also signed by all parties involved.

            

Paper copies of the slides, information cards, and pamphlets were available to attendees.  I got copies of each because I teach social studies and I’ll most likely be reviewing these agreements with my future students.  They affect the community and surrounding areas.

            

The presentation was a standard affair.  The presenters showed 14 slides, read them in both languages, and explained how the initiatives within the agreement would be implemented.  The most important components were the financial investments: “$54.8 million in Inuit Stewards Program investments” and “over $190 million in infrastructure investments.”  I was glad to see a lot of money was set aside for infrastructure.  I’ve reported before that Nunavut’s infrastructure is severely behind the rest of Canada.  I think the main reason behind this is the lack of understanding from the Federal Government, past & present, that anything & everything costs way more up North to build and operate.        

It appears Arctic Bay & Clyde River will be getting a small craft harbour some time in the future.  Those projects alone will probably cost between $30 – 40 million dollars each.  The one in Pangnirtung cost $40.5 million to complete.  Regardless, small craft & deep-sea harbours are needed in all northern communities. 

The following links better explain the Tallurutiup Imanga and Tuvaijuittuq Agreements:

1. Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area Inuit Impact & Benefit Agreement

2. Messagefrom Prime Minister Justin Trudeau – August 1, 2019

3. Tallurutiup Imanga & Tuvaijuittuq Agreements – QIA – August 6, 2019

I left before the presentation ended.  There was no feast but QIA did offer snacks, tea, and coffee to attendees.   

It’s been two weeks since the ransomware attack on the Government of Nunavut’s computer system and things are slowly getting back to normal.  Computer technicians did come to Arctic Bay and rebooted all the computers in the school, health centre, and Hamlet Office.  The working atmosphere in the school felt like the 1980s before the reboot.  Staff had to rely on fax machines, paper, and phone calls to keep “the system” working.  I ended up buying a Wingle stick from Qiniq to be able use my own internet at school.  I’ll admit having the portable stick makes internet access much easier & faster.  Unfortunately, the Wingle only works in Nunavut.  In the past, before Qiniq upgraded to 4G, if you were travelling to another community and wanted to use your own internet, you had to bring your large black Motorola router with you.     

Microsoft Corp. recently announced they’re helping the Government of Nunavut with the recovery of its computer systems by sending its Detect and Response Team (DART).  The team “arrived with tools specifically designed for them to bring the GN’s systems back online.  The network will also be upgraded, featuring “Microsoft’s latest software[,] cloud data storage[,] and advanced cybersecurity.”  If all goes well, the new system will be robust, reliable, and secure for many years.  Hopefully hackers won’t figure out how to bypass everything before the next upgrade.  It’s a never-ending war in cyberspace.