Football coach Geraldo Ferrari Jr. and Whale Cove race committee member Noel Kaludjak both had very similar comments about the importance of recreational initiatives.
Football coach Geraldo Ferrari Jr. and Whale Cove race committee member Noel Kaludjak both had very similar comments about the importance of recreational initiatives.
In Kaludjak’s words, racing is “something they can do on top of other things,” and as Ferrari Jr. said, “if kids are kicking the ball, that means they’re not doing anything evil in the street.
I’m not a big runner myself, but I could see and feel the excitement, fist bumps and wide-eyed looks from the race committee and fans after the competitors set off for Whale Cove on Thursday. It meant something to them and it was definitely fun.
Rankin Inlet, Kivalliq and Nunavut as a whole suffer from few opportunities and places where people can put their energy and passion. Many volunteers work hard to fill this gap with events like the Whale Cove Run, soccer clinics and youth programs like the Outside Looking In Dance in Baker Lake.
Nunavut needs it desperately, and it needs it more. There are more opportunities in Rankin Inlet than in many communities, but even here, aside from local sports, there is virtually nothing to do in town after hours. There isn’t even a restaurant open until normal restaurant hours. For many, this unfortunately leads to spending time partying or similar activities.
The people who provide these opportunities – without any financial benefit to themselves, but solely for the sake of a healthy community – deserve praise.
If you have a big race tomorrow, or a soccer game, or similar, you want to go to bed on time the night before. You want to maintain healthy habits so that you are mentally and physically prepared. And you want to perfect your craft in the days and weeks leading up to the event.
Having something to look forward to is essential to thriving. It’s when we have nothing left to hope for that we begin to fall apart.
The Whale Cove run seemed like a success to me, so let’s hope this tradition continues, and hats off to the people who provide opportunities and things to look forward to here in Nunavut.
Probably a successful bet
Many eyes likely turned to Ilitaqsiniq’s job postings after the organization announced its four-day workweek pilot.
This decision was not part of those agreements where staff work 10 hours over four days, but of a true four-day week where employees receive their full salary while having every Friday off.
Much of the inspiration for the policy, said executive director Adriana Kusugak, was to help her organization compete to recruit and retain staff.
These are the steps organizations in Nunavut and Canada as a whole need to take to keep up with the rapidly changing economy.
These days, no one wants to work, and for good reason. Wages have not kept up with inflation, and there is a general feeling that money no longer matters after reckless federal spending during the pandemic.
It’s never been easier to be a bad employee. Employers can’t hire staff, let alone worry about disciplining underperforming staff. Who could they be replaced by anyway? Almost every organization is understaffed due to this jobs crisis and work is suffering everywhere, including the Government of Nunavut.
Ilitaqsiniq therefore adapts correctly. Wages must increase, benefits must increase, and employers must attract employees again. There is no way around this for employers, especially in Nunavut, and those who fail to keep up with the pace of change will continue to run skeleton crews and slowly fade away.
Ilitaqsiniq deserves support for recognizing the state of the job market and innovating to address it.
