February 17, 2006 ; KUUJJUAQ — Speeding snowmobile
causes two-car crash; JANE GEORGE
A speeding snowmobile caused a two-car accident in Kuujjuaq last Friday afternoon, leaving a young Kuujjuaq man with severe leg injuries, police say.
A snowmobile careening down the main street of Kuujjuaq raced through a four-way stop, crashed into a Suzuki Vitara, then spun across the road into a red delivery truck, which had stopped in the other direction.
The male driver of the vehicle, 19, suffered severe injuries to his leg. Police say the man, who was thrown from his snowmobile in the accident, is lucky to be alive.
The speed limit for vehicles in the community is 40 km/hour, and police say snowmobiles are expected to respect the speed limit and other rules of the road.
But police can’t officially enforce speed limits in Nunavik because Quebec’s highway safety code doesn’t apply to off-highway vehicles, such as snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles, that are commonly driven in Nunavik communities.
“We’re going to have to find the means to control traffic,” said Brian Jones, the KRPF police chief.
Last year, Makivik Corp. and the Kativik Regional Government asked for Quebec’s law on off-highway vehicles and the provincial highway safety code to be amended, so police can start enforcing rules that are suited to the region.
Quebec’s law now says no off-highway vehicles, such as ATVs and snowmobiles, are permitted on public roads.
Other suggested actions to lower the numbers of accidents involving off-highway vehicles in Nunavik include upping the minimum operator age from 14 to 16, mandatory helmet use as well as training, licensing and registration.
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April 7, 2006; KANGIRSUK - With beneficiaries' equity up by $10 million in 2005, and millions more flowing in from Quebec and the Raglan Mine, the Makivik Corp.'s finances are so healthy that some of the money will go directly to beneficiaries in 2006.
In addition to a rise in beneficiaries' equity from $189.1 million to $198.5 million, Makivik can now count on $10 million a year more for the next 20 years from the 2002 Sanarrutik agreement with Quebec, and significant chunks of cash from Falconbridge's Raglan nickel mine;
Makivik Corp. awash in handout dollars; Though its return on investments is less than expected, Makivik's coffers are swelling from cash; JANE GEORGE; Throat-singers from Kangirsuk opened Makivik's annual general meeting this past Tuesday morning. The meeting wraps up with the election of a president today. Harry Tulugak is running against incumbent president Pita Aatami.
April 21, 2006; Nunavik article about snowmobile
salesman; Father Jules Dion: 55 years of service to Nunavik;
New book honours one of the Arctic’s longest-serving missionaries;
JANE GEORGE; By necessity, Father Dion learned how to do everything
for himself — and enjoyed his life in Nunavik ;In 1984,
Father Dion travelled to Ste- Anne- de- Beaupré with members
of his congregation, where they were able to see the late Pope John
Paul II. Mechanic, carpenter, dog team runner, hunter, fisherman, doctor,
dentist, priest and part-time snowmobile salesman: these all
describe Father Jules Dion, better known in Nunavik by his Inuttitut
name, Pirtiu. Father Dion arrived in Quaqtaq in July 1955, as
a newly-ordained Oblate missionary. Today he still lives in Nunavik,
in Kangiqsujuaq. Father Dion has given up driving dog teams and
skidoos in favour of a red compact car, but even after serving more
than 55 years as a priest, Father Dion still looks after his small Roman
Catholic congregation.The recently published book, Cinquante ans au-dessous
de zero (Fifty Years Below Zero), tells the story of Father Dion’s
long and deep connection with Nunavik. Read
the whole Nunavik story here...