We visited Kimmirut yesterday, a tiny community on southern Baffin Island, where we were given a warm welcome by what seemed like every one of the hamlet’s 400-odd residents. We were the first large vessel to visit this year. Kids mobbed us as we entered the harbour. An elder shared a seal that was caught that day, carving it up and dividing it in front of us. My verdict? The same as the Governor General’s: seal’s pretty great, a tender red meat with a subtle seafoody flavour. Like surf ‘n’ turf, but all within a single delicious animal. You could make a killing selling it as “Inuit Sashimi” at trendy Manhattan restaurants.
While in town I also picked up a copy of the August 7 issue of Nunatsiaq News. For the past 12 days, while aboard the Lyubov Orlova, I’ve been completely cut off from all media. I send my dispatches out into the ether via satellite and just hope for the best. As an internet junkie, it’s been kind of refreshing to get away. As a blogger – a gig that generally demands up-to-the-second comment and reaction – it’s been a little stressful. And now the Nunatsiaq News tells me that while I’ve been up in the north I’ve been missing some big news from down south? A northern junket by Stephen Harper and the entire Conservative cabinet? New info on Operation Nanook, the Canadian military exercise taking place this month in Nunavut? I had no idea. And what is this all about?
“Brig. Gen. David Millar, commander of Joint Task Force North, confirmed July 31 that one of the Operation Nanook exercises will simulate the destruction of Iqaluit’s tank farm and fuel boom by environmental activists.”
Now this is probably old news down south, and hopefully the plan’s already been adequately mocked, but, um, seriously? This is some amazingly misguided stuff! Of all the serious issues that northern communities face, Harper’s decided focus on flexing a little Canadian military muscle with exercise against tree-hugging terrorists? It would laughable if it weren’t so depressing.
Photos by Eric Galbraith.
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