There is a rumor afoot that at the last meeting of the Nunatsiavut Assembly meeting “the alcohol committee” passed a resolution that is going to limit the amount of alcohol you can buy and bring back or ship to Nunatsiavut and also is going to put pressure on the airlines to start charging for pick - up. [As matter of information Air Labrador charges a $10.00 pick up fee from Store to air port plus the $ per pound for air freight. Innu Mikun does not charge such a fee; hence they received the bulk of the liquor and beer orders.

So, ever being one not to spread rumors I endeavored to check the facts. I left a message with the president of NG who got back to me in good time and confirmed that resolutions were offered up and passed regarding the Alcohol Committee. He could not remember the wording off hand and suggested I call the clerk of NG and ask for the resolutions which were offered up without any fuse as they are public documents.

It is not up to me to make these resolutions public but I think they should be outed by NG before the upcoming elections for ordinary members so people know what is going on and not just relying on rumors.

Then today further to the topic: now we have one Matthew Pike [a pious pompous prate if ever there was one] running for ordinary member for NG in Lake Melville and laying down the law in an area he knows absolutely nothing about.

Taking the easy road is typical of these people who have no idea what banning alcohol would do to the people who are addicted without proper programs and services in place, not to mention infringing on Canadians basic human rights and also not to mention the nightmare of policing the increase in bootlegging, Christ almighty, they cant handle the bootlegging that goes on now.

Maybe Memorial should run a degree program in Correlating Intelligence with Common Sense that Mr. Pike could avail of; Masters in CICS would look good on his résumé.

I will outline the resolutions at a latter time if I get the urge; it is not as bad as the rumors feared, not in the short term anyways.

The GD [weather permitting] is flying into TO island airport this afternoon. Hope she can make it in when we are there in June to take us for a sightseeing trip.

To ExSham: I hit the wrong button on you comment. You can send it again or; the new NG building is in about the center of town on the sight of the old school that burnt down about 4 years ago.
No, I speak very little Inuktitut, but then I am not a beneficiary of an agreement that was negotiated on the beliefs language and culture of Inuit. Plus I certainly did not run for elected office promising to become efficient [or at least give it my best shot] in Inuktitut.

Update to the post below. I found an old one of the LIA office circa 1978.

That is the LIA in the middle of the picture, the CBC tower to left and the Labrador Services Division store, now Big Land, to the right.
The white looking thing coming out of the old dame was the towns water supply, to those with with hook up that is.
Memories!


I was looking for some old photos of the first LIA building in Nain; this is the only one I have come across so far.
I am not sure if it was taken in the late 1970’s or early 1980’s, none the less it was an old construction bunk house converted into offices.




Here is the third president of LIA in her cramped cold drafty office circa 1982.

One more thing on the opening of the NG office, and it stuck out like the proverbial ‘dogs balls’.

No translation into the other unmentionable language.

This present regime seems gung ho on eliminating the other language INUKTUT. That fly’s in the face of one of the platforms the president ran on.

It would have been a simple thing to ask someone fluent in both languages to be the MC and to provide translation of the non uni-lingual speakers.

It takes more time but who is in a hurry to go anywhere.

To many it is about respect, something these politicos seem to forget, forget that is until election time.

Some shots from my quick run around the interior of the new NG building.

Two views of the entrance foyer and reception desk, very impressive indeed with its anorthosite floor and more than enough space.

Also view of the board room, bottom floor left and the top of the main stair well.

There is a nice large vestibule to the right at the top of the stairs leading to offices. A view from the end of one of the hall ways and the office of El Presidente. Nice floor and plenty of space. The First minister’s office is almost as large and on the opposite corner of the building.

Some of the carvings and crafts shown through the building.

The fish is in a small vestibule off the main foyer. What a great piece of work this is, unusual too, it drew quite a bit of attention.

The others shown are in two areas of the board room.

All in all very nice inside, the moving in of all the staffs gear starts today.

Just a little update on the post of the opening ceremonies, what I mistook for a rope was actually a seal skin trace line and the cutting of it was done by two elders and two younger women.

Some scenes at the opening of the new Nunatsiavut Government Admin building this morning.




The guy in blue is the president saying a few words [no microphone so most did not hear anything]. Prior to that an elder gave a prayer then after that some kids sang the ode to Labrador then another elder cut what looked like a piece of rope and it was off to the races for the door and to get at the finger food inside.




The dog thought it all very boring, which if truth be said it was.

I may go down after the crush and have a look inside, we have until 3.

Walking yesterday was great underfoot what with the fresh snow being compacted by ski doo traffic and the cold.

Breathing was an issue at times with some gusts sucking my breath away, kept me upright too. Coming home I felt like a spinnaker on a yacht.

No trouble for Siutik who never ceases to amaze me in how she revels in the cold and fresh snow.

Fran had her 6? Birthday too, wanted the cake last evening and lamb roast today. The cake is nothing fancy but everybody said good things about it, the double layer of chocolate cream cheese frosting was my favorite. Lots of phone call from all over and facebook messages too.

Another day of clear and cold by looks of things.

Bit on the chilly side in it, -32 wind chills. Supposed to stay in that range all day and into tomorrow in it, the good news is the sun will shine [in the days that is].

For the first time this winter there is good depth of snow on the sea ice and ponds, at least there was yesterday. It will be kind of rough when the wind blown ridges firm up, but for now no trouble plowing through them. Now if we had only had this way back in January.

St. Anthony has their flag at half mast, Labrador City is calling fowl and in Happy Valley Goose Bay they are dancing in the streets.
And all over the reconfiguring of an air ambulance service. Never mind peoples health and well being, it’s all about the jobs in it.

Just one comment on this, it was politics that had the air ambulance in St. Anthony in the first place. What goes around comes around.

Meantime just down the trail a bit there is good news for most, they voted to keep the alcohol ban.

I wonder with all the publicity this issue has attracted that now more efforts will be put into tracking down and prosecuting the bootleggers and drug dealers/suppliers.
It would look funny if the alcohol suppliers were prosecuted would it not, Govt of NL v Govt of NL.

Good bit of snow yesterday and overnight, this is what it looked like early this morning.

It has been trying to clear since about 9, finely some sunny breaks now at 1:30. Lot’s of people anxious for the mail to get in I bet it being the last week of the month.

Couple of days ago I noticed some flocks of snow birds while walking along the shoreline. This morning there were some in the willows across the road from the house. Siutik noticed them too, off she went lopping through the fresh snow making out she was a Springbok. All that energy just after arriving back from a run up to the dame and back, she just loves plowing through fresh snow.

8 minutes later upurtydate: Gone from calm and sunny breaks to the sun being obscured in blowing snow, going out in it anyways.

The predicted winter storm is upon us, more wind than snow at the moment as is the norm these days.

Having eyed this apple crisp recipe in ‘what’s cooking magazine for some time I finely decided to try it.

What made me apprehensive was it was asking for bread crumbs in the crust part. I debated if I should substitute but decided against that. I need not have worried; the end result was this amazing combination of all the different flavors coming together in the juice in the apple base.

The flavors being apples, cinnamon, nutmeg in the base and cheddar cheese, raisins, butter, almonds in the crust.

This old timer suddenly appeared in a backyard recently, not sure what the future is for the wooden boat but its past sure would have been I interesting. Seeing as you can see through some gaps

between the planking there is a lot of work ahead for someone, sure be nice if it can be restored.

This week CBC had at least three reporters in Natuashish to cover the on going attempts in that community to come to grips with running their own affairs. CBC had reporters in there doing stories pre and post public meeting held yesterday, there is a large microscope on the town and I am not sure if that helps or hinders the process of dealing with the issues at hand.

What I do know is the it seems like media overkill, in the rush to go to air with any Native Alcohol related stories the end result aired leaves lots to be desired. The video quality presented to date on the evening news hour is mediocre at best, and the stuff aired last evening accompanied by Darrow McIntyre’s commentary was just plain amateurish.

Meantime here in Nain yesterday at the launching of a new Labrador produced school book THE POLAR BEAR IN THE ROCK; TWO WINDOWS ON THE WORLD drew zero reporters from CBC or any other outside media.

The book is about the legend told by locals of the image of a polar bear that can often be seen in a rock face overlooking the town. It is in both English and Inuktitut.

The mythological stories are accompanied by a non fiction description of the local geology.

All this is accompanied by some nice drawings depicting scenes from the stories told.

Caribou stew, dough boys and oven baked vegetables.

Fran insisted I take this one for Shammichite.

Nice weekend, mainly sunny, only the wind chills taking a little edge off things, -16 to -21 chills are more January weather than March.

Quite a few people getting caribou, quote a long trip to get them too. Most are going several hundred kilometers inside Natuashish.

Yes, another pizza photograph, this time as a segue to the heartburn video.

I assure all there was no heartburn or similar conversations after these pizzas.








Heartburn Medication Commercial [BANNED!!!]

T’was for the most part a rest and recuperation day for the dog and I yesterday. Don’t ya just hate it when there is cigarette ash in the key boards in the morning, Fran and her online scrabble buddies?

I tried something different in the fish cakes, it will remain a secrete, but there was good reviews on the three vegetable/three cheese/herb sauce side dish.

The three apple/peach crisp was OK too.

Maybe if I had added a third fish type to the cakes?

We have had an unusual request vis a vis our forth coming trip. Some one does not want the usual T shirts or koalas, or the mini boomerang, didgeridoo and the like as gifts. Nope they want some dried peas and beans. Can’t say I blame them as they are very good.

Just a little upurty date on the ski doo and the green garbage box story in the Labradorian.

The comments section in particular, and not particularly mine. I could not agree more with the other two.

After a rather active day mom still had the energy for some quality time with the wayward one of her litter.

Upik may be almost twice the size of mom but mom it fitter and more agile and always wears the big boy down.

Then again; if Upik did not have moms genteel personality them maybe he would become more aggressive, be interesting to see what would transpire then.

It was a nice spring day yesterday, the wind kept it from feeling too warm, we would not want the daffodil's popping up too soon would we.

Traditional Irish Blessing - E-Water

If this does not bring a tear to ye eye on this St.Patrick's day then nuth'n will. Have a good one.

Traditional Irish Blessing - E-Water

The Big Green Garbage Box is like the energizer bunny. As mentioned previously I was interviewed last week, here is the story in the Labradorian.

Just so [certain] people know; the background information for this piece did not come from me, I just reiterated my involvement in the ski doo demolition of the BGGB.
As well I agree with assertions that theft and high speed driving is an issue that effects all in Nain.

Up early again, damn joy ridding ski doo maniacs.

The Community government has a by-law prohibiting needles ridding after 10 or 11 pm, I guess what they need now is an enforcement entity to enforce the by-laws.

Nice looking weekend ahead by looks of things, plenty of people going off for sure, hope they are all careful and observe due diligence [as the politicians like to say] when traveling over suspect ice conditions.

It has been a busy week with the usual obligations plus checking out air fares and hotels and the like for our trip down under.
Funny how the cheapest flights always are through the US of A. But I stuck with Air Canada through Vancouver, costs more but Fran feels better about that.

Initially I was thinking of doing the trip in one go to allow more time down under. But with the flying times in the 30 hours plus range I, in consultation with Fran, decided against that.

So it is a stop in the big TO on the way over, still leaving 21 hours air time from TO. Then shorter stop in Halifax on the way home. It will give us an opportunity to compare sea foods of the two port cities.

I am not very happy with the Amex travel agents ‘Travel Quest’ in St. John’s. I had been trying to deal with them as I did the last two longer trips we made. The agent I dealt with then is long gone and I found the new staff rather casual and laid back and I got the impression they really did not need my business, will they didn’t get it. Must be the new oil money attitude or sum’n like that.

So ‘Mokami Travel’ in Goose Bay dealt with me like they cared, they even did a re jig of the travel and health issuance quote first given when I mentioned it was a little high. OK it was a lot higher but we managed to cut the quote almost in half.

So we are all set to go [not for awhile yet] and my mother is doing a re jig of the interior of the house I spent my formative years in, guess it would be a waist of time to try get her to not worry about it.

There was a strange incident in the early hours of last Sunday morning involving a ski doo and the big green garbage box across the street.

Regular readers may remember me having some issues with derelict garbage boxes in the past. Needless to say in the past little while the only issue I had with the new replacement box was its flimsy construction leading to the lid constantly coming off the Hinges. The only thing I did about it was to periodically replace the lid and the council workers would periodically re attach the lid to the hinges.

So after the strange incident in the early hours of last Sunday the saga of the big green garbage box has been solved, define fate or what I do not know, but I have my suspicions.

I was not going to mention the sage of the big green garbage box at all except I had a call from a young reporter doing some free lance work for the Labradorian newspaper.

Seems he is doing a general piece about stolen ski doos and irresponsible riders and speeders. He picked up on this idea from facebook chatter, seems my name was mentioned in the big green garbage box incident.

Below is the gist of what I relayed to the young reporter. It may not clear me of complicity in the destruction of the BGGB but this is the way it went down.

Woken by whining loud pitch noise at around 6am.

Check inside the house then outside from window, can’t ID source of noise but notice a HOODIE [person in a hoodie] hunkered down behind white car across the street. Get dressed; check out car, no more HOODIE.

Locate source of loud noise, ski doo on its side rammed into the corner of house next door. Engine going all out but track not turning. Notice exhaust glowing red hot and sparks start firing from underneath the engine.

“Better get this thing away from house” me thinks as it could explode any minute.

Pull down on ski, machine hits ground, this somehow kicks the thing into gear and away she shoots into hi speed across the street crashes through the big green garbage box and lodges up against oil tank of house opposite. Engine still at high pitch, sort of out of the frying pan into the fire thingy.

I know I have to get it shut off but in mean time several people come down from up the street [woken by loud pitched noise]; young guy finds the leads and pulls them off the spark plugs.

All the damage to ski doo was done when she hit the house, lodged between house and snow bank.

Next afternoon the owner turned up to re claim the machine, had to get it towed away. Owner said her boyfriend left the ski doo outside the hotel overnight.

At left is what remained of the big green garbage box after the ski doo was removed from scene and the debris cleaned up.

Below is the replacement for the big green garbage box, much more robust and solid for sure.

VIDEO: Inside the Queen Mary 2

Most spectacular harbor in the world…………………..St.John’s not. Just say’n.

VIDEO: Inside the Queen Mary 2

We are getting some light snow, just enough to make it very difficult for walking around [snow on ice is twice as slippery, plus it is hiding all the bumps and impressions. Let’s hope we get a decent dump of the white stuff, but we won’t count on it.

Fran was busy with interpreter duties Saturday so we took off for a short outing inland. Siutik is starting to get used to running with the ski doo and she has a good route picked out through the woods no, as long as the snow is hard packed that is.

Bad boy of Siutiks litter Upik has a new temporary home at the NAWC next door. Upik has a knack of either escaping from his tether or being let off deliberately making him vulnerable for pick up by the dog catcher.
I bailed him out once and he escaped custody another time before I could pay the bailiff.

Anyway long story short, the NAWC had fears for Upik in the long term so he negotiated with the previous owner and here he is next door soon to be at our house soon to be shipped south if all goes as planed.
Barring that plan there is always a plan B.



New potential owner bonding with Upik, more bonding to do yet as he is more interested in me at the moment, just takes time and loving care and he will come around.

One-upmanship

Our daughter went off yesterday for a boil up, partridge hunting and checking on a cabin.

They came back with some partridges but this photo of the boil up took me by surprise.

Re heating rack of lamb chops you don’t see too often in the wilds of Labrador.

Photo by Stephanie McIntosh.

For the non believers, especialy down in Virginia, the future awaits.

Gotcha at last.

I have been trying to snap Siutik in this pose for ages, finely succeeded last evening. She even gets right over on her back with here head straight down her body at times.

Any other time she bolts upright at any movement of me with camera. The reason for her relaxed state is; she had two runs yesterday besides me on ski doo, one in the morning of about 7 k and an afternoon one of 3 k.

Initially she took of at high speed, up to 40 KPH and then slowed; being smart she now takes of at a slower and more constant speed of around 20 to 22 KPH and sustains it.

I am told on of Siutiks fans, Leila of the high chair and dropping food for Siutik, mentioned Siutik out of the blue recently, cute or what.


Good old steak and snags accompanied by guacamole and cheese stuffed spuds. One of Frans [and every bodies] favorites, almond biscotii, great with coffee or tea or on there own.

Bit of a drop in the temperatures overnight, down to - 21 and wind chill of -28, more like it.

Pam's banned again, down under this time.

Some nice winter like temperatures of late, down in the minus teens at night and great days of mainly sunshine and – 10 or so, perfect.

Venturing west on Sunday towards the ponds on ski doo and foot there was a pleasant surprise. The trail from the end of the road to first pond had been groomed, some my pooh-pooh it but not me.

Smoother trails are a boon for aging backs and knee joints.

Not having my camera Sunday I took a walk up the trail Monday for some shots. With light snow overnight the trail was not as defined as Sunday, but the gist is there.

Healthy choices. Steamed turkey balls [available at your favorite poulterer] served with a cheesy pasta, cauliflower, asparagus and broccoli bake.

You can feel the lack of sodium and fat content doing your body good.

French fries and something with a gravy tonight I suppose.