THE FIRST WEEK

It’s my first Monday…the winds are blowing a constant 46 km/h and the temp is -34 Celsius (about

The sunrise before 8 a.m. with a clear sky on Wednesday

-29F). The sun has tried to rise this morning, just before 8, but the cloud cover has some thickening and refuses to let the light through without impairment. Across the frozen water, the snow/ice combination glistens as it reflects the light towards your eyes. The haze of the sunshine is quite beautiful against the blue tinges that the landscape portrays.

My week has started. Breakfast was a Jimmy Dean special …sausage and egg sandwiched between two small pancakes and was quite tasty along with juice, fruit cocktail and multiple coffees….wow, I just realized that I had a blueberry muffin as well. That should hold me until coffee at ten. The staff at the Health Centre, take their coffee at 10 and 3 unless our patients get in the way (LOL)...truly amazing how some things remain the same after all these years. That’s why Marie and I almost missed those delicious chocolate muffins on Friday.

I’m drinking a lot more coffee here and unlike when I’m at work in the store back at home...I’m drinking it hot. People have asked “How can you stand the cold?” Well, we do have heat indoors…and outside, you simply dress for it. This takes time, but if you are all bundled up you can go for a nice walk, even on the wildest days…you simply walk a shorter distance and try not to go directly into the wind. You take your time but you are definitely working up a sweat and burning up calories. I find when I get back home, here in Rankin Inlet, I have to change and let my clothes dry out. The layered look is definitely the way to go.

The beauty of the North on a sunny bright noon hour.

Even my boots, after the hockey game on Friday night, required the linings to be pulled and the inside of the boots needed to be dried out. As I pulled the one liner out, there, tucked neatly, between the liner and the outside rubber of one Sorel boot was my personal business card, one that I had laminated at home. The purpose of which, was to identify me in the rare instance that something should happen to me and I would be found later “out on the land”. This is the north….you just have to be prepared. My years of sailing have taught me well. Take nothing for granted…Mother Nature does not forgive.

On Sunday, I went out for a jaunt. It was a balmy -24C here while at home in Niagara Falls it was

Sun starting to set about 4:00

–21C on my backyard weather station. I took just a quick trip to the Northern to get some items that I had not listed for my Friday shopping blitz after work. I will post some photos of some of the goods and their costs at a later time. I try not to seem shocked at the prices but there is no getting around the costs and unavailability that the north imposes. I try to take some photos discretely. I’m very conscious of my role here and want to establish a good working relationship with the staff here at the Centre & with the community. I met two of the GRC-RCMP officers and introduced myself, knowing full-well our paths will cross in the near future.

The Polar Bear and North Star logo of the Territory

At the hockey game on Friday night, there were 20-30 people in attendance. It had been quite exciting as it was senior men’s playoffs, game 3 of the best of 5 series…the next game was Sunday ( I had completely forgotten about it so I can’t tell when the finals will be starting). As I was enjoying a warm hot chocolate, between the second and third periods, a lady approached and asked if I was enjoying the game. She recognized me (but I not her) and told me about the huge tournament this coming weekend. 

She went on to explain that her husband would be doing the announcing this weekend. It's the Polar
Plate tourney of 14-20 year olds with full body contact…all trying to impress…scouts, families and their girlfriends…and I’m on call. There'll be 8 teams from all across Kivalliq region in for the games here at our arena. Due to the possibility of bad weather, several teams flew in last night...2 teams are from Rankin Inlet as we have the largest population. The other six communities registered are Chesterfield Inlet, Arviat, Repulse Bay, Whale Cove, Iqualuit, and possibly Baker Lake, Coral Harbour or Cambridge Bay.

Quite a logistical nightmare with food, shelter and the like…apparently the small communities fund raise to offset costs. Billeting occurs with cousins, friends and the like. There’s another tournament here starting March 11 and finishing up on the 20^th. I’ll bet Marie has booked me for call that week as well (LOL).

For these two tournaments, there won’t be any coverage for you to watch, I’m afraid. But rest assured some of those players will soon be in other leagues across Canada…hockey is that strong here. I’ve seen them playing on the snow covered roads and in our rink.

Intense action in Third Period on last Friday Men's Senior Semi-Finals and yes that is 1/2"of frost on all the glass at that end

On Friday, when I was introduced to many of the Inuk staff, the second question out of their mouths

was “Leaf fan or Canadiens”? It was ironic then, that the casual conversations later in the day were about the upcoming LEAF vs. HAB game this past Saturday night. A match made in Arctic heaven, as it were. For, in Rankin Inlet, it seems that there are only two teams in the entire NHL…and they are both CANADIAN, eh?

Next up: 30 DAYS

...AND...THE HAPPY BIRTHDAY GOES TO...

Now that our flag celebrations have concluded. We move on to more awards. The Grammy's and the Golden Globes have all been announced. The Oscars are but a few days away. Locally, here at the

KIVALLIQ REGIONAL CENTRE, we have an award of a different kind. It's touching and, really, ever so sweet.

On my tour of the Health Centre, last thursday afternoon, I met many of the staff as I was toured by Barb, the full time ultrasonographer. On my first visit 7 years ago, Barb was a part-time employee, who flew in from Winnipeg once a week or so for a couple of days, if needed. Like imaging changes everywhere, Medical Ultrasound examinations continue to have both diagnostic and cost benefits from those first images, Terry Collins and I, saw at Henderson General Hospital in Hamilton in the early 70's.

Barb's state of the art (yes even here!) equipment is linked by PACS to Iqaluit, the capital of

The newest image device in Rankin Inlet

NUNAVUT across to the north east of Hudson Bay...(can our xray unit be far behind?). From there, her images are relayed to Ottawa for reporting. On the other hand, our xray hard copy images are transported to the local airport here (remember YTR?) and the film bag is sent to Winnipeg (YWG), for reporting, and then they are returned to be filed in our storage room, once placed in their master. Of course, any previous images relating to the same anatomic area are also forwarded and all are returned together.

Marie showed me how the films are bundled, prepped, and on friday, at four, the films were wisked away by Cyrus for the flight south. They'll be back in about a week. My handiwork is headed south...I remain, frozen in time and space.

My tour of the second floor of the health centre, shows much change from my orientation in 2008. We can have some inpatients, now. Mostly for observation, as we have no surgical suite. We, also, have a pediatrics area. The midwives use a section as they did before. The elevator seems to get more use now...the staff is older, yes, but we now are required travel up for portables from the main floor. There are two flights of twelve steps each and a landing. It would be hard to get the portable up the steps...but much easier taking it down. We'll use the elevator if we need to.

The elevator, here at the Health Centre when it was build in 2005, was the only elevator, at the time, on the west coast of Hudson Bay in NUNAVUT TERRITORY. I expect that still to be true. I will be asking the local mounties, when they check in over the next few weeks, if they have an elevator in the new HEALING CENTRE, located off towards the airport. It's a massive structure, long overdue. It saves prisoners from having to be transported to Iqaluit or Thomson, Manitoba. The native focus is very much evident here and is the entire “raison d'etre” for Nunavut. Our local HEALING CENTRE, in the south, would be known as a jail.

I cannot see Russia from my window...just some amazing sunrises

When I entered the coffee room, nothing had changed much. Same chairs and tables along with a large tube-type TV hanging on its rack which is still firmly bolted to the wall. It was too early for break, but the game show network (GSN) was on. Looking out the window “onto the land”, the sky was a bright robins-egg blue, with sunshine dancing across the drifts, left from past blizzards. Further down the corridor, I met Edward the biomedical engineer. I had met him when I had inadvertently interrupted the Health and Safety meeting on the previous afternoon, in the conference room.

My tour concluded at the last room, here-to-fore, not visited. I was introduced to Connie in the kitchen. It was not until the next day, however, that I was able to sample her sweet delights. You see, Connie is the cook at the Health Centre...and when I met her, the mixmaster was fully engaged. This was on Thursday. She was busy making goodies for friday afternoon's coffee break. Here, at the

There were only a few left by the time I got there on Friday

KIVALLIQ HEALTH CENTRE, like many retirement homes, we celebrate the birthdays of anyone celebrating their birth date in the current month. The chocolate muffins were moist, had a great chocolate taste and were decorated beautifully, several different icing options, including candles, all unlit, of course. The sour cream icing was a treat to eat.

The only down side is, that unless I get snowed in for twenty days, I'll miss my own personal muffin celebration. You see, my own birthday is in April.

Next Up: MY FIRST WEEK

THE FLAG Flap

On February 15, 1965 Governor General Georges Vanier and Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson raised our new flag at high noon on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. The occassion was solemn with thousands of the public, in attendance, along with politicians from the entire country. The road to this moment however, was filled with passions.

An early concept of a new flag based on the Red Ensign

The first ideas and early concept was based upon the Red Ensign with the Union Jack in the upper corner, red background and a stylized gold maple leaf. We had used the Red ensign for years, originating with a shield portraying symbols from across the country. This shield was modified and simplified along the way.

More modern designers felt blue stripes on either end would depict the ocean on our west and east shores would make a welcome addition. The maple leaf seemed to be a common theme,

The Red Ensign used for Canada until 1928

whether alone or in a cluster.

Further refinements in the shape of the maple leaf occurred as the debate wore on. Until finally we resolved and grudgingly (for some of us) accepted the newest of designs. It was a time of new logos (a new term even then). Traditions were being thrown out the windows....Beatniks, Elvis, the Beatles, the Mama's and the Papa's were drowning out Perry Como.

The flag was raised, as were our glasses in celebration. We've had some bumps and lumps along the

The Red Ensign that was used from '57 - '65

way but here it is 50 years later, respected worldwide and so easy to recognize. It's been to countless Olympic and international events and the pride of a country stands with it alongside those representing this nation.

Here, in Rankin Inlet, at the local hockey arena, our fifty year old friend lies flat against a wall. It's the oldest flag of the three that hang together at centre ice. The most recent is the flag of the Canada's newest territory, Nunavut. I am currently an employee of the Nunavut Government at the Kivalliq Regional Health Centre and, as of friday, have an new email account “RBriggsJude@gov.nu.ca”...and a new mailing address at the KIVALLIQ HEALTH CENRE, Xray Department,1-61 Tupirvik Avenue, P.O. Bag 008, Rankin Inlet, NU    X0G 0G0.

One of the debated designs "from sea to shining sea"

This territory was formed by a division, broken off so to speak, from the old Northwest Territory, and is based primarily upon migration of the caribou and settled land claims. Their new flag features the north star in blue above a red INUKSHUK. The yellow and white shapes has a purpose as well.

The third flag at the arena is the hamlet flag of RANKIN INLET featuring the shaft head of the Rankin Mine as it produced nickel in the early 60's.

Flags are symbols up in the north. They are easy to transport and provide a good method of ensuring representation at an event. People sign flags and carry the town with them as a means of support. In 2008, the entire staff signed my Nunavut territorial flag as I completed my contract and I've kept it as a honoured remembrance of my time at Rankin Inlet.

The three main flags of Rankin Inlet hanging at Centre Ice

My return this week, was marked by faint reminders on thursday, since I was only here a month and people come and go all the time. They did accurately remember the burst pipes, but when I brought out the flag, their eyes lit up as they looked for their signatures. I had asked Sam, if he could find me a ladder and he wanted to give me a short three step, but he eventually found the six foot I needed to decorate my xray room. I went to stores and got some pins from stores and then decorated the wall.

My xray room decor including my "STAFF SIGNED" flag from '08

The Nunavut flag from January 2008, is now proudly hanging in my xray room as a reminder to me of a past visit and the vast education that I received the last time. Hanging next to it, is our 50 year old birthday celebrant. The staff and patients will easily recognize them. But the majority of the staff and, many of my patients, will never have seen the third one that is hanging alongside the others in the group. It's the one that the my associates will be signing, for me, when I leave in the spring. Most of them have never seen an Ontario Flag.

FIFTY YEARS of Blowing in the Wind

Happy Birthday to our Flag...some fifty years young yesterday.

Raised first on February 15, 1965 on Parliament Hill after the red ensign had been lowered at noon in Ottawa

Wow...hard to believe it...for it seems like, not so long ago, we had this major rift and the designs were all over the map. What we settled on, was not what was originally proposed, or even roughly thought about initially. We have survived...my, how we have survived. And what a nice flag it is. It's still a very clean and crisp design, fifty years later. I didn't always feel this way.

I was a newsboy, then, in the early sixties. Lester B. Pearson was a new Prime Minister having defeated John Diefenbaker from out west in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Pearson lead the Liberals as they won the election in the spring of 1963. John G. Diefenbaker had lost over a number of issues. The cancellation of the AVRO ARROW had cost thousands of jobs in the aerospace industry with brightest of those folk heading to Florida to work with NASA to form a nucleus of the U.S. Space program. Then there was the failure to allow/disallow the BOMARC atomic bomb missiles into Canada from our neighbour to the south. The waffling got the better of him.

Perhaps, you've heard of the Diefenbunker, built deep in the ground, outside Ottawa, to shield top national leaders in the event of a nuclear attack. This was a time of extreme cold war politics, the Cuban missile crisis and U.S. ship embargo surrounding Cuba, hoping to prevent the delivery of Russian missiles. The U-2 photos recon photos showing the silos that were already under construction. Civil Defence drills with us kids having to go into the central halls of schools for drills where we would line up or sit quietly on the floors or huddle under our desks (as if that was really going to reduce our injuries). The yellow air raid sirens that were put up in strategic points in St. Catharines...one being just off the north side off the Connaught schoolyard where I attended until June of '63.. Another was installed on Queenston street near the Kernahan Park baseball diamonds...with a third that I remeber down near York and Carlton, I think.

“Diefenbaker appointed the first female minister in Canadian history to his cabinet as well as the first aboriginal member of the Senate. During his six years as Prime Minister, his government obtained passage of the Canadian Bill of Rights and granted the vote to the First Nations and Inuit peoples.”* (*Courtesy Wikipedia).

Carrying the six-day-a-week late edition of the St. Catharines Standard, owned by the Burgoyne family, you became familiar with all the front page news as you biked or walked your route depending upon the weather. Sometimes it was late arriving as the early edition cylinders on the presses had been changed to update a late-breaking story. That usually brought the ire of some of your customers as their papers hadn't been received “on time”.

My route had cost me $17.50 and I had bought it from Ricky Weaver's older brother who lived on Ida Street near the General Hospital on Queenston Street. In those days, you paid 50 cents for each customer on your route and had a contract that you signed with the Standard and the carrier. When I left the newspaper business a few years later, I had built the route to around a steady 96 customers (sometimes we had up to 105). More importantly, I had not purchased any additional customers. Just providing good prompt delivery combined with a dry paper was the key. The rest was good people skills which took some guts and learning at the age of 11. Slowly, over time, people switched to me as I built the business. I delivered for almost 5 years.

I first tried to get their names for my collection book...not just their address. I called them by name...they responded and treated me well especially with my tips at Christmas time. ...I only had a couple of times that they didn't pay or moved out without notifying me. I was under contract with the Standard and had to pay for each paper whether I had collected eventually or not. Cash...35 cents a week. On a week with a stat holiday the price was reduced by 7 cents....then it climbed to 40 and a new section was added on Saturday that made it 42. That new section had to be manually inserted by the carriers...and we were given an extra penny per paper for that trouble. It also made the paper

Paint it solid red...add "The St. Catharines Standard" in Old English lettering

heavier to carry and many times delayed the 4 p.m. weekday drop-off from the big, red, square box delivery vans similar to what UPS or FEDEX uses today.

Trucks, with drivers and tossers on board, would be lined up on William Street awaiting their deposit of papers as they came off the press room, were counted, bundled, and labelled for each carrier. Yes, each vehicle had a driver and a tosser. No seat belts, as they drove with the sliding doors wide open. The tosser standing by the open door hanging onto a handle for support after getting his next toss readied from the back of the truck while it was moving.

At each stop, a series of bundles of newspapers would be thrown by the side of the road, as the driver would cross the street to deliver a batch to the local variety store along the way. If there was no coner store the truck pulled to the curb and hardly stopped as the bundles sometimes rolled to a stop. At Christmas, you might have two or more bundles as the extra advertising swelled the size of the paper. Wednesdays usually had a larger paper as well with the grocery ads.

What am I leading to? In those days, we got our news primarily from a news paper. Sure local AM radio stations had their major newscasts at eight, noon, five or six and eleven...but anything with “in depth” coverage began with the newsprint manufactured either in Thorold South by the Ontario Paper or, in Merritton, at the Alliance Paper mills (although they specialized in more fine papers than newsprint). A lot of ink and paper were used to vent. LETTERS TO THE EDITORS abounded daily.

People were set in their ways. They had gone to three major wars under the Union Jack and Red Ensign and were not about to pledge allegiance to another. It was our Canadian Civil War. Families and members of families at loggerheads. What would be accepted...Union Jack vs. Red Ensign or a totally new design were the options.

Wave the flag proudly...a 50 year old classic.

Colour, style, intricate or modern, stripes or solids, vertical or horizontal, emblem or shield...wow, the list went on and so did the debate by ALL CANADIANS...young and old.

Next Up: THE FLAG FLAP

DAY THREE: It's About People

Having gotten in a little early for work on Friday, I decided to check out the bulletin and notice boards in the Health Center. The problem today is that with emails, PDF's and all manner of spam...the notice boards are not what they once were. They disseminated information. They were a meeting place for people, where actual discussions took place and opinions were voiced...and not a messaging forward or texting thing to be read and, perhaps, not completely understood. People took pride in how they arranged their posted information for all to see.

I see some of that pride here. For the present, I don't know who is responsible but there are some neat notices and some well thought out educational materials displayed. Even better, it's labelled in both Inuktitut and English...sometimes French as well. Even in the arena last night, there were huge

Last year's Miltiary Operation in the Arctic in February

banners educating about the flu bug...hand washing and other prevention methods...both banners completely written in two of Nunavut's 3 official languages. Other signs printed in all 3.

Friday was my first full day at the Centre. We had no cases booked from other communities. I found out later why. They don't like to book elective examinations on a friday in case the patients get snowbound in Rankin Inlet. They prefer to get them in and out same day. So next week will be catch up week for “THE SPINES OF THE NORTH” since Marie is not certified for spine or skull work and there is some backlog since the previous xray tech left a week ago.

After some discussion with Marie and Lavinia (who I worked with before as the LAB/XRAY clerk and right hand man) we have set a goal and are working to clearing those awaiting service. Arviat, Baker Lake, Whale Cove, Repulse Bay and Chesterfield Inlet residents will be flying in to have their

KIVALLIQ is one of three distinct reions of Nunavut Territory

xrays and then flying back home. Their films will be sent out to the Radiology group in Winnipeg and reports will be emailed to us with the films returning later. Extremities and Chests are handled at those settlements, but spines take more that a portable machine to accomplish diagnostic quality images.Yes, you heard correctly, we are still using film.

Lavinia and her sister, do the bookings and coordinate with the medical travel office for those appointments...but again, they try to avoid fridays. Each friday, is a special day, in itself, as we are closed on the weekends, except for emergencies and the on-call nurse has our cell number readily available, if we are required. Marie has kindly offered to take call all weekend but I've left her my cell number in case she needs something rather than having to “medivac” any patients. Yes, friday is also known as coffee “half and half day”.

Getting the tickets ready for the half and half.

We don't pay for our coffee and tea during our breaks here at the centre....It's certainly unique these days and works very well here. Tickets are sold with half the money going towards maintaining the necessary coffee funds and the winner is announced around 4 p.m. on friday afternoon. Hard to believe it, I didn't win...but I have five more chances!!!! Tickets go for $2 each and $5 for three...I bought five and considered it a bargain given the price of groceries here. Not sure who won...not someone I readily recognized...maybe a Susan or Suzie....but she walked out of here on friday afternoon with $116.00 in her pocket.

1 for $2 OR 3 for $5

That would certainly help anyone because this weekend is the big bingo double header for Valentine's day. Normally, friday is bingo night. You get to the recreation complex (no swimming pool here...that I know of...yet!) to get your cards. Then you take your cards home and listen on the radio for your numbers to be called. “RADIO BINGO”. Knowing the ingenuity of everyone here, speed dials are set to the number needed to collect...Marie told me she had won a considerable sum once. I won't divulge the amount, lest CRA demands an audit.

This Saturday is Valentine's Day and the pot grew as well..we are talking thousands of dollars here for the winners. Cards were $20 for friday's games..but the big one is on saturday and have the cards selling for $30. I think you get three cards to play all night but those details are not confirmed. I did ask if they called out the numbers in English or Inuktitut first, figuring I might have an edge if they did both (and english was first). I would still lose, these are VERY SERIOUS BINGO PEOPLE.

Before 1030 hours, I had also supported the Under 12 Boys Soccer League raffle...good thing 'cause when I got to the Northern tonight they were selling the tickets there as well. The drawing is March 29 and I should be south by then...but this is the north and things can change! Sam, from the Health Centre has willingly offered his services to get the first prize home should I win it or store it for me til the next time I'm here (LOL). We have started to discuss the logistics but he seems quite serious that it can be done anytime til the end of April at least to Winnipeg.

The prizes are listed...I'll just have to pay to ship them home...as well, other topics in the news this week.

Fifth prize is an XBOX ONE and I don't have one (yet) so that would be nice. Fourth prize isn't bad either

 Thursday in the Lobby of the "Polo Park" Holiday Inn

as it's a PLAY STATION 4. I don't have one of these. The third prize is an “ESKIMO ICE AUGER”. I don't have one of these either. Second prize is a 58” SAMSUNG TV and SONY HOME THEATRE SYSTEM...again, so far, not in my house. I got a 32” Toshiba...and if won, we'd have to re-decorate...perhaps we'll pass on this one. The GRAND PRIZE that Sam is convinced that either he, or I, will win is a brand new 2011 YAMAHA BRAVO snow machine ...probably similar to the one that was in the Holiday Inn Polo Park location lobby in Winnipeg. Sam is convinced we can get Jerry can drop zones organized all the way south. Maybe we've been watching too much Arctic Air....cause I sort of agreed it could be done. BUT....then...with that tag-a-long sled loaded down with provisions and gas and.....ice remaining on all the lakes......hey...

You get a lot of dreaming for $10 up here....and you'll never see that on a 649 commercial down south.

Next Up: FIFTY YEARS OF BLOWING IN THE WIND

The First Friday

On "approach" to YTR ... Rankin Inlet Airport

Well, its Friday and for me this work week is complete. Just like at the camera store, I've got my three days in...and the weekend awaits (unlike the camera store usually ...LOL). Today was my first full day at the Kivalliq Health Center here in Rankin Inlet. Yesterday, I had finally arrived from YWG (Winnipeg airport). My boss, Matt, had met me up at the airport, along with the driver from the centre, a young lad named Cyrus.

Flying into RANKIN INLET is the BAY known as HUDSON's

Cyrus helped me load my gear, from the luggage belt in the airport terminal waiting area, onto a cart (they are free here also). We manoeuvred past others, still waiting for theirs as friends and relatives are greeted or say good bye. My recently-arrived First Air BOEING 737-400 combi

was purging cargo and the newly-readied pallets were being loaded to complete the cycle as it would be taking off again shortly...as jets do everywhere. Fluffy's Taxis were there...two, in fact. The guy driving one, let's say I wouldn't want to call him “fluffy”.

Activity on my FIRST AIR 737 Thrusday at 2

Rankin Inlet...on the ground...was cold but was a beautiful sunny bright day with a minimal of cloud cover and the bluest of skies. Cyrus managed the luggage cart across the paved parking lot. 'Twas not easy, in fact, the cart had its own intentions. The packed snow provided a base, but the weight and the wheels combined to make it have a mind of its own...as it proceeded in its own direction. With the van finally loaded, we head off to my accommodations. Across snow covered roads, the sun blazing down (no actual heat but blazing just sounds so descriptive when its -38C).

Roadwork in Area 6 coming from the airport

We are detoured. Yes, here in Area 6 of Rankin Inlet, there was road construction in mid-February. We are detoured by a front end loader and a grater clearing snow drifts along the street. The Caterpillars are making great progress pushing the accumulated and drifted snow into piles on vacant land, well off the street. I think that Boston would love to have this much free space between buildings right now. Cyrus makes a left...then another couple of turns and “likity split”, we are here at the Health Center, another turn and we have arrived to unload at my destination.

The rampway into my housing

It's home...for the next few weeks. The building is snow covered. The steps and ramp have been recently cleared, a shovel still at the ready. The sign is mostly obliterated by past winds and the driving snow from the day before. My gear is stacked well past the entrance way as I'm greeted by Diane, the “house mother”. I bid Cyrus “adieu” and thank him for his help knowing it won't be the last in these next six weeks, as I'll be moving again...before my contract is over.

Looking northwest from my housing

I sign the necessary papers and get my access card...and then begin the job of carting and carrying the comforts of home I've brought along. I get to my room on the second (top) floor and look out my triple glazed windows as the sun begins its decent across the barren and snow covered field to my left. I start to open my luggage and begin to sort my

gear and provisions...and the finally the job of organizing my arctic accommodations.

Thinking back seven years to “the barn”, I've come along way baby. This is certainly a nice spot...very nice indeed. I put the necessary items in the fridge, stow some clothes and other necessities, and make sense of my surroundings. It's now 2:30 and I want to get to the Health Center. I was to start work this morning but was delayed by mechanical issues with our aircraft in Winnipeg. I want to make an appearance, get my bearings and meet the staff there.

My place of employment--The KIVALLIQ REGIONAL HEALTH CENTRE

For the short “jaunt” across the road and parking lot, I gather my coat, mitts, toque, snow pants, boots and all and enter the front door of KIVILLAQ REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER. The back door is for staff, and although I'm one for two shifts now, I don't have the number codes....AND ITS TOO DAMNED COLD TO HAVE TO WALK AROUND THE ENTIRE BUILDING!!!!

Entering the “mud room” (or is it the snow room here?), I swing open the next door. Memories begin flooding back as I recognize many of the staff...they don't me...but I know them. I've always had trouble remembering names, at the best of times, this is no different. I was here for less than a month last time, January 2008, so its understandable that their impressions of me, at that time, may not have been everlasting. We'll fix that now.

I mention the burst pipes, first in the xray room and then,less that a week later, over the front entrance. This they remember, You begin to see familiarity on their faces...as they tell me those weren't the only ones that year. I turn right and make my way into xray...it's like I never left. There, seated in a chair at the office, is Marie, my cohort. I recognize her and re-introduce myself as Marie and I had only met briefly on my last escapade here.

She had taken a snow machine from home after her flight had landed that Monday during our record breaking blizzard in 2008. Her husband had driven her into the building so she could sign my Nunavut Territorial flag before I was to leave that Monday. All the other staff had signed and at the time, I felt privileged that she had made the journey (from home...in the blowing snow) after just returning from her leave (her flight had been one of only three that had been able to land that day). I was there for a few more days 'til the blizzard finally subsided.

The setting sun of my first afternoon of Trip #2 to Rankin Inlet

So Day Two was in the books as we left at five having done a couple of patients but mostly administrative and orientation....the meet and greet, getting my passwords, and key codes. Time to leave. The getting ready for my two minute trek across the tundra. The sun had set. The day was done.

NEXT UP: DAY THREE: It's About People

C-YRT

Confused by the Title? Don't be. It's not your local rock, AM or FM station. Don't confuse it with YYZ, of which you may well be more familiar with. Perhaps you know YUL or in my case, more recently, YWG. You probably solve the mystery, a bit, when I mention JFK.

Now, your grey cells definitely recognized that last one. In 1964, it was changed from New York International Airport, established in 1948 (most commonly known as Idlewild Airport until '63). The next year it became John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) honouring that recently slain president by the FAA in the U.S.

Leaving YYZ on Wednesday morning

YYZ is officially known as the Lester B. Pearson International Airport (formerly Malton) since it was located there. In Montreal, YUL (originally DORVAL) is known by the Pierre Elliot Trudeau monicker. Recently, I became familiar with YWG. The James Armstrong Richardson International Airport in Winnipeg is named after an influential businessman and pioneer of Canadian commercial aviation from that city.

It was designated as Canada's first INTERNATIONAL airport in1958. Originally, it opened in 1928 as Stevenson Aerodrome to honour a Manitoba aviator and pioneer bush pilot, Captain Fred J. Stevenson. Seven years ago, when I was last here is was smallish, busy, and fairly compact. It's changed. The new terminal completely

It was much more snowy & colder than its Welcome sign

Inside "Departures" Level

replaced the old, which has since been demolished. Arrivals and departures are on different levels now.

Being the eighth busiest in Canada, it serves as a hub for some regional cargo and passenger services. One is Calm Air (with whom I flew north with 7 years ago). This time of year, with the outside temps in the low 20's (this is Winnipeg we're talking....in February...minuses don't count..but they are very much understood), there are many flights to Mexico, the DR (Domincan Republic), and Cuba being announced throughout my time here. People want to leave town. The airport is busy.

Flights to Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Yellowknife, Vancouver, Toronto and other canadian destinations are announced overhead. I became quite comfortable in those surroundings as I arrived, waited, cancelled, rebooked, checked out with my baggage(S), stayed overnight, returned to the airport, checked in once again and went through security a second time.

A jet has replaced the CALM AIR turbo prop I flew in January 2008

This time, I was a “victim”...of CATSA (The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority...the security staff...as they scanned my computer, my camera, my lenses, my e-reader, and my carry-on and MY PERSONAL BAG (You are allowed one carry-on plus one personal bag). Now I had been through all this in Toronto and as a passenger these days you expect these procedures. You take off your heavy coat and put it in a tray. Similar with your wallet, change purse, belt and any other removable items, empty your pockets...into another bin. These days your shoes or boots, those you can leave on....for now anyways.

You know you are in trouble when the operator of the xray machine scanning your “trays” calls over a co-worker and the belt moves back and forth a few times as they scan and re-scan and then you shudder to the announcement “Who's bag is this?” Knowing, that I was clean...I gulped...quietly raised my hand and echoed from my lungs...a weak “here?”.

“I'LL HAVE TO INSPECT!!!!”...“no problem”....“ANY SHARP OBJECTS?” as they stared at my carry-on....while under my breath “just my wit”, out loud it sounded like a weak but emphatic “no”. The case is unzipped. In front of everyone, heading to destinations everywhere, my life is dissected as the search begins in earnest. Straight to the shaving kit. No diversion...objective plainly in sight..it's now being opened. The offending article is raised for all to see...could the stainless steel bracelets be next? Will my name be added to the NO FLY listing? Am I being profiled as a white, canadian-born, north american male above the age of sixty...with an over 100 year old direct tie to the UK? I'm beginning to feel this, even though my parents had never warned me that it could happen.

I shrink at the thought that, I, travelling north to a small hamlet to help fulfill a medical need, could have committed the ultimate terrorist act, to date, in Canada's Arctic. I could have affected the entire north (those 1500 kilometers between Winnipeg and Rankin Inlet)...could have contributed to decades of contamination of a province AND a territory. My method, if not foiled, would have been quite easy and one that most had, previously, not thought about...using the deadly....STANUS FLORIDE...cavity preventing as well.....all with the help of my toxic tube of Crest toothpaste. “Yes I'm sorry eh?” “Oh? It should have been under 100 ml.?” “IS THERE AYNONE YOU CAN LEAVE IT WITH?” Under my breath again...”it's not in our Will”.

After an explanation of my options, I announce out loud “No, I'll surrender it to you”. Off it goes. Me and my "friends" from CATSA part company, once again.

Use it well...Grasshopper! 

And the YRT....you guessed right! It's
RANKIN INLET. 

The replacement tube tonight at the Northern...130 ml for $4.19