POLAR XPRESS – November 8, 2019

FROM THE TOP

POLAR in the news

Click on the headlines below to read articles and press clippings about POLAR.

Remembrance Day

Lest we forget… The period around Remembrance Day (November 11) each year is a time to reflect on the sacrifices of Canadian soldiers. Veterans of all ages, as well as residents and visitors, gather in Canada’s capital region for special events and ceremonies.

Every year, the Royal Canadian Legion organizes the National Remembrance Day Ceremony at the National War Memorial in downtown Ottawa which runs from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

From 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., the Virtual Wall of Honour and Remembrance displays thousands of photographs of late veterans on large screens. At 10:30 a.m., a Veterans Parade departs from near Parliament Hill and makes its way to the National War Memorial, followed by the arrival of dignitaries such as the Prime Minister, the Governor General of Canada, and the Silver Cross Mother – a woman whose child has died while serving in the military. Additional programming includes the national anthem, two minutes of silence, a wreath-laying ceremony and a rousing fly-past (weather permitting).

There will also be a Remembrance Day celebration in Cambridge Bay. Come together in the Community Hall on Monday, November 11 at 10:30 a.m. for a special service hosted by the Cambridge Bay Cadet Corp.

Share your special Remembrance Day moments with #RemembranceDay.

International Inuit Day

Did you know? During their 2006 general assembly in Utqiagvik, (formerly Barrow) Alaska, the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) chose November 7 as International Inuit Day. This day of celebration commemorates the birthday of the ICC’s late founding president, Eben Hopson, an Inupiaq from Utqiagvik. In 1976 Hopson gathered Inuit leaders to form an international organization, then called the Inuit Circumpolar Conference. Founded in 1977, the now Inuit Circumpolar Council represents approximately 160,000 Inuit from Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Chukotka, Russia.

Busrides.ca

Are you an individual who commutes to work on public transportation? Do you ever find yourself bored during your travels? Tired of scrolling through your social media accounts or not ready to check your work emails? Introducing: Bus Rides. An online platform sharing bite-sized learning about digital technology and government, brought to you by the Canada School of Public Service: https://en.busrides-trajetsenbus.ca/

Bus Rides offers a variety of topics with articles ranging from, short 2-minute reads to 13-minute reads. Their latest release is a 3-part series on virtual teams within the Government of Canada. Remote Work, Defined: “Telecommuting, teleworking, working from home, virtual teams and remote work. There are many terms, but they all mean the same thing: having teams wherein one or more people work outside a central office.” To read more of this article click here: https://en.busrides-trajetsenbus.ca/en/ep-14-en/

POLAR’S PEOPLE

A visit from Don McLennan

Donald McLennan, ecologist and Senior Program Officer, gave an engaging and informative presentation on recent POLAR science activities to staff last week, from the Ottawa office. Donald covered the gamut of POLAR research: high resolution ecosystem mapping, permafrost research, research on plants and lichens, arthropods, birds and mammals, DNA analysis and more. Those attending clearly enjoyed Donald’s presentation, which opened a window on POLAR arctic science for staff less familiar with science and technology (S&T) activities, and provided a highly useful update to others.

Students on Ice 2019 Arctic Expedition

The Students on Ice (SOI) 2019 Arctic Expedition occurred from July 23 to August 7, and the ship traveled from Greenland to Resolute Bay. There were a record number of students on board this year (total of 130 with representation from all the Arctic nations and from 18 countries). As part of the education team, I was able to contribute to three workshops throughout the trip on Arctic policy, circumpolar relations and climate change geography.

I was also privileged to be a pod leader for the Tuku group and developed special relationships with our group of students from all over the world. The experience for me was extremely intense - intense relationships to the land, people and culture. One of my most treasured moments occurred on a landing at Qiajivik (Coutts Inlet) where we saw the archaeological remnants of sod homes and were able to speak to elders whose family lived in these exact locations. A direct connection to the lives and traditions to people who survived in the very place we stood, has been imprinted on my soul. Although the 2-week experience is over, these life-long connections that cross boarders, age and cultures will keep POLAR engaged with many Arctic-interested stakeholders and partners. It was truly an experience of a lifetime, and I’m always happy to talk about the SOI expedition.

LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE

Inuinnaqtun/Inuktitut word of the week - How to pronounce the name of the new MP for Nunavut

Mumilaaq Qaqqaq

The new Member of Parliament for Nunavut is Mumilaaq Qaqqaq. (ᒧᒥᓛᖅ ᖃᖅᑲᖅ)

Listen to the pronunciation of her name here.

Spotlight on ACCESSibility Series

The Canada School of Public Service (CSPC), in collaboration with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, proudly presents a series of events on accessibility that will showcase different topics and themes from this unique perspective. Although the events target specific functional communities, all public servants are invited to attend. We all need to be aware of the accessibility tools and best practices available in order to actively participate in establishing more inclusive workspaces.

Accessibility in Canada is about creating communities, workplaces, and services that enable everyone to participate fully in society without barriers. The recently adopted Accessible Canada Act provides for the development of accessibility standards and gives the Government of Canada the authority to work with stakeholders and persons with disabilities to create a new accessibility legal framework. This framework will set out requirements for organizations to follow to identify, remove, and prevent barriers to accessibility.

Implementing and practicing accessibility best-practices is a multidisciplinary effort. Make it your priority to attend this enlightening series of events!

  • Upcoming events:
    • Procurement – November 27, 2019
    • Built Environment – January 8, 2020
    • Communications – February 12, 2020
    • Service – March 11, 2020
    • Employment – April 15, 2020

Click here for more information on the ACCESSibility Series.

Are you ready to Talk the Talk?

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Revitalizing Indigenous Languages in Canada

The Canada School of Public Service is hosting a panel discussion event in Ottawa on November 20, 2019 – Revitalizing Indigenous Languages in Canada.

Location: Collaboration Lounge, Académie De-La-Salle, 373 Sussex Drive (Guigues Avenue entrance), Ottawa, Ontario. The event will also be available across Canada by webcast.

Back in 2016, The United Nations General Assembly declared 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages (IYIL). To mark the IYIL the Canada School of Public Service is holding a panel discussion on the importance of Indigenous Language revitalization in Canada.

Did you know the numbers of people able to speak Indigenous languages is on the rise, and twice as many children as elders speak an Indigenous language? Indigenous Peoples represent more than 5,000 languages and cultures, in more than 70 nations, on 6 continents.

Panelist will provide insights into the daily work of revitalizing and maintaining Indigenous languages. Employees who are interested in attending this event must register online at https://www.csps-efpc.gc.ca/events/indigenous-lang/index-eng.aspx?pk_campaign=Arial363-EN&pk_kwd=ils

UPDATES

Key outcomes from Senior Management Committee

Here is the key outcome and decision deriving from the October 30 Senior Management Committee meeting:

  • Senior Management was reminded about the importance of respecting the document preparation and submission deadlines for all December Board Meeting material.

POLAR Events Calendar

You will find below the latest version of the POLAR events calendar, including upcoming events and conferences for your information.

Note: The calendar is subject to change. Any travel has to be pre-approved by Directors (and above for international destinations).

Please send any calendar updates or additions to Jerry Kallada at jerry.kallada@polar.gc.ca

POLAR events calendar: November 7, 2019

WORKPLACE NOTICES

Workplace cleanliness

Whether you are on site at the CHARS campus or in the Ottawa office, it goes without saying that keeping our work environment clean is beneficial for everyone.

Workplace Cleanliness

Some examples include:

  • Take the extra 1-2 minutes after a board room meeting to tuck your chair back into its place;
  • Maintain general cleanliness of common work stations;
  • Washing dishes (no matter how tempting it is to let them soak for days!);
  • Disposing of old refrigerator food before it becomes an indistinguishable mass.