POLAR XPRESS – Friday, October 11, 2019

FROM THE TOP

Mental Awareness Week 2019

Mental Illness Awareness Week 2019 (#MIAW19) is an annual national public education campaign designed to help open the eyes of Canadians to the reality of mental illness. This year, the campaign runs until October 12, 2019.

The Centre of Expertise on Mental Health in the Workplace has developed the following #GCMentalHealth fact sheets and tools:

• GCMentalHealth at a glance provides an overview of mental health resources, services and supports available to federal employees.
• The Take ACTION! Poster is a practical tool for both people managers and co-workers, outlining suggested steps to support a colleague who may be struggling with their mental health.
• About GC Mental Health is an overview piece on the Centre of Expertise and the benefits of a mentally healthy workplace.

The above materials are available to download from the Centre’s GCconnex group. You can also find the new Your #GCMentalHealth video series featuring voices of lived experience and covering the following topics:

• Tips for managers
• Supporting a colleague
• Self-care in the workplace
• Sharing your story at work

We hope you will find these materials useful, not just for MIAW but to encourage ACTION for better #GCMentalHealth year-round.

Keeping Track of Geographical Name Changes in Nunavut with the Canadian Geographical Names Database

Over recent years the official geographic names of many places in Nunavut have changed. Among these are places around Cambridge Bay where POLAR researchers are active, such as Greiner Lake, whose official name is Iqaluktuuttiaq, and Ferguson Lake, which is Tahirjuaq. POLAR can recognize and respect these official names by using them in our reports and other publications. For clarity, until they become more widely known, we suggest including the former place name, for example: “Iqaluktuuttiaq (formerly Greiner Lake)”; or, to avoid confusion stemming from the fact that Iqaluktuuttiaq is also the Inuinnaqtun name of Cambridge Bay, “Iqaluktuuttiaq Lake, formerly Greiner Lake”.

The Canadian Geographical Names Database, at Natural Resources Canada, is an excellent resource for checking official place names. Click here to access the database.

POLAR’S PEOPLE

POLAR Attends Naming of New UK Research Icebreaker

On September 26, David J. Scott, POLAR’s President & CEO, attended the naming ceremony of UK’s new polar research icebreaker in Birkenhead, England. The vessel, named in honour of the distinguished British naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, an eloquent campaigner on climate issues, is designed and built for Arctic and Antarctic research.

The RRS Sir David Attenborough can accommodate 60 researchers and a crew of 30, and with a range of 35,000 km, can hold all the cargo needed for a long voyage. It has a moon pool (a portal on the bottom of the ship through which scientists can take samples from the sea below), and carries a helicopter, as well as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).

“This is an astounding ship,” said Scott, who attended the ceremony to help strengthen ties between the Canadian and UK polar research communities. “Its scientific equipment is second to none – and on top of that it’s a hotel, cargo vessel, and airport!” More information can be found in BBC News’ article.

Inuit Studies Conference in Montreal

Three POLAR staff members, Angulalik Pederson, Gavin Greenley and Bryan Vandenbrink, participated in a panel on Inuit in polar science at the Inuit Studies Conference in Montreal on October 3. The panelists shared their experiences and advice about working in Arctic science. They also engaged in a lively discussion with the audience about how to encourage more Inuit to pursue a career in science and research.

LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE

Inuinnaqtun/Inuktitut Word of the - Imirumaviit? - ᐃᒥᕈᒪᕖᑦ?

The Inuinnaqtun/Inuktitut word of the week is imirumaviit. It means “Would you like some water?”

It is pronounced: ee-mee-roo-ma-veet.

Listen to the pronunciation here.

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Adopts New Writing System for Inuktut

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), Canada’s national Inuit organization, has officially adopted a new standardized roman orthography to ease written communication in the Inuit language across the Canadian Arctic. Inuktut’s numerous writing systems – syllabics, used in Nunavik and eastern and central Nunavut, and various older roman orthographies used in Nunatsiavut, western Nunavut, and the Inuvialuit region – have long hindered written communication in their own language among Inuit from different regions. The new system is based on the standard roman orthography developed by the Inuit Cultural Institute in 1976 (the words Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami are written using that orthography).

Although many Inuit remain strongly attached to syllabic writing – the use of which will likely continue to a degree, in parallel with the new system – others have long favoured universal adoption of roman orthography, and ITK identified standardizing Inuktut across the four Inuit regions as a priority in its Strategy on Education (2011). According to Inuit linguist Jeela Palluq-Cloutier, “people will resist as they will be personally attached to their dialects but one must think of the future generations and the fact that as children learn to read and write they will not judge and have personal attachments. They will learn to write a system that is used by everyone else.” Inuit in Alaska and in Greenland—a country with a rich literary tradition—both use the Roman alphabet

Read more:
ITK sets new standard for written Inuktut, combining 9 scripts into 1 (CBC North)

Are you ready to Talk the Talk?

UPDATES

Key Outcomes from Senior Management Committee

Here are the key outcomes and decisions deriving from the October 3rd Senior Management Committee meeting:

• A request related to health care for use of public areas at CHARS campus was reviewed and approved. All public area use requests are to continue to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The review committee to consider adding criteria to the request form to better identify potential benefits to Northerners.
• Adjustments to POLAR’s budget allocations between salary, O&M and contributions have been determined for future years to provide managers with appropriate resources to achieve their objectives.
• Managers are reminded to review the year-end procurement deadlines to ensure any required procurement is completed within the identified schedule.

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: October 8, 2019

WORKPLACE NOTICES

2019-2020 Fiscal Year-End Deadline

Procurement deadlines for fiscal year 2019-2020 are fast approaching! POLAR Procurement has put together the following information to assist you in managing your requirements for the acquisition of goods and services targeting delivery prior to March 31, 2020.

Download the table here

Pilimmaksaivik’s On-Site Psychologist Services

Pilimmaksaivik is pleased to offer confidential on-site psychologist services in Cambridge Bay for federal employees*. Please note that priority will be given to Nunavut Inuit employees.

As such, a psychologist will be in Cambridge Bay November 18-21, 2019. To book appointments, please contact Lily at Lily.Amagoalik@Canada.ca or at 867-975-3868.

*Pilimmaksaivik provides services to federal departments and agencies operating in Nunavut who have strict obligations under Article 23 (Inuit Employment in Government) of the Nunavut Agreement.

Kilometric Rates and Meals Allowances

Reminder: Kilometric rates will change effective October 1st, 2019. These new rates will apply for all provinces and territories. Click here to learn more: https://www.njc-cnm.gc.ca/directive/d10/v238/s658/sv12/en

In addition, the meal allowances will also change as of October 1st, 2019: https://www.njc-cnm.gc.ca/directive/d10/v238/s659/sv7/en

Please contact finance@polar.gc.ca for more information.