Events and Community Visits - Arviat

April 2006 – Arviat: Community Visit

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Commissioner Ann Meekitjuk Hanson visited the Kivalliq community of Arviat and was greeted by Mayor Elizabeth Copeland and the RCMP in Red Serge. The Rangers were standing ready for inspection.

During her visit, she paid a courtesy visit to the high school and was impressed by the building. She also visited the college.

Elders play a large part in the Commissioner’s own life, so she also spent time visiting elders in their homes.

The Commissioner brought a hard to find item in the community: flowers to express her warmth for her fellow elders.

Every spring, Arviat has a festival celebrating spring. There was fishing contest and traditional games. Elders played bowling and nail in the can. But most importantly, the Commissioner handed out awards. Five awards were given for bravery, including one to 11-year-old Lucien Taleriktok who saved his grandfather’s life the year before.

When his grandfather took to the stage and started telling his grandson’s heroic story, Lucien cried as did others in the audience. He later sang a moving song to the audience about the event, joined by all the youngsters in the audience. The Mayor presented Commissioner Hanson with an antler carving by a local artist, to be displayed at the Office.

To view the complete photo gallery of this event click here.