Nov 2nd., 2005

No school in Salluit to-day. A village elder has died. This is a small community and most Inuit will be saddened. Some of the old traditions are still observed here. It is difficult to plan for schooling here as so many things can shut down the system.

And what does that mean for water delivery and sewage pickup? Are the trucks running? If my sewage tank is not emptied, I have to be careful about the amount of water I use. If no water is delivered, I have to make the daily delivery last perhaps two or three days. Not knowing there was going to be a disruption in services, I had a long shower last night and did a load of laundry. I am beginning to regret that decison.

On week-ends, I throw my grey water out the front door so I will have more room in my tank for showers and toilet flushing. On a long weekend, I stock up on water a few days ahead and then pray that we'll get regular service on the Tuesday. There have been times when I have taken my washcloth and toothbrush to school to do the basics before the day starts.

I boil all the water I drink. Like so many people I have been watching the events on the Ontario side of the southern James Bay. I don't think Andy Scott has a grasp of the problems that isolated communities face. These communities have a tendency to grow very quickly. Orginal systems are quickly obsolete. The school I teach in was built 5 years ago. Already, we do not have enough classrooms. The school was built for 2 kindergarten classes... this year we have three.. so this building was already too small while it was being built.

For Andy Scott to visit the community involved last Aug, and then announce in Oct that there had been ongoing problems for 10 years, and it was now time for a study to find a solution - it's an insult to the people who have suffered for so long. He is not doing his job. If being stupid was a criminal offense he'd be in jail, without passing GO and without collecting his $200.00.

Not that the answers are easy, but the lack of such facilities is a problem that could and should be solved over 10 years... It seems to me that often problems in isolated communities are invisible. I remember once listening to a CBC radio story about the problems in the city of Regina resulting from a power failure that lasted 3 hours. We had just had our power restored after 11 days! We have no fireplaces... we have no extra sources of heat or ability to cook. Planes could not land to fix our power plant, nor to bring us food and we had seriously ill people waiting to be med-evac'd out of Salluit. I doubt very much that it was mentioned on any media source...other than my letters home.

It is just 6 weeks till the teachers fly out for Christmas! You can't imagine what is like to hit Mic Mac Mall after shopping in the tiny Co-op and Northern stores here in Salluit. I hit the mall at the peak shopping event of the year. The noise, the glitter, the people... it takes me hours to get out of the food court! Driving in Hfx is a bit of a roller coaster for me. Sara does get tired of me telling her to slow down, or me looking terrified. But Hfx is nothing compared to Aran picking me up in Toronto, and me having to deal with his driving and the confusion of Toronto. When I come out of Salluit, I am about ready for the speed of Digby... not Hfx or Toronto.

Today is municipal election day. It is time for me to go off to vote and then cuddle down on the sofa. I feel another cold coming on so I had better rest up.

Have a good day.
Pearl