Q and A

Hello Everyone,


First off yes we managed to avoid the flu going around. I felt like garbage for a couple of days, however it was never as bad as those I saw who picked up the bug. It seemed that those who got really sick didn't get a flu shot. I'm hoping that this is the reason we were spared, previously I have never seen any sign that it works. As for medical facilities, we have a nursing station in town. That is a location that has several full time nurses that do various diagnostic procedures, some prognosis, and order medical evacuations. A doctor does visit periodically (monthly I think). For equiptment they have a x-ray machine, I'm not sure of anything else. They also have a dispencery for medication, however scripts must be filled in Rankin and sent to baker for individuals. The nurses can dispense common medications, getting the confirmation of a doctor if nessassary.
Well, We have a conservative government. For my current position that isn't good news as the conservatives don't spend money on the North or aboriginal communities traditionally.
We do sell alot of ice cream in our store, The inuit have a preoccupation with anything sweet. I've never seen anyone in the south use 12 sugar in a small coffee however here its not uncommon. The locals love sugar and chocolate. As for selling local game, we do it on a very limited scale. We don't sell fresh caribou, we do sell caribou jerky (tastes like cardboard dipped in liver) and if available we will take all the whale meat we can get but this commidity usually sells out before it gets inland. I think that fresh caribou wouldn't generate that much for us as its readily accessable to the locals (I have about 6 lbs in my fridge right now thanks to Brian our butcher who went hunting yesterday). We have a licence to sell wild game, but you have to purchase all game through a licenced outfitter which increases costs. We do sell alot of Artic Char, which we haven't tried yet, but it comes in frozen from our outfitter.
Insurance isn't a big thing here, If your house burns down, the community will assimilate you fairly easily. The idea of homelessness up here takes a different meaning. If your homeless your dead. There are people who are very under-housed, cramped, sharing, without services etc. Even pensions and other forms of investiment for old age are not common here, locals year pull all funds available out of any long term funds for the cash. Once again the community will cover elders needs or assist them in spending thier money. Elders money seems to be a community fund.
Ok thats all for now, Back to the books.
TAke care.
CG