hoping

Show up and be reliable at work, Arctic researcher urges northerners

Last Updated: Friday, June 26, 2009

CBC News

People living in Canada's North have to improve their reliability as workers if they want to take full advantage of job opportunities in the region, a longtime Arctic researcher says.

Chris Burn, a geography professor who holds an NSERC Northern Research Chair at Carleton University in Ottawa, said the North needs more "human capacity" in sectors such as mining and tourism.

But he said officials in various sectors have complained that people in some northern communities are not always reliable employees.

"In some positions, you find people saying, 'We can't get local, reliable assistance.' And that's a big problem," Burn told CBC News during a recent conference on Arctic issues in Ottawa.

"We got people around but they're not sufficiently reliable. And as a result of that, the employers phone up Saskatchewan, or they phone up people in Ontario, and say, 'Would you like to come up here and work?' "

Burn has specialized in permafrost since 1982, studying the effects of climate change on the Arctic frozen ground. He has divided his research time between sites in central Yukon and the Mackenzie Delta area in the Northwest Territories.

Burn said it's true that people living in northern communities need more access to training and work experience, but he added that people also have to do their part.

"One of the things they need to make sure is that people, for example, show up every morning," he said.

Act like an adult

"They need to make sure that people, if they say they're going to be available for three or four weeks, that they will actually work three or four weeks."

His view was shared by Iqaluit Mayor Elisapee Sheutiapik, who said everyone should act like an adult in the workplace.

"I hope people aren't slacking because there's too much work to do, too many challenges," she said.

"Whether you're a supervisor or not, you may be one day because there's always room for advancement. And really, you got to practise and set examples."

Burn said that by setting and meeting standards for reliability in the workplace, northerners will ensure they get the jobs they deserve from companies and groups coming north.

"It's not always going to possible to expect that people from outside who come presenting opportunities can lay out the red carpet so that everyone will be able to do exactly what they want," he said.

"The people coming from outside will have terms and conditions and in order to take advantage of those opportunities, sometimes people have to adjust their schedules themselves."

I have been censored 7/7 on this story, some Democracy this CANADA is turning into!!

Since the 'CRISIS' generated by the BQ,NDP & Liberals I have had some where around 350-400 comments CENSORED by CBC (Public) employees!!

They are usually CENSORED whenever I make comments regarding past LIBERAL Governments, Quebec Politics & Language laws as well as the impending Self Government Agreement in NUNAVIK (Northern Quebec) between the Federal, Provincial & Local leaders and how this will cost millions of taxpayers $$$.

As OUR publicly funded BROADCASTER (CBC) is often the ONLY choice to remote regions of CANADA already under served & rampant with corruption,discrimination & abuse of human rights.It would be interesting to compare notes with others who have been OVER CENSORED by them (CBC).

Any good blogs/bloggers out there interested in exposing some UN-taught Canadian HISTORY??

As a taxpaying Canadian I'm more than a little tired of the biased censorship that the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) employees keep practicing AGAINST those who have for years been trying to expose government wrong doing on their web-page (cbc.ca).

This is often the result when posting any comments about Quebec,Quebec Politics & how certain so called Aboriginal Leaders are ignoring the plight of their own people.

Is there any reporters out there with a conscious because I'd sure like to find out about you & you work..! I've got some great stories to tell of politics gone wrong.

I am pissed at the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corp.) as they are trying to shape (influence) policy in this country by being so heavy handed with their censorship!

This is almost always the case every time I try and Question if our publicly funded media has asked OR will ask all current Liberal Senators if they think that they should be elected or not.

Seems like a taboo subject!, Guess they have learned nothing from the secrecy surrounding the current financial state of the world economy and how censorship (secercy) helped to create this monster!

Are any other CANADIANS experiencing this problem and if not try making some comments regarding Liberal Senators, Scandles & if CBC has bothered to even ask them (Liberal Senators) if they think that the CDN Senate should be elected..

Give it a try and watch the CBC "MODERATOR" in action!!

I have posted & tried to post comments on the PUBLICLY FUNDED CBC web page (Canadian equivalent to PBS !?) .

As the debate about having an "ELECTED SENATE" has intensified

over the years the public media (CBC) seems to be intentionally snuffing this public debate with their censorship.

This is almost always the case when I try and Challenge the CBC to ask each & every "LIBERAL" senator if they believe in an elected senate my posts always end up deleted or censored!

Just wondering how many other Canadians are experiencing this problem??

As usual Anglophone (English speaking) & Allophones (people whose mother tongue is neither E/F) were taken for granted again last night during the only televised debate before the voters (living in the Province of Quebec,Canada) go to the polls ( yes!! more elections!!!) . We (some) vote in a new provincial government who will be responsible for leading us throughout the next few years.

Dispite years & years of public outcry from the non-Francophone population (including non- French speaking Aboriginal population!!) the world continues to reward the government of this province by continuing to grace the many 'CULTURAL' events,for the most part ignoring those they oppress! What do you say on the matter?

I'm wondering if such a site exists where WE (the average person out there) can expose their histories & how they rose to positions where they come to claim such authority over us.

To expose such things as assets acquired in their climb up the (corrupt) corporate ladder to their padded leather seats & 5 course meals.

Their histories ie; connections/involvement to drug trafficking & other such illegal activities as well as the affect that it has had on the victims.

__________________________________________________________

If no such site exists I think it would be only fitting and just tribute to the victims of such callous stone hearted people so they( those will ill gained wealth) will not be able to enjoy their spoils as they try and escape on some paradise vacation.

I was a little hard on journalists in my earlier question, I didn't meant to take it out on the grunt reporters. I was more condemning more the anchors & control rooms to edit what they bring in. I just become so jaded by media those days.!!!!

The reason I ask is because governments (at all levels ) in many countries seem to be spending an enormous amount of money suppressing human/equal rights completely unchallenged.

I would like to cite the Federal governments (liberal) & Provincial governments (Quebec separatists politicians such as Jacque Parizeau, Lucien Bouchard & most recently Pauline "pur laine' Marios) as examples of wasted taxpayer money to the tune of 100's of millions of $ the past 40 or so years.

Much of the Canadian Media are nothing more than cowardly quiters on this point. They are either ignorant of what makes a good journalist or else they have no morals!!

What does cyber world have to say on this??