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This Will Be One Cool Place

IQALUIT, NUNAVIT-- Canada's third and latest territory, farther north than any other populated region in the world, is almost finished construction of its first official government building, in its capital of Iqaluit.

Nunavut's capital building, pictured here during construction in August.

Nunavit became a territory in 1999, and Iqaluit, formerly Frobisher Bay, was selected by plebescite to be its capital.

Built almost entirely of iceblocks and within a spear-throw of the Parnaivik Building, the building combines traditional European parliamentary building styles with traditional Inuit building materials.

"We're particularly proud of the detail that went into the outer walls," said Tusilartoq Ulloriannguaq, construction supervisor and steward for the Northern Arctic Chiselers and Icemasons Union Local #3.

"Ice was hauled in from all corners of the new territory. You can see the lower parts here are greener than up there. That's sea ice from near Resolute Bay. The really white stuff on the top comes from inland, south of Umingmaktok."

"We wanted everyone coming here to feel welcome, and that they are part of this new capital."

Nunavut means "our land."

The building was not without some challenges. Mild summer temperatures can sometimes rise to almost -15° Celsius, which could threaten to melt or destabilize some of the building's foundations. The solution was to use ice-rink technology to keep the exterior walls well-frozen. As well, every Fall the building is carefully checked for signs of sublimation and damage caused by bartenders looking for cheap ice cubes.

The perma-frost prevents the plumbing and toiletries that southeners are used to, but ecologically sensitive solutions are in place.

"Basically your poop is a block of ice before it hits the ground," said Qayak Itukuchuk, one of the new tour guides for the legislature building. "We use it for foundation material for all the new government buildings going up. The fibre helps keep the ice more solid. It's really quite amazing."

"Being sensitive to the environment is really what we were trying to do with this building," Mr. Itukuchuk continued. "Besides recycling waste, the heating and electrical systems were built on a state-of-the-art oil generator. Not oil from the ground, which could be problematic from an environmental point of view, but whale oil. Whales are a renewable resource. We also use their jaw-bones and baleen for cariboo-skin drying racks in the back. It's a multi-use building."

Of special interest is the parking lot. It has stalls for snowmobiles, ice-planes as well as special corrals for sled-dogs and one for a reindeer team. Santa Claus is the northern-most resident of Nunavut.

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