Joan Hitkati of Baker Lake was not happy when she saw a post on social media about Manitoba-based CBC employees on their way to her community without being tested for Covid-19 and, more importantly, not having to quarantine like everyone else in the community.

Travellers on medical from Baker Lake, after isolating for 14 days in Winnipeg, shared a plane with two of the CBC staff, first from Winnipeg to Rankin Inlet and then from Rankin to Baker Lake.

Hitkati, 72, said she was afraid for the health of community members.

She said she's grateful that Nunavut residents have been under strict protection measures for their safety, and wonders why that would be risked for employees from the CBC.

SA国际影视传媒淎ll that isolation and millions of dollars spent would all be useless should SA国际影视传媒榚ssential workersSA国际影视传媒� get careless and spread the virus,SA国际影视传媒� said Hitkati. SA国际影视传媒淚 feel it would not be fair to hundreds of Nunavut residents who valiantly obeyed all the rules to prevent the virus (from coming here). Someone tell me, what's essential about CBC workers coming to Qamanittuaq?SA国际影视传媒�

Jane Tran, regional manager of communications, marketing and brand for CBC's Northern and Saskatchewan regions, stated that CBC sent four employees from its transmission services division in Winnipeg to Baker Lake on Oct. 29 to perform SA国际影视传媒渃ritical emergencySA国际影视传媒� tower repair work.

SA国际影视传媒淭his work was required to keep our FM radio broadcast on the air,SA国际影视传媒� Tran stated.

CBC staff in the area have been approved for travel by the territorial chief public health officer in writing after staff filled out the Nunavut travel form. The travellers have been made aware of, and are abiding by, all required health precautions, according to Tran.

She noted that the tower repair in Baker Lake has been completed and the two tower contractors returned to Winnipeg on Sunday. The remaining two staff have work to finish in Arviat until Wednesday, she added.

Hitkati said everyone should have to play by the same rules with Covid-19.

SA国际影视传媒淭he same rules should be applied to everyone who are coming up to Nunavut, especially from Winnipeg.

SA国际影视传媒淚 myself would refuse to get on the same plane if I knew there were non-isolated, non-tested persons on the same plane.

SA国际影视传媒淲hy are we put in a risky situation by their presence? At least warn us of such visitors so we can avoid them.SA国际影视传媒�

Hitkati said she thinks everyone has been affected in every area of their lives due to the virus.

She said and that doesn't just mean getting sick from the Covid-19 virus, because people are also being affected mentally by the pandemic.

SA国际影视传媒淛ust because we do not have cases yet in Nunavut, that doesn't mean weSA国际影视传媒檙e worry-free.

SA国际影视传媒淟ike many other elders and younger Inuit from my community, I decided to postpone my medical appointments twice that I had waited more than 18 months for in the city.

SA国际影视传媒淗aving to have an escort would also mean a double risk for our community, family and contacts; not to mention the 14 days in isolation, which is very nikal'lungangnaq ihumamul'lu (stressful).

SA国际影视传媒淚f weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to be visited in our communities by people who have not been tested for Covid-19, and who do not have to isolate, we should be given awareness so we have the option of whether to take part in whatever it is theySA国际影视传媒檙e doing here.SA国际影视传媒�

-with files from Ezra Black