At 72, James Eetoolook says, SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 not sad about my age.SA国际影视传媒�

He was re-elected as vice-president of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. in December and shows no signs of wanting to sit back and enjoy the fruits of his labours.

Eetoolook was re-elected with 68.2 per cent of the vote in December, with the rest going to challenger Peter Ohokanoak.

SA国际影视传媒淗eSA国际影视传媒檚 a young lad and heSA国际影视传媒檚 got good potential for the future,SA国际影视传媒� said Eetoolook. SA国际影视传媒淚 think he did a good job campaigning as well.SA国际影视传媒�

Eetoolook isnSA国际影视传媒檛 ready to pass the torch yet, though.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e been employed since I was 17. I went to school one year in Inuvik, took a job and never went back.SA国际影视传媒�

He said Nunavut is an expensive place to live, so itSA国际影视传媒檚 necessary to have an income.

He said heSA国际影视传媒檚 seen a lot of people retiring without anything to do SA国际影视传媒� and heSA国际影视传媒檚 seen their health deteriorate because of it.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou need to work. You need to serve your people. And when you represent your own people, you keep on. If you have potential, use it.SA国际影视传媒�

After close to 26 years in the role, during which heSA国际影视传媒檚 served as acting president four times, Eetoolook still sees a lot to be done.

SA国际影视传媒淲e still have a huge responsibility with the implementation of the Nunavut Agreement with the Canadian government and the Nunavut government,SA国际影视传媒� he told Nunavut News.

SA国际影视传媒淲e need to see [Inuit] be part of the Nunavut that weSA国际影视传媒檝e created. We need to see them employed in government, industry and other organizations.SA国际影视传媒�

Eetoolook says the federal and territorial governments need to take action on bridging the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 huge infrastructure gap, both linking the territory to the south and bolstering port facilities so NunavutSA国际影视传媒檚 commercial fishers donSA国际影视传媒檛 have to go to Greenland to offload and fuel up.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think we can create more jobs, create revenue through renewable resources [through these investments],SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淲e are always behind within Canada when it comes to infrastructure and I think we need to see that change. We, as the implementers of the Nunavut Agreement, need to work together with all the governments that we are dealing with. The infrastructure is costly but it is needed.SA国际影视传媒�

His responsibility is mostly to do with environment and wildlife management, with a focus on helping determine rules to balance industrial development with the protection of NunavutSA国际影视传媒檚 land and wildlife, and the rights of Inuit harvesters.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 a huge responsibility and we need to protect it.SA国际影视传媒�