Our Associates

Meet our qualified associates:

Gordon Bligh was the business manager at the Royal Bank of Canada for 12 years before transitioning into economic development in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. He is currently the owner/operator of Polar Bligh Consulting which specializes in economic development with an emphasis on strategic planning and business development. He has facilitated a number of workshops at Carleton University on financial accounting and Northern History. He has a degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Saskatchewan.

Sim Akpalialuk is an economic developer specializing in small business and community economic development. He has worked in various economic developmental capacities with Inuit and Governmental organizations in Nunavut. He has written numerous successful business plans and proposals for a variety of small business clients and local organizations in Pangnirtung, Nunavut. Once, while working for the Aurora College Tourism Program, Sim was a seasonal Arctic Char and Turbot fisherman.

Brenda Belair has over thirty years of administrative and accounting experience in a variety of positions across Nunavut and Ontario. She has accreditations in Municipal Administration and Municipal Law as well as certification from North Bay Business School. Having previously been the Senior Administrative Officer and Financial Comptroller, she is currently the Director of Finance in the Hamlet of Pangnirtung. In this capacity she manages the financial administration of the Hamlet.

Wanda Brascoupé Peters is the president of Brascoupé Professional Services Inc., an aboriginal IT outsourcing business that provides technical resources for Enterprise Resource Planning. Prior to this, she was the Senior Program Officer of the Aboriginal Program for the Canadian Tourism Commission. She has over 15 years of experience in Aboriginal Tourism including a stint as the interim-executive director of Aboriginal Tourism Canada.

Wes Werbowy has over 25 years of experience running an outfitting business, numerous lodges and remote camps in Nunavut and Ontario. Additionally, he has been a consultant for a variety of tourist and wilderness organizations. Wes has spent almost 30 years promoting ecotourism in Nunavut and the North West Territories.

Vincent Ningark started as the Community Lands Administrator for the Hamlet of Kugaruuk over 15 years ago and is now the accounts payable manager as well as the assistant to the Senior Administrative Officer. He has held a number of titles during this period, including Community Economic Development Officer for Kugaruuk.

Carroll MacIntyre is an accomplished businessman who was once the owner of Formac Publishing Company in Nova Scotia before embarking on early retirement. He has since, however, spent the last twenty years providing economic development support to various communities in Nunavut.

Rashid Mohiddin is a recent graduate of the University of Guelph with a degree in Political Science and International Development. He has worked for an international development consulting group as an administrative assistant and as a research assistant for AK Saha Consulting for the past two years.