05/14/2026
We are proud to celebrate a major milestone of a site employee at Mary River. Aggueq Ashoona has made Baffinland history as the first female Inuk Operator to load the crusher using the Caterpillar 988 Wheel Loader.
Aggueq joined Baffinland in May 2024 and started working as an IIBA trainee at the crusher, where she gained experience operating a skid steer and the Caterpillar 908 and 930 Wheel Loaders.
When asked about her achievement, Aggueq shared that while it feels great, it’s not just about her. “This is a significant milestone not only for myself, but for other Inuit women as well.”
While she experiences challenges and difficult days, she credits her team for keeping her motivated, especially when she misses her family. “There are days when I want to give up, but I don’t,” she says. “The guys always lift me up.”
As she looks ahead, Aggueq is eager to continue advancing her career. “It never hurts to try new things.” she says. “And I don’t mind the dirt at all, as long as I get to keep doing what I love!”
Success stories like Aggueq’s are a true reflection of what’s possible when Inuit employees have the opportunities, choices and support to reach their goals. At Baffinland, we are committed to providing the tools, training, and resources employees need to unleash their full potential and achieve success.
Please join us in congratulating Aggueq on this outstanding accomplishment!
ᐅᐱᒍᓱᒃᑐᒍᑦ ᖁᕕᐊᓲᑎᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᑕ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᔭᕆᐅᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᒧᑦ ᓄᓘᔮᖕᓂ. ᐊᒡᒍᐊᖅ ᐊᓲᓇ ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᓐᓂᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᙱᑦᑐᒥᒃ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐸᓪᓗᓂ ᐃᓅᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᖁᑎ ᐅᓯᓕᖅᓱᐃᔪᖅ ᓯᖃᓕᑦᑎᕕᖕᒧᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᖢᓂ ᑳᑐᐱᓗ 988 ᐊᒃᓴᓗᐊᓕᖕᒧᑦ ᐳᐊᕐᕆᓯᓕᖕᒧᑦ.
ᐊᒡᒍᐊᖅ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᒪᐃ 2024-ᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᒃᑐᖅᑕᐅᓂᐊᕐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐱᕚᓪᓗᕈᑎᒃᓴᓄᑦ ᐊᖏᕈᒻᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᓯᖃᓕᑦᑎᕕᖕᒥ, ᐱᓕᕆᓕᒻᒪᒃᖢᓂ ᐊᖁᓐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐳᐊᕐᕆᓯᓕᕋᓛᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᑳᑐᐱᓗ 908 ᐊᒻᒪ 930 ᐊᒃᓴᓗᐊᓕᒃ ᐳᖃᕐᕆᓯᓕᒃ.
ᐊᐱᕆᔭᐅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐊᓂᒍᐃᔾᔪᑖᓄᑦ, ᐊᒡᒍᐊᖅ ᑐᓴᖃᑎᒌᒍᑎᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᑲᐅᓪᓚᕆᖕᓂᖓᓂᒃ, ᑖᓐᓇᑐᐊᖑᙱᑦᑐᖅ. “ᑕᓐᓇ ᐊᖏᔪᕐᔪᐊᖑᓪᓗᓂ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᔭᕆᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᕙᓐᓄᑐᐊᖑᙱᑦᑐᖅ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᕐᓇᓄᓪᓗᑦᑕᐅᖅ.”
ᐊᔪᕐᓇᖅᑐᖅᓯᐅᖅᐸᒃᑲᓗᐊᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐅᓪᓗᐃᑦ ᐃᓚᖏᑦ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᖅᐸᒃᑲᓗᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ, ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖃᑎᒥᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᔪᒪᓕᖅᑎᑕᐅᓯᒪᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᑦ, ᐱᓗᐊᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᐃᖅᑲᐅᒪᓕᕌᖓᒥᒋᑦ ᐃᓚᓂ. “ᐅᓪᓗᐃᑦ ᐃᓚᖏᓐᓂ ᓴᐱᓕᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᖓ ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ, ᓄᖅᑲᖃᑦᑕᙱᑦᑐᖓ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ. “ᑕᕝᕙᓃᑦᑐᑦ ᖁᕝᕙᖅᓴᐃᕙᒃᑐᑦ ᐅᕙᓐᓂᒃ.”
ᓯᕗᒻᒧᑦ ᑕᑯᓐᓇᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᐊᒡᒍᐊᖅ ᑲᔪᓯᔪᒪᓪᓚᕆᒃᑐᖅ ᓯᕗᕙᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓗᓂ ᐃᓅᓯᓕᒫᖅ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᕆᔪᓐᓇᖅᑕᒥᓂᒃ. “ᖃᓄᐃᙱᑦᑐᖅ ᐆᒃᑐᖅᐸᒃᓗᓂ ᓄᑖᓂᒃ.” ᐅᖅᑲᑐᖅ. “ᐊᒻᒪ ᖃᓄᐃᒋᙱᑕᕋ ᓱᕈᖅ, ᖁᕕᐊᒋᔭᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕇᓐᓇᖦᖤᑐᐊᕈᒪ!”
ᐅᓂᒃᑳᑦᑎᐊᕙᐃᑦ ᓲᕐᓗ ᐊᒡᒍᐊᖅᑎᑐᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᔮᖅᑎᑦᑎᑦᑎᐊᖅᐳᑦ ᑭᓱᒃ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᖕᒪᖔᑕ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᓄᑦ ᐱᕕᒃᓴᖃᖅᓗᑎᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᓂᕈᐊᕈᓐᓇᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᖅᑕᐅᓗᑎᒡᓗ ᑎᑭᐅᑎᓇᓱᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᑐᕌᒐᕆᔭᖏᓐᓄᑦ. ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᓐᓂᑦ, ᐱᓕᕆᔪᒪᓂᖃᓪᓚᑦᑖᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᑎᑦᑎᓗᑕ ᓴᓇᕐᕈᑎᓂᒃ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᕐᓂᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᔪᕈᓐᓃᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᓕᒫᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᔪᕈᓐᓃᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᑎᑭᐅᑎᓗᑎᒡᓗ ᑲᔪᓯᓂᖃᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ.
ᐊᑏ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᖃᑎᒋᑎᒍᑦ ᐊᒡᒍᐊᖅ ᑕᒪᑐᒥᖓ ᐱᐅᓪᓚᕆᒃᑐᒥᒃ ᐊᓂᒍᐃᑎᓪᓗᒍ!
Qikiqtani Inuit Assoc. Government of Nunavut, Rebecca Chartrand
