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Letters to the Editor

July 25, 2003
July 18, 2003
July 11, 2003
July 4, 2003

Nunavut's regulatory system is a model of excellence

In response to your article "Meadowbank plan languishes in bureaucratic limbo," I am writing to correct a factual error and to offer a more optimistic perspective of the land management regime established under the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.

The factual error in your article is that the "NPC is involved because the Kivalliq is the only region in Nunavut with a land use plan."

In fact, both the Keewatin and North Baffin planning regions have land use plans in effect. Both plans were approved by the federal and territorial governments in June 2000, making these regions the first places in Northern Canada to have land use plans. (The land use plans can be read in Inuktitut and English on the NPC's Web site at http://npc.nunavut.ca.)

The Nunavut Planning Commission has been testing project proposals for conformity with the Keewatin and North Baffin land use plans for more than three years now, with not a single complaint about the time it takes for us to conduct our part of the process.

While your article states that the Meadowbank delay is the result of a mix-up between certain agencies (I will leave it to those agencies to respond if they judge it appropriate), the implication is that the entire land management regime in Nunavut is overly bureaucratic. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Three of the institutions of public government established under the NLCA (the Nunavut Planning Commission, the Nunavut Water Board and the Nunavut Impact Review Board), have, in collaboration with NTI, DIAND and the regional Inuit associations, created a single-window projects registry system called PLANNER (http://planner.nunavut.ca.)

This system links project proponents and regulators to each other through a centralized database accessible over the Internet. This ambitious initiative has received national and international recognition for its success in streamlining the review and permitting process in Nunavut.

The Treasury Board of Canada awarded the system a gold medal for excellence in the management of information in the public sector. The Environmental Systems Research Institute gave it an award for innovation in Geographic Information Systems. PLANNER was also a finalist in the Institute of Public Administration of Canada's Award for Innovative Management. By invitation, the system was presented last fall to an international conference on reducing red tape (see http://www.smarttape.ca). The mining industry has praised PLANNER, calling it "leading-edge" and "a model for Canada."

In addition to PLANNER, the Nunavut Planning Commission has developed a custom-written software application that brings efficiency, consistency, and transparency to its conformity determination process.

Your readers may wish to review the commission's conformity determination of the Meadowbank project at http://planner.nunavut.ca/reports/P2003128/home. I would suggest that there are few — if any — jurisdictions in the world that provide mining companies and the public with a land use plan conformity system that is as fair, consistently applied, transparent, and efficient as the system in Nunavut.

It's true that mining companies can extract minerals in countries with fewer environmental regulations than exist in Nunavut. The people of Nunavut chose more than a decade ago, however, to control the use of their precious lands through a land management system designed for the North and defined as part of the Canadian constitution through the Nunavut land claims agreement. Attempting to "compete" with countries that sell their resources to multinational corporations without concern for their environment has never been the wish of the people of Nunavut.

The board members and staff of Nunavut's institutions of public government are working very hard, in collaboration with the federal and territorial governments, NTI, the regional Inuit associations, HTOs, CLARCs, industry, NGOs, and the public to ensure that sustainable development is realized through a fair and efficient process for the benefit of all Nunavummiut, both today and in future generations.

While much remains to be done, the NLCA itself, and the innovative tools developed to implement its provisions, are achievements of which the people of Nunavut can be very proud.

Luke Coady
Executive Director
Nunavut Planning Commission
Cambridge Bay

July 25, 2003

Business owners should respect their employees

All private businesses should treat their employees with respect and teamwork. Just because you own your own business, you don't need to treat your employees with disrespect and thinking you're better than everyone else.

Various private businesses owners are getting away with holding the employee's cheque until 5 p.m. on pay day. Not only that, they sure like to complain, curse, and they continuously verbally abuse their employees without knowing it. Body language too.

Is it the employee's fault? No. Who's the one taking all the tension? The employees all right, taking it home.

It's too bad that private businesses don't know how to communicate with their employees, especially the ones that are in business already. So to all you private businessmen and women, it's time you started communicating with your employees — and treating them with respect. No matter how old or undereducated they are. What goes around comes around.

Name withheld by request
Cambridge Bay

July 25, 2003

Why do humans treat dogs so poorly?

I am a dog-lover. I have two of my own, both strays that appeared on my doorstep. I took them in and have given them a warm house to sleep in, lots to eat and long walks across the tundra. In repayment for this, they protect me against intruders, provide companionship to me anytime I need it and love me no matter what I do.

Dogs can be such wonderful friends. They ask for very little and yet give so much. They are always happy to see you. They do not see your faults or your frailties. They don't criticize you or call you names. They are your best friend and will never turn their back on you.

I can never understand why human beings treat dogs so poorly. All over Iqaluit I see dogs running loose, no one caring for them. Even worse, I see so many dogs chained up to porches, poles, ski-doos. They are never exercised, never touched, just left, totally neglected. I see them there in the rain, snow, blizzard and hot sun. The only time they are ever off the chain is when they finally die.

I wonder as we enter our next life, if God will ask you how you treated your fellow human and animal beings. Perhaps judging by how you acted in this life, he will put you on a chain and forget he ever knew you.

J. MacIsaac
Iqaluit

July 25, 2003

Dope use is natural for Nunavummiut

We the people up here have always struggled to survive off of the resources of our land, and it hasn't always been easy.

These days aren't any different. We're able to go the stores to buy food, but we don't always have the money to buy food.

We have no money to buy food because most of us buy these $60 grams of hash or grass. The grams aren't always full weight either, so we tend to buy two or three more to get ahead on our need for dope.

Now I may sound stupid to do that, but that's how it is for everybody. Some even go to the extreme of spending all or most of their income for a good hit, but it's just not fair.

Who gets the money? The people in the South get it all, and we don't see any of the money we spend coming back to us at all in any form.

But if the GN were to legalize and regulate the use of marijuana or hash, it could generate income for rehabilitation facilitities or programs.

These days, dope use should not be seen as something taboo, but something naturally occurring. There should be no shame in its use. The majority of Nunavut's population has, or are using it — even some of the MLAs.

To this end, I plead with the MLAs to step out of the shadows and get something working for the betterment or our lives. Don't be stupid and have the money head down to southerners.

That is what I have to say in response to Rebecca Williams' opposition to the new marijuana law the federal government is working on right now ("MLA, Principal speak out on marijuana reform" July 4).

I hope that this letter will open some minds to doing the right thing and get this thing regulated.

(Name withheld by request)
Cape Dorset

July 18, 2003

Nakasuk playground is dangerous and filthy

CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE

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Every morning around 5 a.m. I go to the Nakasuk playground for a workout and what do I see? The same old thing: rocks at the bottom of the slide and under the monkey bars, the swings tangled up or broken beyond repair, and once in a while, some drunk or stoned-out wacko urinating on playground equipment, or leaving feces lying around.

I am saying that this is disgusting, as if the bullies that go there to bother kids or the dogs running loose are not bad enough, but how about taking down old equipment and building new playgrounds like they did in Happy Valley and by Northmart?

The Nakasuk playground is in sad shape. So is the one in White Row. That one is dangerous — the slide has a very sharp piece of metal that comes up at the bottom. There is a steel pole held in place by cement that is not only exposed but also has very sharp corners. A child running could fall and split his head open and maybe be killed in there. There is still that same rock under the swing set that I have talked about for the last few years just waiting for some poor kid to smash her head or break her arms.

Nakasuk School's playground, if my guess is right, has been there since the school was built. I fear that one day, if not this summer, someone is going to grab onto the pole by the tunnel slides and the pole will come loose and fall on top of the kid. That pole is in the worst shape of all three, but my complaint goes for all the poles in that playground.

The rocks belong up on the hills. Let's have a cleaning crew move the rocks next year, as they pose a great danger to the kids and other members of the public who might enjoy the place. The swings in the playgrounds by Northmart, and down by the beach Grind and Brew are dangerous, as kids who like to vandalize the playgrounds now climb up even higher to tangle them up.

I fear that a kid is going to fall and get injured or killed or get tangled in the chains and hang to death. I have tried to talk to members of the council at different times about this but to no avail.

Polarman
Iqaluit

Editor's note: The Iqaluit resident known as "Polarman" did not want to sign his real name.

July 18, 2003

A full-time fire crew for Iqaluit?

In light of the recent loss of Joamie School, I think it is time for the city to take a hard look at the current state of affairs.

In the past year, three commercial and residential buildings have burned to the ground in addition to the school. This is a considerable loss and, thankfully, there has been no loss of human lives.

The current volunteers are to be commended for their efforts. However, Iqaluit is the capital city of Nunavut and has grown dramatically over the past four years. Our volunteer fire department may be insufficient to meet the demands a city places on firefighting and rescue units.

I feel it is necessary to take a serious look at setting up a full-time, fully qualified, fully trained firefighting crew. This is not to diminish the work done by volunteers, but let's be realistic. A volunteer crew does not have the same experience and skills a full-time firefighter possesses.

The city may not have the budget for this, but I think it should be seriously considered before innocent lives are lost. How much is a human life worth? Let's not wait to find out.

Therese Rodrigue
Iqaluit

July 18, 2003

Everyone must get along

Imagine yourself not given the opportunity to live your life the way you want to, to not be able to love and be loved.

The government will have to step up and make a solid decision on the "taboo" issue of same-sex marriage. People have their opinions, but who has the right to look at someone and say who and how they live their life is wrong?

I do not look at a religious person and say that their life is wrong because their God does not exist.

It is up to the individual to live their life the way they want to and not by how someone else sees it. A community has to take care of one another and that means everyone must learn to get a long and not have tunnel vision but look at it from all angles.

Christa Kunuk
Iqaluit

Seeking aboriginal language authors

Over 500 native nations, each with its own language and culture - these are the nations that were encountered by the first Europeans to enter North America.

Yet now, native languages are under threat everywhere, due to Euro-American educational policies, disease and the virtual omnipresence of English language television.

Some languages are extinct - from Guale to Esalen, from Eyak to Timucuan. Others are only spoken by a handful of elderly individuals.

Yet throughout Native America, a small but growing body of writers are giving new voice to native languages, using their own languages to write about and confront the world they live in, the world of the 21st century. Often unknown outside their own communities, such writers have much to say to all of us.

I am working with the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center of Albuquerque, New Mexico to create Native Nations, Native Voices - a festival to honor contemporary Native language writers.

To honor native language authors, 10 writers will be invited to participate in a three-day festival. Writers will read from their works in their own languages; English translations will be made available to the audience at the option of each writer.

A special effort will be made to include and honour high school and college authors in native languages, for they are the future of languages. Selected writers will represent as broad a range of languages and styles as possible. I would welcome any suggestions you might have about native language writers - prose, poetry, drama - who might be interested in participating.

Gordon Bronitsky, PhD
Bronitsky and Associates
3715 La Hacienda Dr. NE
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110
505/256-0260
g.bronitsky@att.net

July 11, 2003

Same-sex love is the same as any other

I wonder how people would feel if they felt they couldn't show who they are in public, in fear that they might get teased or laughed at because of who they loved.

Being in love is the most wonderful thing. There are some Inuit and non-Inuit out there in the world who are good, decent, people. They are no different than you or me, and what they chose to do is none of our business, as long as they take care and love one another, isn't that cause for celebration?

I have friends and family who are religious, but I do not sit and criticize their beliefs because that is their choice not mine.

Some people say it is not okay for two women or two men to be in love.

But I guess it's okay for Iqaluit and Nunavut society to accept:

• representatives in government who we know have done terrible things and then after a court date, resign;
• children going hungry;
• having a high population, young and old, who smoke, so that in about 10 years we will have a crazy number of cancer patients;
• young people who are still killing themselves;
• a failing education system, in some areas.

I don't want to go on and focus on the negative. I start with my family. I want them to have a good life, and I want them to realize that the road doesn't always necessarily go straight, and that it can go all over the place.

But as long as they have the ability to look at the other perspective, then life ain't so bad.

Christa Kunuk
Iqaluit

July 11, 2003

Art book shouldn't have been recommended for children

I recently read an article in Nunatsiaq News published on May 2 titled "Offensive workbook banned in Nunavut." I understand the comments in the article are in reference to the elementary workbook Let's Visit Nunavut, as offensive and inappropriate material for children.

However, there is one mention in the article to a resource in the workbook, a Theytus Books publication entitled Arctic Dreams and Nightmares.

From the article: "One resource, Arctic Dreams and Nightmares by Alootook Ipellie, contains erotic and violent images."

The problem with this statement is that our publication Arctic Dreams and Nightmares was never marketed for a Grade 2 audience. The material in this book is the artist's interpretation of his dreams and shamanism, intended for an adult audience.

If the workbook used Arctic Dreams and Nightmares, it was poor judgment on their behalf to think the material was appropriate for elementary children.

I felt in the context of your article, Arctic Dreams and Nightmares received undeserved bad publicity. Arctic Dreams and Nightmares is a unique and obscure book, and of course like all art, it is not suited to everyone's taste.

Leanne Flett Kruger
Publishing Assistant
Theytus Books

Editor's note: It was the author of Let's Visit Nunavut who recommended Arctic Dreams and Nightmares as a resource for elementary school children, not Nunatsiaq News.

July 4, 2003

Investments in shrimp industry require large, steady supplies

As a long time participant at various operational and policy levels and one time large vessel owner in the northern shrimp fishery, I would like to comment on the editorial, "Private Investment needed in Arctic Fishery." (Nunatsiaq News, June 27, 2003).

Throughout the development of the northern shrimp fishery since its inception in 1978, most people would agree that private investment in the fishery has and will continue to be the most appropriate mechanism for the development of this fishery. To date, the vessels in the offshore shrimp fishery are all through private investment.

Makivik Corporation was one of the first Inuit investors in the northern shrimp fishery and was instrumental with its own vessel, the MV Lummaq, in the identification of shrimp resources in Ungava Bay, Hudson Strait and in many other northern areas between the years 1979 and 1983.

Torngat Fish Producers Co-op in Labrador was awarded one of the original shrimp licenses in Labrador, as well as Labrador Fisherman's Union Shrimp Company, and later Pikulujak Fisheries Limited, a joint venture, of which the Labrador Inuit Development Corporation owns 50 per cent.

Qikiqtaaluk Corporation and Unaaq Fisheries were entrants into the fishery when quotas were increased in the late 1980s at the same time as Pikulujak.

Revenues generated from the shrimp fishery have been instrumental in the development of other fish-related enterprises in Nunavik and in Labrador. It should be recognized that all of the investments in plants and vessels in Labrador by these companies have been through their ability to use the revenues generated from the shrimp fishery to create these other economic and fishery opportunities.

In the 2003 northern shrimp management plan issued by Robert Thibault, the minister of Fisheries and Oceans, the increase was 34,260 tons to a total allowable catch of 152,102 tonnes; this is a substantial increase from the 87,000 tonnes quoted in the article.

This does not include shrimp fished in the gulf of St. Lawrence or for any shrimp in Greenland (80,000 tons) or from Norway, Denmark, Russia, etc.

Because of the increased abundance of shrimp throughout the world, prices have declined over the last five years. The rates quoted widely at recent meetings were as low as $2,200 per ton. This is a far cry from the $4,000-$4,500 quoted, in fact the average in 1995 was $3,850 per ton. It was also noted in the same report that the ROI for those vessel owners was far less than the industry norm, and far less than the same investment in the market - these are also considerations.

Some Inuit companies have entered into ownership structures and some have not. However, it has been the membership of the majority of these widely-held companies or co-operatives, that have stated that employment opportunities for Inuit or others is often as important as the revenues generated through whatever types of revenue-sharing agreement they have.

The revenues are essentially a sharing of the total revenues generated from the operations of the vessels and it has been expressed by many of these same companies that they are able to reinvest this capital into other fishing ventures, which include vessel ownership and processing facility ownership.

Ownership opportunities exist throughout the industry. Offers have probably been suggested by the companies you have quoted to the interested Inuit companies, and perhaps by many other vessel owners throughout the North Atlantic.

Investment in the fishery is capital intensive, with prices for a new vessel of the size suggested being between $27 million and $34 million. It takes a great deal of shrimp to pay for that level of investment.

Access to shrimp resources over a 12-month period is also essential, especially when you only have access to your adjacent waters for a limited period in the year.

All current license holders in the offshore northern shrimp fishery have access to resources in the South as well as the North, and through membership in the Northern Coalition, QC, Unaaq, Makivik, Torngat LIDC, and LFUSC share in a special allocation of 6,120 tons of shrimp resources in southern Labrador.

Neil Greig
Kuujjuaq

July 4, 2003

Lower food price before jacking up rents

This letter is in response to an article I read in the June 27 issue of Nunatsiaq News on the slight increase in social housing rents.

If the SHQ wants to have the rents mirrored to southern standards then before they are allowed to do this, they need to mirror the high cost of food and transportation to match southern prices.

If they want to jack up the rents, then jack down the food to the same prices in Provigo and other similar stores down south.

Mike Keelan
Kangiqsualujjuaq

July 4, 2003

A salute to the cadets

Narwhal Arctic Services would like to thank the 795 Iqaluit Canadian Air Cadet squadron for participating in the clean-up at the Iqaluit airport during the "Cadets Caring for Canada" Day.

Many thanks to all the cadets.

Narwhal Arctic Services
Iqaluit

July 4, 2003

We are forever grateful

CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE
Mathew Kunuk (PHOTO COURTESY OF THE KUNUK FAMILY)

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This is a thank you note from me and my husband. Our son Mathew Kunuk had an ATV accident and died as a result of it on June 14, 2003.

My husband and I were given food, flowers and people came to see us and prayed for us too. We are extremely grateful for the support we were given. Mere words of thank you don't seem to be enough. Both Inuit and Qallunaat alike were supportive, and we are thankful for that.

We really miss our son Mathew. He was a great big help to us when we went boating or snowmobiling. He cooked for us too out of his own will. We love him so much.

We thank the young people who welcomed him as a friend. Thank you.

Okee and Methusalah Kunuk
Iqaluit

July 4, 2003

Thank you very much

On behalf of the Kunuk and Pitseolak families, we wish to thank everyone for all your prayers, flowers, kindness and for looking after our family when our loved one, Mathew M. Kunuk, passed away on June 14, 2003.

There were many of you all over Nunavut, Nunavik, Greenland and southern Canada who sent your condolences, and a big thank you to the Baffin Larga staff, family, friends and patients for looking after our mother, Okee Kunuk, when she was in Ottawa.

And to all the friends of Matt, we like to thank you for being his friend; we all will miss him, but the good and fun memories will carry us forward.

All your kindness and prayers helped us through our loss.

Kunuk and Pitseolak Families
Iqaluit

July 4, 2003

Mary's annual letter of comments and concerns

I guess this would be my annual letter of comments, concerns and suggestions to the paper about what is happening in the Iqaluit and Nunavut areas.

I am going to make this short by putting it into point form, so here it goes:

• In 1996, $25 million dollars for the construction of the new Baffin hospital were taken back into the regular spending budget. At that time when they, QC and GNWT/GN, were talking about building the new hospital, a question pops up and that is: "Why didn't they (QC and GNWT/GN) check and test the proposed new landsite for the hospital?" If they had done that, it would not delay the construction of the building at that time. The new proposed hospital now has to wait until the site is cleaned;

• The interest that is collected from the new allotment of funds for that new hospital should be utilized by the health department to hire some physiotherapists, or just exercise physicians for those who need the physiotherapists. Thousands of dollars are being spent to send patients to get physiotherapy in southern institutions - the money goes there and stays there;

• Millions of dollars are being used for SARS in Toronto. Why does the GN not ask the feds for more funds to build more public housing (overcrowding causes germs to spread like wild flowers and eliminates the weak, the infants and the elders) and get more reasonable housing programs for a healthier community;

• The Nunavut judges should re-assess their sentencing techniques and use real past cases from mainstream Canada to sentence offenders to teach them a lesson and treat them so it is not a holiday;

• The MLA who was convicted for assault deserves what he gets, because if he were living down this way, he would have been serving his sentence now and not later. Assault should never be taken lightly. As for his career, I say that he should have thought about that before he started the party in Coral Harbour;

• Iqaluit City Council members should be more vocal and visible in the media to show their concerns about Iqaluit - a new dump site and a new graveyard are needed, as the city is growing;

• The letter regarding the election of the ITK President? Well, if we were to go back that way, there would be no money left for the president to spend on real issues, such as the lack of Inuit housing, proper Inuit specific policies. This is time-consuming, and as well, the Inuit regions are hours apart and the Inuit of those regions already spend lots of money in elections voting for their own regional presidents;

• On the school issue, the letter from Tyler Tait-Chegwyn is right on. But home school does not let you learn the most important facts of life: socializing and playing with other kids and students their own age.

The education system suffers more when people take their kids out of school to be taught at home (this takes a student out and makes it less likely for another teacher to be hired to teach those kids).

• The government should put more funds into education and other programs that enhance the minds of the kids and students as they are IT'S future.

• The gay issue? What issue? They are made that way, let them be. You know, I have thought long and hard about this and I say, let them be and maybe they will find their way back?

For my final note, I would like to congratulate all Nunavut students who just graduated from high school, especially Paul Alainga - way to go, Paul! And for those students still in school, please stay in school, as it is the lifeline of the rest of your future in this unpredictable world.

I would like to read peoples' comments through the paper on my little notes so that others can read what is being said and maybe if it gets loud enough - the governments just may act.

Mary S. Alainga
Ottawa

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