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October 17, 2003

All-candidates forum closed to public

The sole gathering of all candidates this week in the race to be mayor of Iqaluit was closed to the public.

The event, which took place this past Wednesday, was organized by the Iqaluit Chamber of Commerce.

Steve Cook, the director of the Iqaluit Chamber of Commerce, said the meeting was never billed as an open forum. Rather, he said it was a regular meeting of the chamber for members only. The candidates were invited as guest speakers.

After a council meeting the night before the forum, some of the candidates complained that the chamber was making a mistake by shutting out the public.

One candidate called the decision to bar non-members from the meeting "a wasted opportunity to get issues out to the public."

October 17, 2003

Cop attacked while shopping

Two men from Qikiqtarjuaq are facing charges after an RCMP officer was attacked while grocery shopping at the Northern Store.

The officer was in the midst of paying for his food shortly after 5 p.m. on Oct. 10 when the incident occurred.

One of the accused was arrested at the store. The other ran away, but was arrested the next day.

Investigators say alcohol was a factor in the attack.

Charged with assaulting a police officer and causing a disturbance, Jutanie Keyookta, 21, remains in custody, and is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 4. He also faces charges of breach of probation and uttering threats.

Also charged with assaulting a police officer and causing a disturbance, Patrick Kopalie was released and is due in court on Dec. 4 in Qikiqtarjuaq. Kopalie also faces charges of resisting arrest.

October 17, 2003

Federal funding for Iqaluit arts initiative

Iqaluit is a step closer to having its own year-round centre for showcasing the arts and culture.

Nancy Karetak-Lindell, Liberal MP for Nunavut, recently announced the federal government was providing $40,000 for the city and Iqaluit Rotary Club to do a feasibility study on an arts centre for Iqaluit.

In a joint announcement with a representative for Heritage Canada, Karetak-Lindell's office released a statement that the city and citizens' group would look at what the centre would require, and how to best promote it.

Funding for the centre comes from the Department of Canadian Heritage through Cultural Spaces Canada, part of funding already announced in the last federal budget.

October 17, 2003

IDEA stakes claim to school tax

The Iqaluit District Education Authority is not happy with mayoral candidate Keith Irving's proposal to use the city's $600,000 school tax to fund tax rebates for homeowners and elders.

The money, which is collected by the city on behalf of the Government of Nunavut, goes into the GN's general revenues.

The IDEA has been trying for several years to claim that money for Iqaluit schools. "All we were told was, sure, you can have it for Iqaluit schools but we're going to take it back on the other end," said Kathy Smith, chair of the IDEA, who is also up for re-election next week.

"A lot of people think that when they pay that money that they're helping education.... I can't even explain what $600,000 of extra funding would do for our schools."

For his part, Irving said he is open to helping the IDEA claim the money for Iqaluit schools. His goal is simply to use the money in Iqaluit.

"What's troubled me is the lack of transparency, and here we were collecting this money for schools and it wasn't reaching our schools," he said.

"I think, as mayor sitting down with the GN, if they can come back and guarantee to me that we're going to see 10 teaching assistants in Iqaluit schools with that money that the city's collecting on behalf of the GN then I could support that. By putting this idea on the table I'm hoping to force the hand farther than the DEA's been able to force it."

October 17, 2003

Inuit youth programs get federal cash injection

Select communities in the Kivalliq region can expect a boost in local youth-oriented activities, thanks to a recent cash injection from the federal government.

As part of a series of funding announcements, Nancy Karetak-Lindell, Liberal MP for Nunavut, said this month that a number of existing programs and groups would split a pot of almost $220,000 in added funding.

The Kivalliq Inuit Association will portion out the funds to youth groups in Arviat, Baker Lake and Rankin Inlet toward helping programs such as summer hardball, drama workshops and winter survival camp.

The funding comes through the government's Urban Multipurpose Aboriginal Youth Centres Initiative, which was earmarked for the money in the last federal budget.

October 10, 2003

Gunn named NAM CEO

The Nunavut Association of Municipalities has named Lynda Gunn as its new chief executive officer, Keith Peterson, president of NAM, said this week in a press release.

Gunn has served on Iqaluit city council for six years and is running again in the upcoming election. She has represented Iqaluit at NAM's annual general meeting and attended several Federation of Canadian Municipalities Conferences.

Her office will be in Iqaluit.

October 10, 2003

Ottawa funds Manitoba road study

The prospect of a road connection to Manitoba got a boost last week when DIAND Minister Bob Nault announced that Ottawa will spend $500,000 on a long-awaited pre-feasibility study aimed at picking two possible routes.

It's estimated that a full-blown Kivalliq-Manitoba all-weather road would run for about 1,200 km and cost a whopping $2 billion.
A winter ice road would cost much less, so the study will look at ways of moving gradually from that to an all-weather road.

This new study will look at six proposed road corridors and try to narrow them down to two choices.

Nunavut and Manitoba officials have been trying to get this study going for years, after an earlier one that was completed in 2000, and after a variety of intergovernmental talks that have taken place since the late 1990s on hydro-electric power lines and roads between the two jurisdictions.

A pre-feasibility study on hydro-electric power lines between Manitoba and Nunavut was completed more than four years ago, but little has happened since. Such a power line could run from Gillam, Manitoba, to as far north as Baker Lake.

DIAND's contribution to the latest $1.1-million study accounts for about 45.5 per cent of its cost.

Transport Canada will kick in another $125,000, the Government of Manitoba $250,000, and the Government of Nunavut $125,000.

The Kivalliq Inuit Association, which proposed the study, will contribute $100,000.

The study will include public consultations, and some research into economic benefits and environmental impacts.

October 10, 2003

Wanted man surrenders

A 44-year-old Sanikiluaq man turned himself in to the RCMP on Oct. 7 after a seven-day search involving a police dog, the RCMP containment team from Iqaluit, and an emergency response team from Ottawa.

Noah Meeko ran and fired shots with a gun when police tried to arrest him Oct. 1 under an order from the Nunavut Court of Justice requiring him to finish a sentence for sexual assault.

He will stay in custody until a court appearance in Iqaluit, where he will face eight new charges, including unlawful confinement, assault with a weapon, uttering threats, being unlawfully in a dwelling place, and several weapons offences.

October 10, 2003

Two charged over marijuana

Police arrested two Iqaluit women at the Qikiqtarjuaq airport Oct. 5, seizing marijuana they claim to be worth $7,000 on the street.

Dorothy Audlakiak, 26, and Ryka Atsanilk, 21, have each been charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance.

They have been released pending a Dec. 4 court appearance in Qikiqtarjuaq.

October 10, 2003

Long-time tradesman gets DM job

Nunavut Premier Paul Okalik has appointed Robert Gunn, a long-time tradesman in the department of public works, to serve as the department's deputy minister.

Gunn replaces Ross Mrazek, a veteran civil servant who retired this past summer.

Gunn, a plumber and gasfitter, has worked as a facilities manager, a trades foreman, a maintenance officer, and as a plumber foreman.

His most recent job was as an assistant deputy minister in the department. He became acting deputy minister after Mrazek's retirement and will start his new job immediately.

Under Nunavut's system of government administration, the premier's office has the final say in the appointment of deputy ministers, even though the premier has no say in who is chosen to serve in cabinet.

October 10, 2003

Pangnirtung youth centre to open next week

The newly renovated and furnished Pangnirtung youth centre will open next week, in a ceremony to be attended by Pangnirtung MLA Peter Kilabuk.

Run by a non-profit organization called the Pangnirtung Youth Co-operative, the centre contains pool, air hockey and foosball tables, computers, a room for watching movies, TV and a Playstation, and a dining room.

The centre will hold an open house on Oct. 16.

October 3, 2003

Kusugak: “It’s an offer I can’t refuse”

Jose Kusugak: board wooed him back to president’s job.

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Jose Kusugak, the president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, announced on Tuesday that he will seek a second term as leader of the national organization, after stating this past spring that he would not contest the seat.

Kusugak will join six others in the race: John Amagoalik, Ruby Arngna’naaq, Violet Ford, Peter Ittinuar, Jerry Komaksiutiksak and Pitseolak Pfeifer.

Another candidate, Robbie Watt, withdrew his name after the board of ITK extended the nomination deadline to draw “a wider range of candidates.”

But Kusugak, who was nominated for re-election by Pita Aatami, president of Makivik Corp. and one of ITK’s eight board members, may not even break a sweat in this particular race. In fact, he speaks as if he’s already won.

He said in an interview this week that he has talked with all but one member of ITK’s board, as well as several federal cabinet ministers. All, he said, were eager for him to return.

“I think it’s probably best for everybody, in my opinion, and I think in the opinion of most of the board members, that it is important to have continuity at this time,” Kusugak said during a stop-over in Iqaluit on his way to Rankin Inlet.

“After all, I did quite a bit of rebuilding of the organization in the first three years, and now we can actually keep the work going.”

But this time around, Kusugak may be keeping that work going from a home base in Rankin Inlet. During this month’s annual general meeting in Puvirnituq, board members will be discussing, among other things, whether it’s necessary for the president of ITK to live in Ottawa.

In addition, Kusugak said the board has already decided to increase the president’s vacation allowance from one trip home a year to six.

So when he returned to Ottawa in early September, after spending the summer at home, he had already decided that if he was asked to stay, he would.

“My wife and I mutually agreed that if they do call me and ask me to stay, and if the candidate list was really short, I would accept,” he said.

“If you really come down to it, it’s an offer I can’t refuse.”

October 3, 2003

Territories to work on family violence

The three northern territories say they’ll work together to develop a strategy to deal with family violence.

A working group was formed at the 22nd annual federal/provincial/territorial meeting of ministers responsible for the status or women, held in Edmonton last week.

“The goal of this working group is in keeping with our government’s overall goal to improve the quality of life for Inuit women in Nunavut,” said Peter Kilabuk, Nunavut’s minister responsible for the status of women.

The group, which will look at violence against women, and particularly at violence against native women, will report on its progress in early December.

“The elimination of family violence must be a priority for all jurisdictions. Its devastating effects on our families, communities and society must end,” said Northwest Territories Premier Stephen Kakfwi.

October 3, 2003

Four communities to vote on booze regulations

On Nov. 10, voters in Baker Lake, Kugluktuk, Rankin Inlet and Resolute Bay will decide whether they want to change their communities’ restrictions on the sale, distribution and consumption of booze.

Kelvin Ng, the minister responsible for the territorial liquor act, called the plebiscites after receiving petitions with more than 20 names from each of the four communities.

In Baker Lake and Kugluktuk, voters will be asked if they would like an alcohol committee that would determine who can buy, possess or bring booze into the community.

Kugluktuk wants to tighten up its control on booze and cut back on the number of offenses committed. Nearly all crimes in the community involve alcohol.

In Rankin Inlet, a petition asked that the Rankin Inlet Liquor Restriction Regulations be repealed. At present, residents must order booze from Iqaluit or Churchill, Manitoba.

The only regular sale or purchase of booze in town is at the Sinittarvik Hotel — and it’s for registered hotel guests only.
However, the local Legion wants to expand its once-a-week special alcohol permit to open a members-only licensed club with daily service. Two dining rooms in Rankin Inlet also want to serve alcohol with meals and, as well, the Sinittarvik Hotel wants to open a licensed lounge.

In Resolute Bay, voters will also decide whether to repeal their local liquor restriction regulations. An Alcohol Education Committee now decides who may purchase and possess alcohol in Resolute, but some members of the community want to drop this committee, along with the limits on purchasing and possession of booze.

Change requires at least 60 per cent of the votes cast in a plebiscite, and, if the change is rejected, voters can’t be asked the same question in another plebiscite for at least three years.

At the request of the Iqaluit MLAs, a petition for Iqaluit that asked for a retail liquor outlet to open in town has been deferred to a later date.

October 3, 2003

NWB meets on Nanisivik risks

The residents of Arctic Bay are moving one step closer to the day when they’ll see the clean-up of the Nanisivik mine.

Last week, all the parties involved in the $11.5-million clean-up of the former zinc mine were in Ottawa for a meeting called by the Nunavut Water Board.

Representatives for Breakwater Resources Ltd. discussed their assessment of the risks to human health and ecology with representatives from the NWB, the Government of Nunavut, the Hamlet of Arctic Bay and the federal department of Indian affairs and northern development.

Under the terms of its water license, Breakwater must return the land in and around the Nanisivik mine to its original state.

By mid-October, Breakwater has promised to submit its final assessments of the risks posed by the closing of the mine. This risk-assessment plan will determine how much Breakwater has to do during the clean-up operation.

If satisfied with the assessment, the NWB can recommend that the GN and DIAND also approve it.

The NWB will then send its community coordinator, Patrick Duxbury, to Arctic Bay, along with representatives from the GN, DIAND and Breakwater, to update residents on the progress of the mine’s clean-up.

The company’s final abandonment and restoration plan is due by Dec. 15, 2003.

If all goes according to schedule, in March 2004, the NWB will hold another round of public hearings in Arctic Bay.

October 3, 2003

Parks negotiator to receive medal

Bob Gamble of Yellowknife will receive a Meritorious Service Medal for his role in negotiating the Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreements for Nunavut’s three national parks.

A long-time public servant with Parks Canada, Gamble was appointed in 1995 as Chief Federal Negotiator for IIBA for national parks of Nunavut. These agreements, according to a release from the Governor-General’s office, were the most complex ever negotiated in Canada.

Meritorious Service Decorations are awarded to individuals whose specific achievements have brought honour to Canada.

October 3, 2003

Police nab grass in Rankin Inlet

Acting on a tip from the public, last week the RCMP in Rankin Inlet seized 100 grams of marijuana with an estimated street value of $4,000.

“The seizure will have some impact on the illicit sale of drugs,” said an RCMP news release. “In partnership with the community, the RCMP is committed to making the Hamlet of Rankin Inlet the safest community in Nunavut.”

October 3, 2003

Two drown in Taloyoak

Two children, aged 7 and 11, drowned on Sept. 27 at about 7 p.m. not far from Taloyoak. They had been playing with two other children on thin ice near the community when they fell through into the water. Three of the four children were believed to have been under water for about 20 minutes.

A couple of local residents jumped into the water in a rescue attempt. One of the three children pulled from the water was resuscitated at the scene, however, the other two could not be revived despite more than two hours of effort. They were pronounced dead at the Judy Hill Memorial Health Centre in Taloyoak.

The survivor was sent to Yellowknife for treatment and is expected to fully recover.

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