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June 4, 2004

Netser wants to get tough on criminals

Patterk Netser urged his fellow members of the legislative assembly to choose their federal representatives wisely, by asking them "head-on questions about where they stand on the justice issue."

The Nanulik MLA says Nunavut needs to put more emphasis on the victims of crime than the offenders, and consider whether programs aimed at rehabilitating offenders are effective.

"We need to consider the needs of our society first," he told the house.

June 4, 2004

Made-in-Nunavut language law on the way

"Nunavut needs new language legislation that recognizes Inuktitut as the majority language in the territory, while protecting the rights of English and French speakers," CLEY Minister Louis Tapardjuk told the assembly last Thursday.

A special committee on language legislation submitted 18 recommendations for made-in-Nunavut legislation last December. The department of culture, language, elders and youth now wants to strike a working group with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. to conduct a feasibility study of all of the recommendations.

The special committee consulted with nine communities to come up with its recommendations. The new group will seek input from municipal government and the private sector before tabling its final report in spring 2005.

The goal, Tapardjuk said, is "balancing the protection of our languages with other urgent issues, including health, education and housing."

June 4, 2004

Energy Minister responds to Auditor General

Energy Minister David Simailak: lists improvements to Nunavut Power (FILE PHOTO)

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Energy Minister David Simailak says Nunavut Power has cleaned house since the 2002-2003 fiscal year, which the Auditor General recently condemned for fiscal mismanagement.

In a statement to the legislative assembly last Wednesday, Simailak outlined the following improvements at Nunavut Power:

• An experienced deputy minister was appointed as President in March;
• Senior management has moved to headquarters in Baker Lake to reduce travel costs;
• New board members are being recruited and will be in place by the fall;
• Three new designated accounting staff have been hired;
• Excessive management bonuses have been eliminated;
• The board has agreed to follow the GN's Financial Administration Act and other policies to tighten financial controls and reporting to the board;
• And a new billing system launched in April will provide bills in Inuktitut and will provide the corporation with enhanced financial data over time.
• Simailak also outlined the following future objectives:
• Collecting more unpaid bills;
• Bringing staff housing policies and benefits in line with GN policy;
• Working with the Department of Human Resources to train staff in financial management;
• Reviewing financial statements and projections
• monthly;
• And developing a general rate application that will bring in the revenue needed to run the corporation.
  

June 4, 2004

Peterson calls for children's advocate

Keith Peterson is pushing to make children's advocacy a top priority for the department of Health and Social Services.

"Children make up a third of our population and yet, in far too many circumstances, are the most neglected and under-served people in our society," the Cambridge Bay

MLA wrote in a letter to Health Minister Levinia Brown on April 26.

In the letter, Peterson said he was disappointed to see that the department had set aside a child advocacy proposal created in October 2002 by an ad hoc committee struck up by the department, along with the Nunavut Association of Municipalities and the hamlet of Cambridge Bay.

During questioning, departmental officials would not discuss a children's advocate position, but would only talk about a "client representative" Peterson said, calling this "unacceptable."

June 4, 2004

Traditional place-naming continues

Grenier Lake in the Kitikmeot region could soon be known as Ekaloktotiak, if the Geographic Board of Canada accepts the traditional Inuinnaqtun name recommended by the Cambridge Bay Eniknigit Elders Committee.

"The elders told us that they were tired of people from other places naming their local lakes and geographic features after themselves," Cambridge Bay MLA Keith Peterson said.

"We all recognize the enduring relationship between Inuit and the land, and the importance of traditional names to the language, culture and history of Nunavummiut," said Louis Tapardjuk, minister for Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.

Ekaloktotiak is just one example of the work done by the department's Toponymy Program.

June 4, 2004

Bewitched, bothered and bewildered

Rankin Inlet North MLA Tagak Curley: curious about Wicca (FILE PHOTO)

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Things got strange in the house last week when Ed Picco decided to demonstrate his commitment to keeping Inuktitut in schools by calling Tagak Curley a tuungaq, or demon. Picco used the example to point out the different ways each language allows one to communicate.

After being assured by the chairman, Patterk Netser, that he was not in fact a demon ("though we do get a little scary at times," Netser joked), Curley, MLA for Rankin Inlet North, pursued the issue out of curiosity.

"I have always wanted to know about Wicca," Curley said. "Is it only here in Iqaluit, or was it in all of Nunavut. Was that started by the teachers?"

Education Minister Picco explained that "Wicca is a term used to describe the practice of witchcraft," and said Curley may have read a newspaper article describing some students involved in different practices.

"I believe it talked about the good power of witchcraft and the dark side of witchcraft," Picco said. "It is not taught in schools. It is something that the children probably saw on TV or read in magazines."

June 4, 2004

Victim assistance fund untapped

Eight community groups have received $33,000 to help victims of crime, but $167,000 remains unused in the Victim's Assistance Fund.

The money is available to community groups who plan programs that benefit crime victims, such as crisis response, counselling, and personal support, or broader activities such as training for community members who work with victims of crime or public awareness campaigns on the rights of victims.

Premier Paul Okalik, who is also the justice minister, encouraged more groups to apply for what remains of the $200,000 fund, and said he will put out a new call for proposals in the fall.

The Department of Justice initially created the fund, which will be replenished by a surcharge added to fines.

June 4, 2004

Public housing rents explained

A pamphlet explaining how public housing rent is adjusted for youth, students and seniors will soon be available at all community housing organizations, Peter Kilabuk, the minister of Community and Government Services, told the legislative assembly.

The one-page pamphlet is one of five new brochures designed to educate tenants about rent and housing issues, and provide phone numbers they can use to get more help.

Another pamphlet outlines the Nunavut Down Payment Assistance Program. "It will be a learning experience to the people who might be thinking about becoming homeowners," Kilabuk said.

Mayors praised Kilabuk earlier this year for providing a similar pamphlet about CGS at the Nunavut Association of Municipalities' annual general meeting, calling the pamphlet clear and easy to use.

June 4, 2004

The blues ain't nothin' but a misquote

The daily transcripts of the legislative assembly are "ridiculous" in quality, says Leona Aglukkaq, Nattilik MLA and minister of finance.

The Hansard transcipts - also known as "the blues," for the blue paper they are printed on - are widely used by the MLAs, civil servants, the media, and others who want to follow the proceedings of the legislative assembly.

Members have until 10 a.m. the following morning to correct misquotes or other errors in the first drafts.

On May 21, Aglukkaq rebuked Rankin Inlet North MLA Tagak Curley for quoting the blues, saying she's had to re-edit most of the statements she's made in the house.

June 4, 2004

CLEY seeks more on-the-job trainees

CLEY Minister Louis Tapardjuk announced plans to expand a government internship program for beneficiaries only. His announcement came as MLAs questioned policies designed specifically for beneficiaries.

The Sivuliqtiksat program creates 14 internships in government departments in Iqaluit and four decentralized communities, where interns work as directors with senior management.

Last year, nine beneficiaries took up jobs in the program. This fall, CLEY hopes to fill all 14 positions by including program coordinators and middle managers as well as directors.

June 4, 2004

Okalik defends Inuit-first education policies

Premier Paul Okalik: no guilt about policies aimed at helping Inuit catch-up (FILE PHOTO)

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Premier Paul Okalik "can be counted on" to support the current policy that offers extra financial assistance to Inuit students, "as long as the Inuit in this territory remain behind in employment and education levels."

The firm words silenced the legislative assembly last Thursday, as Okalik responded to two MLAs who had asked questions about policies that appear to discriminate against non-Inuit applying for student summer jobs or financial aid.

"I do not, in any way, shape, or form, feel any guilt whatsoever for trying to help my fellow Inuit to catch up with the rest of the population in getting the best education possible," Okalik said.

"To somehow twist this very positive effort that we are trying to carry out, or say that we are discriminating, is not an accurate reflection of this wonderful program."

Hunter Tootoo, MLA for Iqaluit Centre, interrupted the applause to call a point of order.

"He is implying that some members of this house are twisting and implying that the program is discriminatory," Tootoo said in a shaky voice. "In no way, shape or form was any implication made as far as discrimination in the program."

On May 18, Tootoo said that making non-Inuit students wait indefinitely for unfilled student summer jobs was "simply unfair."

Last week, Cambridge Bay MLA Keith Peterson posed questions about the supplementary allowance available to Inuit students, and made an appeal for non-Inuit students to be treated the same, citing himself as an example of a non-Inuk who put his education "to good use" for Nunavut.

Speaker Jobie Nutarak later ruled there was no point of order, and suggested that Tootoo make a statement to clarify his position.

Tootoo promptly did, stating that he had made no allegations of discrimination, and that he would not "apologize for asking questions that cause some discomfort."

"We can leave for a later date the question of whether such supplementary support should be provided to any student, of any ethnicity who comes from a family with a comfortable income," Tootoo said.

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