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Around Nunavik

December 9, 2005

Tear the shacks down

Lucassie Inukpuk, mayor of Kuujjuaraapik and its regional councilor, wants the small storage shacks that stand behind social housing units in the region to be torn down.

That's because Inukpuk says he's seen them used too many times for suicides.

He told the regional council that people who live in or near shacks where there have been suicides want to move.

"You see their ghosts next to the house," Inukpuk said. "There are weird things happening."

Emudluk reminded the regional council that a few years ago the Kativik Municipal Housing Board had supplied plywood to social housing tenants on a pilot basis in three communities, so they could close up the rafters of the shacks and theoretically prevent suicides - but the program failed due to a lack of interest.

The KMHB has also supplied locks so tenants can lock the storage units up.

"When a person wants to commit suicide, they can also find something else around the house," Aisara Kenuajuak, the regional councilor for Puvirnituq said.

Taamani internet growing

Nearly one year after its official launch, the KRG's Taamani Nunavik Wireless Internet venture has 700 residential customers - which means that one out of three households in Nunavik is connected to the Internet.

Tamaani also has about 300 other points of service for organizations, a number which includes all the various KRG offices throughout Nunavik.

Joe Lance, who is responsible for overseeing Tamaani, told the regional council that a contract has been finalized with Justice Québec that will allow offenders in Nunavik to appear via videoconference in front of a judge in the South - a move which is expected to save on transportation costs.

In collaboration with northern Ontario and Manitoba, Nunavik is asking for an additional grant of $45.1 million through the National Satellite Initiative to boost Tamaani's capacity. The money will be used for more bandwidth and videoconferencing equipment.

Videoconferencing is to start in 2006, Lance said.

Wanted: clean airports

Earlier this year, janitorial services for Nunavik's police stations and airports were handed over to the building maintenance section of the KRG's administration department.

"It hasn't been that successful," admitted Joe Lance, director of the administration department.

Since the recent retirement of Mary Duncan, who cleaned Kuujjuaq's airport daily for 33 years, this airport has become littered with trash and dirty.

"The airport is the welcoming point to our communities," Lance said.

The KRG plans to strike agreements with the municipalities so they assume responsibility for the KRG buildings in their communities.

Hudson Bay has highest social assistance rates

According to information tabled at the recent regional council meeting, Inukjuak and Puvirnituq have the highest numbers of adults and children in need of government assistance.

In October, 221 were recorded in Inukjuak, and 148 in Puvirnituq.

The Ungava Bay community of Kangiqsualujjuaq had 131 files open, while Salluit on the Hudson Strait has 117.

Kuujjuaq, Nunavik's administrative hub and the largest community in the region, had only 57 files open.

Raglan Mine figures continue to disappoint

The Inuit employment figures at Nunavik's Raglan mine are still well below the 20 per cent sought when the Raglan Agreement was signed 10 years ago.

The Raglan Agreement, a benefits agreement signed between Nunavik and Falconbridge Ltd. in 1995, included a complex pay-off scheme worth at least $75 million to Nunavimmiut over the mine's 20 year lifetime, but jobs were always considered to be the nickel mine's real bonus for the region.

The Raglan mine now has 15.5 per cent Inuit workers, or 82 out of 527 employees. The joint venture companies working on the mine site don't fare much better: Kattiniq Transport has no Inuit among its 15 employees, Bradley Nuvumiut has four Inuit out of 40 and Kiewet Nuvumiut has 11 out of 41 employees.

The overall figure for Inuit employment at Raglan is 15.5 per cent - or 97 out of 623 employees, according to figures supplied by Paul Ohituk, the KRG's Raglan project officer.

Childcare pouring jobs, money into region

In November, Nunavik's daycare system sent $1.47 million into the communities to cover the daily operations of the region's network of $7-a-day childcare.

Childcare centres in Nunavik are filled to 85 per cent capacity, according to information presented to the regional council. Kuujjuaq already has two daycare centres and additional centres are planned for Salluit, Puvirnituq and Umiujaq where there are long waiting lists for places.

However, at the regional council meeting, some councilors mentioned ongoing difficulties in recruiting and retraining local staff for the centres as well as ongoing problems with the condition of the newly-built facilities.

The total cost of recent repairs to the childcare building in Tasiujaq was $396,597, while in Ivujivik repairs are expected to tally at least $700,000 - about the same cost as the original construction.

The KRG is considering legal measures against the construction company that built these centres.

Meanwhile, a team of experts is being sent to several other Nunavik communities where buildings were recently constructed to see if more repairs to other childcare centres will be necessary.

A pay raise would be nice

The Kativik Regional Government's new council was dismayed to find out that it can't make a resolution to increase the money paid to regional councillors. The payments to councillors were reviewed by Quebec officials in 2003, said KRG lawyers, and these are unlikely to change.

"There are a lot of people who are going hunting right now and here we are," said one disgruntled councillor. "I think we deserve a raise."

"It needs a good review," said Maggie Emudluk, who was elected the new chair of the KRG. "But we can't put it in the budget right away. The Quebec government has a say."

Every member of the regional council receives $11,000. The speaker receives an additional $1,660, the deputy speaker $800, while executive members receive $20,000, the chairperson $73,000 and the vice-chairperson $54,000. These amounts are supplemented by generous per diems and travel expenses in conjunction with each regional council meeting.

The regional council mandated the KRG legal department to check into the amounts given to the boards of other regional organizations in Nunavik and report back at the next meeting.

Cheque fraud unnerves KRG

KRG finance director Nancy Maloley told the regional council that the KRG "has been victim of important fraud attempts," using altered and counterfeit cheques.

The most recent attempt at fraud involved a $20,000 cheque, but Malloley said her department caught this and all the falsified or false cheques to date. She said KRG has not suffered any financial losses.

Police are investigating the fraud, Malloley told the council.

Bylaw problems

Nunavik communities are short of bylaw officers to enforce bylaws, and systems to handle the fines they do enforce.

"We've collected fines," said council executive member Joseph Annahatak. "But we don't know what to do with them."

Annahatak suggested a manual for the region's bylaw officers would also be useful.

"When you have bylaws, you have to put in place the means to enforce them," said François Dorval, the director of the KRG's legal department.

A request to fund a municipal court, which could assist in enforcing penalties, was turned down, the regional council learned.

But Dorval promised to re-start the request process for a traveling court that would hear cases involving municipal infractions.

Smart dogs elude Nunavik dog catchers

Regional councilors say they're frustrated by the stray dog populations in their communities.

"It's not going anywhere," said Puvirnituq's regional councilor and executive member, Aisara Kenuajuak. "Even the dogs can recognize the dog catchers."

Kenuajuak said only the dog teams are tied up in Puvirnituq, while other dogs in the community run loose, hiding under houses, where they can't be caught or shot by municipal dog catchers.

Mary Pirlutuut, mayor and regional counselor from Kangiqsujuaq said her community has the same problem. In Kangiqsujuaq, owners have two days to retrieve their stray dogs before they are shot.

Most Nunavimmiut tie up their dogs when they are warned that dog catchers are out and about in town, but let them loose again within a couple of days, councillors said.

CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE
The Kativik Regional Council's new executive: from left to right, Aisara Kenuajuak, Michael Gordon, Maggie Emudluk, Eli Allaluk, Joseph Annahatak, and Petah Inukpuk. (PHOTO BY JANE GEORGE)

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Fire worries

Many Nunavik communities don't have what it takes fight major fires, councilors said.

Lucassie Inukpuk, the mayor of Kuujjuaraapik and its regional councilor, is worried what would happen in the case of a fire at the busy airport in his community.

Adamie Qalingo from Ivujivik said his volunteer fire brigade in his small community is sometimes understaffed.

The council learned Quebec is considering a request from the KRG for $4.5 million of improvements, which could help bring the region's firefighting capacity up to par.

Drivers should be over 16 and wear helmets

Regional councillors want safer roads in Nunavik, through the enforcement of Quebec regulations for drivers of off-road vehicles such as all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles.

Councilors discussed ways of stopping "kids too small to stand up" from driving ATVs and making sure elders who "don't stop at stop signs" become more aware of the rules of the road

"I think people who don't wear helmets shouldn't drive," said Tasiujaq regional councilor Moses Munick. "In Nunavut, there are elders who wear helmets."

Councilors suggested police start enforcing age and safety requirements for all drivers.

Councilors learned that Quebec has proposed setting up a committee to look at bringing Quebec regulations in tune with Nunavik. The committee will be comprised of representatives from the KRG and Makivik Corporation.

Johnny Adams honoured

The KRG's staff and regional council gathered at the Katittavik Town Hall last week for a tribute to departing KRG regional council chairman Johnny Adams.

The incoming vice-chairman of the KRG, Michael Gordon, said Nunavik will continue to reap the benefits of Adams's KRG tenure for years to come.

"He can control a meeting and it's a pleasure to see him in action," Gordon said. "He can get his point across and he'll get what he wants."

When Adams entered the KRG regional council, the regional council administered a budget of $96,000: today the KRG's annual budget is $140 million.

During the evening of tributes, several credited Adams for reaching a number of deals with the federal and provincial governments, which have provided Nunavik with improvements such as new police stations, playgrounds and paved roads.

"You have shown us we can achieve our goals," said Kativik Regional Police Chief Brian Jones.

KRG department directors also recalled Adams' legendary humour.

Adams was presented with web cams to remain in touch with his family when he travels, a polar bear carving and a gold medal, similar to those presented at Arctic Winter Games, which Adams immediately put on.

Call us, urge police

When the Kativik Regional Police Force representatives heard concerns from the regional council about unlawful behaviour, their message was simple: "if nobody tells us, we don't know."

"Call the police if you see someone who is too young to drive," said KRPF deputy chief Jobie Epoo.

Kangirsuk mayor and regional council executive Joseph Annahatak said would urge the executive to write a letter in support of the KRPF's efforts to keep underage drivers off the roads.

"We are supporting you," Annahatak said.

Several councilors cited a desire to know their local police better, through introductions on community radio: "if you are more open to the public, there will be a better relationship," said Mary Pirlutuut, the mayor and regional councillor from Kanqiqsujuaq.

The KRPF told the regional council it plans to distribute pamphlets in the communities to explain more about the role of the police.

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