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February 24, 2006

Curley rapped for “unparliamentary” language

The MLA for Rankin Inlet-North, Tagak Curley, violated the legislative assembly’s rules twice this past Dec. 1, during a heated exchange in committee of the whole over the timing of the assembly’s mid-term leadership review.

In a ruling issued this past Tuesday, the Speaker’s office found that Curley “imputed false motives” to cabinet ministers who backed the idea of holding the review before June 30, as set out in an amendment made by Iqaluit Centre MLA Hunter Tootoo.

Curley, who wanted the review before March 30, accused cabinet ministers of supporting a later review so they could collect more salary money, more pension benefits, and hang on to their cheque-signing power a little longer.

Under parliamentary tradition, that’s a no-no. Members are supposed to only cite the reasons that other members actually give for supporting a given position, and not make up “false motives.”

When Tootoo rose on a point of order complaining about Curley’s first violation, Curley committed his second violation, when he responded to Tootoo by saying “Ah, shut up,” in front of a live microphone.

“Such language is unparliamentary and will not be tolerated,” the Speaker’s ruling said, asking Curley to retract both statements.

February 24, 2006

Worries for child care, homeless programs

Education Minister Ed Picco, who is also responsible for child care in Nunavut, said the Government of Nunavut is concerned that the new Conservative government in Ottawa may decide to change its child care policies, and move away from the former government’s plan to subsidize child care.

“Harper’s proposal of $1,200 annually for families [per child] is a nice step, where you actually put money in the pockets of parents, but when you look at the amount of money that will come to Nunavut, based on our cost of living, and so on, it isn’t very much,” Picco said.

Programs to assist homeless Nunavummiut may also be on the chopping block, Picco said.

“What we need to do is bring forward the advocacy on behalf of Nunavummiut to the programs that are of interest to us.”

Picco said the GN is inviting the key federal ministers to visit Nunavut.

February 24, 2006

Polar bear worries

Polar bears and their future in a world threatened by global warming came up during the first day of the current sitting of the Nunavut legislature.

Quttiktuq MLA Levi Barnabas told the assembly that he is concerned about a possible U.S. import ban on polar bear trophies.

“If the U.S. government were to prohibit the importation of polar bear trophies into the U.S., this would have a potentially serious economic impact,” Barnabas said.

Hudson Bay MLA Peter Kattuk also shared his concern over climate change’s impacts on polar bears.

“You can see the polar bears are a lot skinnier now and they’re not as healthy as before,” Kattuk said.

However, environment minister Olayuk Akesuk did not directly answer questions from Barnabas about what the GN is doing to respond to the U.S. during its 60-day status review of polar bears (after this period the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agency will consider listing polar bears an endangered species, a move which would likely lead to a ban of polar bear trophies).

And Akesuk didn’t have a clear answer either for Kattuk on a question about polar bears and climate change.

“Once our government has a closer understanding, then they will consult with the communities,” Akesuk said.

February 24, 2006

Aglukkaq questioned on boarding home, escorts and foreign nurses

Mold found last month at the Lena Pedersen Boarding Home in Yellowknife, which serves patients from Nunavut’s Kitikmeot region, is being dealt with, health minister Leona Aglukkaq told legislators.

The boarding home is being inspected regularly, she said.

The contract for the home has two years remaining — the health department, she said, is reviewing its options for what it will do with the boarding home when the contract expires.

Akulliq MLA Steve Mapsalak wanted Aglukkaq to explain how decisions are made about which patients heading for treatment outside Nunavut qualify for escorts. Aglukaaq said the decisions are made on a “case by case” basis, although a “central person” in the health department then sees whether the GN’s patient escort policy is being followed.

Rankin Inlet North MLA Tagak Curley asked whether the GN was paying international nurses who failed a nursing exam to qualify them for practice.

“I believe” they’re not being put on the territorial payroll until they are able to pass the exam, Aglukkaq said. This was later confirmed to the MLAs.

February 24, 2006

GN housing: are there vacant units or not?

Does the GN have vacant staff housing units in Iqaluit?

That’s what Iqaluit Centre MLA Hunter Tootoo tried to find out in the legislature this week, asking where the 26 new hires for the hospital would be housed, how many vacant staff units there are in Iqaluit, and how long the GN’s waiting list for staff housing is in the city.

But Olayuk Akesuk, the minister responsible for housing, couldn’t supply any numbers for Tootoo.

“As of right now, I don’t have the number of how many vacant units we have. If we do, somebody probably already has that place... we have people moving into those vacant units, if we have vacant units.”

Akesuk did say the GN plans to lease 40 more units this year for staff positions in Iqaluit.

February 24, 2006

Congrats and concerns for search and rescue efforts

Arviat MLA David Alagalak stood up to congratulate the people of Arviat for their recent search and rescue parties, which included members of his family.

The search and rescue parties finally found two people from Arviat, Moses Kinniksi, 25, and Lillian Otuk, 21, who died in a blizzard last week trying to reach Rankin Inlet by snowmobile.

Alagalak said Nunavut communities and individuals need more access to “tracking equipment” — above and beyond the $390,000 spent last year by the GN for global positioning equipment, HF radios and first aid kits. He said more equipment should be made available to hunters and “parents who doubt their sons and daughters will make it back from point A to point B.”

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