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KRG puts off vote on new-government agreement

Unable to reach decision at regional council meeting

ODILE NELSON

After more than two hours of debate and a phone call from its hospital-ridden chairman, Johnny Adams, the Kativik Regional Council couldn't reach a resolution of support last week for Nunavik's new-government framework agreement.

The regional council was presented with a final draft of the framework agreement late last Thursday — only hours before the close of a week-long council meeting.

The council was asked to support the agreement and officially endorse Makivik Corp.'s negotiations with Ottawa and Quebec City.

But no amount of talk could convince some councillors to give the agreement a quick endorsement.

One of their main concerns was a section of the agreement that clearly states any new form of government in Nunavik will still come under the jurisdiction of the Quebec government.

"A lot of our people understand self-government in a different way than is presented in the framework agreement," George Kakayuk, regional councillor for Salluit, told the council. "For example, if we pass laws under this form of government, the Quebec National Assembly still has the final say.... They [Nunavimmiut] want full powers over things.... You will have to clearly explain to those people what this is."

The framework agreement is the result of more than six months of negotiations between Nunavik's Inuit, represented by Makivik, and the Quebec and federal governments.

The agreement would put the KRG, the Nunavik health board, the school board and the regional development council together into one body. It also proposes to develop a new form of government for Nunavik.

It is currently the subject of a court battle between Makivik and the Kativik School Board.

Maggie Emudluk, the KRG vice-chairman and a negotiator of the deal, defended the document, along with a few other councillors. They pointed out the document is not binding and only a starting point for future talks.

Emudluk said there are limits in the agreement, because it has to work within Canada's constitution.

"Today there are two levels of government in Canada — federal and provincial," Emudluk said. "The kind of government Inuit wish to have [a third level of government] is not possible at this time. But we can have our own form of self-government under Quebec."

Her remarks, and even a last-minute call from Adams, who was in Montreal recovering from a broken ankle, could not reassure some councillors.

"Even before we start negotiations, it says here we have a limit," Kakayuk said. "I look at this and I can't say what we are going to have, but I can say what we can't get."

Sarollie Weetaluktuk, the regional councillor for Inukjuak, also spoke out against the resolution.

"I don't even want to approve this because lots of questions come out of here and we're not even given half a day to discuss it," Weetaluktuk said. "We're too hasty making our decision without even consulting our people."

In the end, regional councillors agreed to postpone a decision until after Makivik's board of directors met this week.

Sources said this week that the deadline may be extended yet again because the agreement would not be signed until after the Quebec provincial election.

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