Okalik says he’s sorry after MLAs accept Integrity Commissioner’s report

Iqaluit West MLA Paul Okalik speaks with reporters before MLAs voted 11-3 to accept the Integrity Commissioner’s report Monday. The report finds Okalik violated Nunavut’s Integrity Act during last fall’s election campaign, when his re-election team sent fundraising letters to deputy ministers in the territorial government, whom Okalik still had the power to fire. (PHOTO BY CHRIS WINDEYER)

Paul Okalik apologized Monday for violating Nunavut’s Integrity Act after his fellow MLAs voted to accept the findings of the territory’s Integrity Commissioner.

“It was not intentional…not abiding by the law and I apologize to all the members, to all my constituents, and the rest of the people of Nunavut,” Okalik told the assembly late Monday.

Integrity Commissioner Norman Pickell found Okalik, the MLA for Iqaluit West and a former premier, violated the act by hitting up deputy ministers for campaign donations during the 2008 election campaign. Okalik was still premier and retained the power to fire or reward deputy ministers.

Okalik’s apology fulfills the punishment recommended by Pickell in his report. Okalik, who last week said he didn’t “really care” about the commissioner’s findings, had to apologize or face suspension from the assembly.

The apology became necessary after MLAs voted 11-3 Monday to accept the commissioner’s report after debating the matter for roughly 20 minutes.

During debate on the motion, Okalik complained he was the only candidate in the last election who could have violated the Integrity Act for seeking donations from deputy ministers.

He also objected to the delay between when the complaint was filed by housing minister Hunter Tootoo in October, 2008 and when it was tabled in the house last week.

“It is a little difficult to follow the laws when they’re being applied after the fact,” Okalik told the assembly. He also said he considered challenging the report in court.

But seeking a court injunction “would add costs to our already financially strapped government, which is already hard up for adequate funds,” he said.

Okalik said he’d leave the house for the rest of the debate on the motion, so MLAs could speak more freely, adding that he would abide by the assembly’s decision.

With that, Okalik stood up, bowed to the Mace, and left the chamber.

The former premier had his defenders. Health minister Tagak Curley, education minister Louis Tapardjuk and Tununiq MLA James Arvaluk all voted against the motion.

Curley and Tapardjuk complained that Integrity Commissioner’s findings were based on southern standards that aren’t fair in Nunavut.

“The robe they use down there doesn’t fit up here in Nunavut,” Curley told MLAs.

But Tootoo, who brought the motion to the floor, pointed out that the Integrity Act was written and passed by Nunavut MLAs in 2001.

And Tootoo said the premier’s power to fire employees during an election campaign is a feature of Nunavut’s consensus government system. That’s why Okalik’s fundraising letters during the campaign were inappropriate, he said.

“I don’t believe that any employee should be put in the position like that, where they feel uncomfortable, or intimidated by such a request from an individual who has complete control over their employment,” Tootoo said.

But MLAs on both sides agreed that the legislature should consider amending the Elections Act and the Integrity Act to clearly forbid premiers from soliciting political donations from people they have the power to fire.

“I would like to see changes or amendments made to those acts so that they’re concise and clear and that there are no grey areas,” Tapardjuk said.

Premier Eva Aariak did not speak to the motion but voted in favour. She declined to comment after it passed.

Other cabinet ministers voting to accept the commissioner’s report were environment minister Daniel Shewchuk, economic development minister Peter Taptuna, Community and Government Services minister Lorne Kusugak, and finance minister Keith Peterson.

Akulliq MLA John Ningark, Sanikiluaq MLA Allan Rumbolt, Johnny Ningeongan from Nanulik, Ron Elliott of Quttiktuq and South Baffin MLA Fred Schell also backed the motion.

Baker Lake MLA Moses Aupaluktuq, currently facing drunk driving charges, abstained from Monday’s vote.

Okalik, Nattilik MLA Enuk Pauloosie, and Pangnirtung MLA Adamee Komoartok, who apologized last week for a drunken incident in Ottawa, were not in the house when the vote was recorded.

Related story:

• Okalik contravened Nunavut Integrity Act: Integrity Commissioner