Another Gong Show farce for Iqaluit

Every five or 10 years, Iqaluit’s municipal government stumbles onto the public stage with yet another home-grown version of the Gong Show.

The Gong Show, for those too young to remember, was a 1970s-era television show that featured amateur performers who make fools of themselves in public.

The latest such performance was led by Coun. Jim Little, who’s been flapping his gums lately about an allegation that can never be proven, leading to an “investigation” that will likely never unearth what happened.

This, of course, is his claim that during a behind-closed-doors meeting of Iqaluit City Council last July, some councillor — not Little — alleged he was offered a bribe. Since we don’t know who that was, let’s call him Coun. “X.”

Donning his well-worn crusader cape, Little then called the cops. In doing this, he likely violated two confidences. The first — a forgiveable one — was to violate the confidentiality of an in camera council session.

We call it “forgiveable” for a good reason. Since we don’t know the content of that or any other council in camera session, we have no way of knowing whether council made legitimate use of the in camera convention. So violating such a confidence, could, in some circumstances, be justified by the public interest. But in this case, that’s just a possibility, not a certainty.

The other violation, however, is less forgiveable.

If it’s true that Coun. X was actually offered a bribe, then it’s Coun. X who should have reported the matter to the police. But he didn’t. It’s Little, not Coun. X, who dropped the dime.

Did Little bother to ask Coun. X about it first? And if it’s so serious, why hasn’t Coun. X come forward on his own? Did Little violate the confidentiality and privacy of Coun. X?

In any event, all this makes Little’s allegation a piece of unverifiable hearsay — something he heard, or thought he heard, from somebody else who heard, or thought he heard, yet another person say something. So until it’s corroborated, the allegation should be treated with the utmost skepticism.

None of this makes sense, of course. These things never do.

The root of the controversy is a routine decision to locate a badly needed Government of Nunavut patient boarding home for the Baffin region at a highly suitable location: a corner adjacent to a cluster of pre-existing health and social service buildings.

The lot in question is a typical Iqaluit sandbox. With a building on top of it, this lot would soon generate property and lot-lease revenues for the city, money that could help pay for services we all use. The GN will pay one contractor, Nova Construction, to build it and pay another contractor, a local not-for-profit society, to run it for them.

It’s not a casino and it’s not a brothel— it’s a health care facility. But this is Iqaluit, where wierdness reigns supreme. A couple of councillors, including Little, produced some truly bizarre objections. One councillor said he didn’t like the location because it’s close to a bar. Well, the current patient home sits three minutes walk away from that very same bar and no one has ever complained about that.

For his part, Little said last July that he doesn’t like the project because he objects to the contractor. That, however, is not the city’s issue. It’s the GN’s issue, and they resolved that a long time ago when they awarded the contruction contract. Little also said he knows of a better lot, but there’s no evidence of his putting a motion on the table that might have allowed this suggestion to be debated.

In any event, council ducked inside a series of in camera sessions to waste even more time on the issue. This was when Little alleges that Coun. X made his alleged allegation of bribery.

Given that the GN awarded the multi-million construction contract nearly a year ago, it’s difficult to imagine why anyone would now be motivated to offer a bribe. That’s what makes the allegation so bizarre.

But even if the allegation were true, it’s highly unlikely that the RCMP will ever find enough evidence to prove it. Because of the ensuing publicity, their investigation is now hopelessly tainted.And like most other Canadian law-enforcement agencies, the RCMP is not renowned for its ability to handle white-collar crime. In Nunavut, their capacity is likely even more limited than it is nationally.

All the same, city council likely made a big mistake when they voted to bar Little from attending any more in camera sessions. When a fire’s burning, you don’t put it out by pouring gasoline on top of it.

And it wouldn’t hurt if the next city council — especially if they’re able to muster enough brain power — too a long hard look at its in camera policies. Secrecy breeds suspicion and paranoia, which we now have in spades.

We note that 21 people are now running for city council and Little has decided to offer himself as a candidate for mayor.

Recent events suggest this campaign may degenerate into a circus, during which ill-informed emotion will dominate. If so, there’s not much any one can do to stop it.

The only good thing is this. The Baffin region will get a new patient home. Somehow the public interest managed to survive the Gong Show. @Ed-by:JB