MLAs grill Nunavut Tourism on how much bang they get for their bucks

Nunavut Tourism, a not-for-profit organization funded mostly through the Government of Nunavut, endured two days of legislative committee hearings so MLAs could find out how much money they spend, on what, and why. (PHOTO BY DAVID MURPHY)

Nunavut Tourism may have been overly ambitious when it paid thousands of dollars in 2013 for a short television appearance before an unlikely tourism market in the United States.

Colleen Dupuis, Nunavut Tourism’s CEO, admitted at a legislative standing committee hearing June 4 that spending $70,000 in 2014 for seven minutes of television airtime on The Balancing Act, an early morning talk show for women produced in Pompano, Florida for the Lifetime cable channel, was not a shining moment for the organization.

“That show, we have had some responses from. Was it probably one of the best things ever done? No,” Dupuis said to a series of questions from Iqaluit-Tasiluk MLA George Hickes.

“But we had additional dollars available and it was something to try,” Dupuis said.

Dupuis, and Adamie Sakeeta, the chair of Nunavut Tourism’s board, faced day two of budget questions from MLAs during a legislative standing committee on oversight of government operations and public accounts June 4.

Nunavut Tourism’s 2015-2016 allocation from the territorial government is $1.28 million greater than last year’s. That increase brings the GN’s contribution to $3.08 million for this fiscal year.

Nunavut Tourism is a not-for-profit industry association whose members include various businesses involved in the travel industry, such as hotels and outfitters. The bulk of their budget comes from the Nunavut government while the remainder comes from membership fees.

Hickes led questioning on recent critical media reports alleging misspent public money.

Dupuis tried to explain publicly the decision to drop thousands of dollars on that Florida TV appearance.

“The U.S. market has the potential to be huge. Typically the U.S. market for us is very low, except for fishing and hunting,” Dupuis explained.

“If U.S. residents are going somewhere on a northern experience typically they go to Alaska. So we were trying to hit somewhere and see if we can have an impact.”

Hickes also asked about a trip to Vancouver in 2010. A 2014 Nunavut/News North article reported Dupuis brought her husband to Vancouver and that his $3,500 return flight was reimbursed by Nunavut Tourism.

Dupuis never acknowledged her husband was specifically part of the trip in her response to Hickes, however.

She blamed the GN for throwing Nunavut Tourism more responsibilities at the last minute.

“There had been some changes or issues with staff, that something had fallen through,” Dupuis said.

“Trying to find someone at the last minute was very challenging. So my board and the department [economic development and transportation] was fully aware of what we were doing and approved of it.”

Dupuis said Nunavut Tourism pulled off an investment dinner event in Vancouver requested by the GN and she only had two weeks to prepare.

“It was about getting something done, because huge amounts were invested. And if we hadn’t stepped in, certain events the Government of Nunavut had started on would have fallen through,” Dupuis said.

Hickes pressed Dupuis later in the session, saying MLAs sometimes travel with spouses “at our own expense.”

“Does Nunavut Tourism practice that same policy?” Hickes asked.

Dupuis said employees have the option to travel with spouses and pay their own way, but it rarely happens.

When asked if it’s happened in the last five years, Dupuis said maybe — but it hasn’t been at Nunavut Tourism’s expense.

“It may have happened on a couple of instances but that would be strictly at the person’s expense. Not at Nunavut Tourism’s expense,” Dupuis said.

Other business trips to Dallas, Texas, and Toronto came under scrutiny as well.

Tununiq MLA Joe Enook wanted to know if more tourists coming to Nunavut as a result of these promotional and marketing events.

“Dallas was a consumer event — a fishing event. And some of our fishing operators have got bookings from that,” Dupuis said.

“Our sport fishing funding comes from the Department of Environment. And the Dallas Safari Club show was a show they suggested we attend. It’s one of the largest in the world.”

In Toronto, Nunavut Tourism held an event aimed at attracting positive coverage of the territory from city media organizations.

“This past February we heard from this event — Global Television, their news crew is coming here. Not to cover tourism but to cover political events.

“We have the Toronto Star coming on a familiarization trip this summer. And we have an international fishing show coming because of this dinner,” Dupuis said.