Small turnout for Yes tour’s Rankin stop

Critics accuse gender-parity panelists of ‘telling them how to vote’

By NUNATSIAQ NEWS

ANNETTE BOURGEOIS

They had worried, planned and strategized about Rankin Inlet, but the expected opposition to gender parity never materialized.

With six community meetings behind them, panel members for the Yes side were ready for their harshest critics on Tuesday night.

Afterall, opposition to the gender-parity proposal had been the most vocal in the Keewatin region.

In the end, however, fewer than three dozen people from this town of about 2,300 even bothered to attend the information meeting.

Among those who did come was Senator Willie Adams, who suggested that it might be better to introduce the proposal in the Nunavut legislative assembly after 1999.

And one man told the panel he resented being told how to vote.

“We are just being used as puppets,” he said. “I know people are always saying it’s up to the individual, but with the buttons and pamphlets, our arms are being twisted.”

Critical of Yes tour

Lizzie Ittinuar thought the Yes side tour itself was unfair, since the No campaign has yet to mobilize.

“The reason they didn’t go to the other communities is because …they don’t have any money. I think the No side should be given equal opportunity to travel, too.”

In fact, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. has made $30,000 available for any group that wishes to launch its own campaign against gender parity.

Bernadette Dean, one of the few women who attended the meeting, said she felt intimidated by the whole question.

But Dean said she detects hypocrisy in the way some people react to the idea of promoting greater female participation in government.

“I hear a lot of people say they support women, and that they work hard, but they don’t put them in the decision-making levels,” she said.

Marie Ernerk said she’s marking her ballot Yes.

“I can’t understand those northern people who want change, but suddenly want to be like the rest of Canada,” Ernerk said.

Let’s get this straight

Nunavut Implementation Commission Chief Commissioner John Amagoalik, speaking more confidently and passionately than at any of the previous gatherings, opened the meeting by trying to clear up misunderstandings he said have been spread by opponents of gender parity.

“I’m sure one thing that needs clarification is (the idea of) men voting only for men and women voting only for women,” he said, sounding somehwat exasperated.

“Each voter would cast two votes.”

Pauktuutit Inuit Women’s Association president Martha Flaherty also offered assurances that men and women would not be segregated within the Nunavut legislature.

“We don’t want to see a legislative assembly where the women are sitting on one side and men sitting on the other side,” she said.

Youth representative Jimi Onalik of Rankin Inlet said a government should reflect the people they represent.

A chance to dream

“Something that’s really excited me about this work to create the Nunavut government is that it’s allowed us to be idealistic and allowed us to dream about how things can be,” the 22-year-old said.

“It’s a fact today women are vastly under represented in the current legislative assembly.”

Johnny Karetak, an elder, said times are changing and that, “today, if a man and a woman can work together, that’s something you can be proud of.”

The majority of Rankin Inlet residents spoke in Inuktitut and were quoted through a translator.

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