Nunavut MLA demands shuffle over housing cost over-run

Iqaluit Centre MLA Hunter Tootoo taking his oath of office as a cabinet minister in November 2008. This week, one MLA said Tootoo is now “on probation” because of the Nunavut Housing Trust fiasco. (FILE PHOTO)

Sanikiluaq MLA Allan Rumbolt is calling on Premier Eva Aariak to consider a cabinet shuffle in the wake of the $60-million budget overrun at the Nunavut Housing Corporation.

The statement came after a motion calling for the removal of Housing Minister Hunter Tootoo was tabled by Iqaluit West MLA Paul Okalik, but never came up for a vote.

“I trust that the events of last week have made our ministers recognize that they need to exercise the powers that we have entrusted them with very carefully,” Rumbolt said in a member’s statement June 7.

“Secondly, I believe that the premier needs to think hard about this situation and consider her options with respect to how her government is organized.”

Rumbolt added that MLAs should evaluate the performance of the cabinet during the assembly’s first session of 2011.

While Tootoo wasn’t housing minister when the 2006 Nunavut Housing Trust came into being, some regular MLAs are demanding Tootoo take more responsibility for the fiasco.

South Baffin MLA Fred Schell said June 7 the government should ensure that a scheduled audit of the housing corporation’s books is “as rigorous as possible.”

Tootoo has promised the results of that audit by the end of the summer.

Schell seconded Okalik’s motion calling for Tootoo’s ouster as cabinet minister. On June 7, he said the motion sent a message to the entire cabinet even if it never came up for a vote.

“At a certain point, we no longer have the luxury of making excuses for today’s problems by pointing the finger at yesterday’s decisions,” Schell said.

But Rumbolt said the housing trust debacle is the responsibility of both the current and former governments.

“Everyone acknowledges that these problems began some years ago,” Rumbolt said. “Everyone also acknowledges that they continued into the time of the present government.”

Nanulik MLA Johnny Ningeongan said he’s glad the housing corporation is under new management, but added he’s not satisfied with Tootoo’s performance as minister.

“I think that it is fair to say that the minister and the Housing Corporation are now on probation,” he said.