Nunavut premier fires back at her loudest critic

Eva Aariak, seen here are a press conference on health funding with Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq last month in Iqaluit, said her government is now “accustomed to demands” that they solve problems created during the regime of former premier Paul Okalik. (FILE PHOTO)

Updated Nov. 2, 2:46 p.m.

Eva Aariak fired back at her loudest critic Nov. 1: the man who used to do her job and might want it back.

Nunavut’s premier defended her battered government with a terse, three-page speech in the assembly, a response to Iqaluit West MLA Paul Okalik’s scathing attack earlier in the legislative sitting.

“Our government is now accustomed to demands that we solve problems created by the past administration,” Aariak said. “Although it is incredibly tempting, I do not believe the Premier or her cabinet should stoop to the level of responding to petty remarks and invented insults.”

On Oct. 20, Okalik tore into the record Aariak’s government, saying the Premier has claimed some of his accomplishments as her own, and failing to tackle a long list of social problems. “Nunavut can do better,” he told reporters afterwards.

Okalik took the rare step of replying to the throne speech, which opens a legislative session, during the middle of a sitting. Aariak rose Nov. 1 on the same agenda item.

She said Okalik himself oversaw many of those problems and failed to make much progress during his nine years as premier. She said she’s taking her mandate from the Qanukkanniq report card, which surveyed hundreds of Nunavummiut.

She took shots at Okalik’s reputation for iron-fisted leadership as Premier and for running afoul of Nunavut’s privacy commissioner in 2009. Normal Pickell found Okalik improperly solicited campaign donations from senior government officials while still Premier.

“Our government is building a culture of respect in everything we do,” Aariak said. “We are rebuilding respect within the civil service. Mr. Speaker, under this government, civil servants are chosen for their skills, not for their allegiance.”

Aariak’s remarks come as MLAs get set for a leadership forum in Iqaluit that is scheduled to start Wednesday. Politicians on both sides of the house have been jockeying for position during the session, and it’s possible someone will make a play for the Premier’s job.

The review was to get underway Nov. 3 in the assembly, after Nunatsiaq News press time. John Quirke, the clerk of the assembly, said the premier will get to speak for a maximum of 20 minutes, then take a maximum of five questions from each of the 10 regular MLAs.

Cabinet ministers, in alphabetical order, will have 10 minutes to speak. Regular MLAs will then each get a total of 10 questions they can ask of ministers.

After that’s finished, every MLA except the speaker will vote in a secret ballot on whether to keep the premier and each member of cabinet. The premier or cabinet minister needs to get a majority of 10 votes to keep their job. In the event of a tie, there will be a second ballot.

MLAs will also have to vote in a new cabinet minister after Louis Tapardjuk, the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, announced his resignation from cabinet Oct. 28. Quirke said the vote to fill cabinet vacancies will happen after the review wraps up.

“It’s very possible that this could go into early next week,” he said. “It all depends on how this particular leadership forum ends.”

The current sitting ended Nov. 1 with the passage of 11 bills, including supplementary appropriations, Nunavut’s capital plans and minor changes to Nunavut’s tax laws.

MLAs also passed a bill to raise Nunavut’s minimum wage to $11 per hour, effective Jan. 1, 2011, and a bill that allows the Government of Nunavut to sue tobacco companies for smoking-related health care costs.

Commissioner Edna Elias granted all 11 bills royal assent.