Inuktitut requirement a factor in move, Hine says

After 12 years in Nunavut and more than seven years in key government positions, Pam Hine is moving on.

Hine leaves for Whitehorse in August to become that territory's deputy minister of education.

But Government of Nunavut rules dictating that senior bureaucrats must be fluent in Inuktitut by January, 2008, also played a part in her decision, she said in an interview.

In her seven years with the government, Hine was president of the Nunavut Housing Corporation before becoming deputy minister of education and was named deputy minister of Community and Government Services in June 2006.

"It's not on bad terms," she said. "I understand what the government is trying to achieve as far as the language requirement. It's just something that I wasn't going to be able to fill in the time frame that was given."

Overseeing a $160 million department with a responsibility for managing everything from petroleum products to search and rescue services had her working 10 to 12 hour days. Spending 15 hours a week learning Inuktitut was just too much to add to that workload, she said.

But between her work in the public sector and volunteer efforts with Habitat for Humanity Iqaluit, Hine said she feels she's made a contribution to Nunavut during her time here.

"As a family we can leave feeling that we've given back something to the community," she said.

Hine said she made the decision to leave the GN with "mixed emotions" but the job with the government of Yukon was "a position I felt I couldn't turn down," she said.

Taking over from Hine is David Ageeaagok, the former deputy minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, and an assistant deputy minister in the finance and executive and intergovernmental affairs departments.

Also taking up new senior civil service jobs are Phoebe Hainnu as deputy minister of CLEY and Aluki Rojas as assistant deputy minister of Human Resources.

A rare weekend news release issued by Premier Paul Okalik's office framed the changes as a way to "enhance the role of Inuit" within the public service. There are now seven Inuit deputy ministers within the government.

"Premier Okalik has accepted the resignation of [Hine] and thanks her for years of dedicated service and contributions at the most senior levels of public service," the release stated.