A blatant money-grab by MLAs

“MLAs ponder enriched pension plan.” Why am I not surprised upon reading that statement in Nunatsiaq News on Feb. 25, 2002?

The euphoria of Canada’s Olympic gold medal in hockey has not even had time to sink in, and now, one day later, that simple pleasure has been denied me because of this attempted/proposed blatant money-grab by our MLAs.

Apparently, our elected officials have been discussing this issue since last July, behind closed doors, meaning “to hell with the public.”

This is our issue.

For too long, the public has been locked out of these types of discussions, which, if passed, will cost the taxpayers of Nunavut approximately $700,000 per year.

The Speaker of the House, the Hon. Kevin O’Brien, claims that this is just one of many matters inherited from the GNWT. Give me a break.

Were the pension plans so inadequate under the GNWT? Or did our gang of MLAs just wake up and say to themselves, “Oh boy, let’s omnibus this pension plan increase and maybe the public will not notice it?”

Your article goes on to state that the MLAs will discuss this issue, and then they will opt for the option that they want.

How many union leaders have sat across from government negotiators, be they federal, provincial or municipal, with this option in hand?

Speaker O’Brien states that he does not know how much work is ahead of him regarding this issue, and that he will have to talk to the house clerk “to see where we are at.” What an avowal of failure in one’s attendance as on-the-job-supervisor of the House.

Your article goes on to inform us that MLAs have discussed this in private during caucus meetings. I seem to recall when the Hon. Jack Anawak was Interim Commissioner, he promised that this would be a new type of government, by the people and for the people.

Instead, they have opted for one of the stodgiest and most secretive regimes in Canada. Congratulations guys.

This bill will probably pass, although I will fight it all the way, but please, if it does pass, inform them that it should not have a “Levi” clause, just in case they are thinking of it as being retroactive.

I have a nine-year-old daughter who is a beneficiary under the Nunavut land claims agreement, and I doubt that she will see any of the benefits.

Just witness the remuneration our MLAs and some leaders of birthright corporations are hauling in and you should get my point.

Tom Brown
Cambridge Bay

Editor’s note: On Feb. 27, as Nunatsiaq News went to press this week, Government House Leader Kelvin Ng introduced legislation to change the Nunavut MLA pension plan.