Ammituq MLA Enoki Irqittuq has done “nothing” for Igloolik

Let me in the outset of these remarks make it perfectly clear that this letter is not intended to harm or belittle the Ammittuq MLA personally — rather it’s his lack of action that is of concern.

And I am sure that as the mature gentleman that he is, he expected some criticism from his constituency for lack of representation — if it ever comes to that.

Furthermore, I am sure that he is not in the house for popularity gains, and is perfectly aware that he is bound to get criticized for inaction.

Having made that clear, I think, to an extent, I couldn’t be very far from being wrong to suggest that the community of Igloolik has received very little help from our current member of the Legislative Assembly.

And frankly, I along with my fellow community members in Igloolik, had never experienced anything like this before. It had always been that previous MLAs took their elected official status very seriously, and did so with constituency visits and meetings.

With this current MLA, constituency meetings or visits do not exist. Mind you, every so often, we see or hear that our MLA was seen at the airport passing through — that’s the extent of his constituency visits.

I suppose we could say that he is just learning the trade of being a people’s representative, with the Nunavut government being so new.

But heck, he has been an MLA for almost five years, and he has yet to have done something for his constituents in Igloolik — perhaps a constituency meeting before his term is up.

We don’t know what his priorities are for Igloolik. At least, after almost five years he must realize the growing community’s essential needs such as infrastructures.

For example, the current community hall is redundant. It is approximately 30 years old, well past its usefulness, and any stern, health-conscious building inspector would condemn the damn building. But then again it’s all we got, and we have to make do at a risk of danger because of deterioration.

Then look at the hamlet office — this building is 40-some years old — imagine the maintenance cost after so many years. Basically what has happened since his election back in 1999 is nothing. Absolutely nothing.

I would say that is one hell of a way of representing people. If anything is gained from his term as MLA — it’s nothing for his constituency, but something personal to him, i.e. a pension and salary.

Nicolas “Paoktut” Arnatsiaq
Igloolik