Arctic issues dominate MPs’ trip to the North
Nunavut MP Lori Idlout led delegation to Cambridge Bay, Kugluktuk and Yellowknife
Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou MP Sylvie Bérubé, left, and Nunavut MP Lori Idlout travelled to Nunavut and Northwest Territories in March. The two talked to Nunatsiaq News about what they hope to see in the federal budget, to be released Tuesday. (Photo courtesy of Lynda Perreault)
Arctic security and sovereignty were the focus for a delegation of MPs during a visit to the North last week.
From March 12 to 19, Nunavut NDP MP Lori Idlout led the trip as part of an ongoing House of Commons Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee study that included stops in Cambridge Bay, Kugluktuk and Yellowknife.
“There has been a major lack of investments in the North so that the Arctic communities can be better engaged in Arctic sovereignty, Arctic security and emergency preparedness,” Idlout said in an interview.
Joining Idlout were fellow committee members Conservative Bob Zimmer and Liberal Marcus Powlowski.
As well, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou Bloc Quebecois MP Sylvie Bérubé, who formerly served on the Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee, travelled with Idlout along with Niagara Centre Liberal MP and Indigenous services parliamentary secretary Vance Badawey.
Bérubé travelled with Idlout because Marilène Gill, her party’s sole member on the Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee, was not available.
The members visited municipal offices and community organizations, and on the final day met with Northwest Territories Premier Caroline Cochrane.
Both Idlout and Bérubé said their visit showed the need for the federal government to better support organizations and search-and-rescue groups in the North that lack adequate infrastructure and timely funding.
Idlout specifically highlighted Canadian Rangers as having to face delays to get their equipment repaired and for reimbursements for the associated costs.
“Canadian Rangers, as an arm of the military, are volunteers that use their own equipment, like snowmobiles,” Idlout said.
“We were told it takes anywhere between three to six months to get their money back, and then that much longer to get repairs done so that they can do their job in the Canadian Rangers.”
Bérubé, as the MP representing Nunavik since 2019, has not spent more than an afternoon in the region.
Despite that, she noted similarities between Nunavut and Nunavik communities and said the government will need to respond to issues identified in a committee report on the visit.
That report will be tabled in the House of Commons at a later date.
“We met many people, we received an update on the needs of residents, including improvements to the ports, renovations of rinks, improvements to airport terminals,” Bérubé said in a French interview.
“These are all things that were discussed, and a report will be released.”
Idlout had hoped the trip would allow more time to look into other issues in Nunavut she wanted her committee colleagues to see.
Specifically, Idlout wanted to tour crowded and mouldy homes to highlight the territory’s housing crisis, but the meeting and travel schedule did not allow that.
“I think that, as informative as this was, there’s definitely going to continue to have a need to make sure that we’re also talking about the social issues and what the continuing impacts are of colonial policies,” she said.
“We need to make sure that we really are working towards better recognition of self-determining nations who want to decide how funds are distributed.”
Both Idlout and Bérubé shared a positive mutual takeaway from the experience: the two MPs said they personally know each other better now, and that will allow them to work together better in the House of Commons.
The two are planning their own trips back to the North throughout the year.
Idlout hopes to reach a few Nunavut communities in April. And Bérubé, who described her Nunavut experience as enriching, said she’s looking to get to Kuujjuaq, Salluit and other Nunavik communities for a week in September.
God Lord. How many times do MPs have to see moldy homes to get the message? Only the NDP (Liberals in disguise) can flog a dead horse. Are the members of the NDP/Liberal Coalition slow learners?
Lack of investment? Of course, there is. Anytime when expenses continue to increase, anytime there is an increase (read carbon and other taxes) , anytime a small group of people can shut down a mine (with the support of the local MP (read Idlout)), anytime roadblocks tp business are put up, investors will think twice before they come here.
“Both Idlout and Bérubé shared a positive mutual takeaway from the experience: the two MPs said they personally know each other better now”. How many tens of thousands did that cost the taxpayer when they could have had a cold ginger ale over lunch in the parliament cafeteria?
And the NDP/Liberal continues to drain the public coffers.
Lowest deficit since 2009 and our trade surplus is up $17,000,000,000 from last year.
I don’t think you meant to spread demonstrable misinformation but you have nonetheless.
Canada’s national debt reached an all time high of $1.4T USD last year. Highest government spending ever in Canadian history, even when Covid costs are factored out.
That the Liberals presided over a low deficit only means they failed to shovel the money out the door as fast as they wanted to.
They doubly failed; to run government within our means, and to spend according to their plan. They can gain no credit for that.
This year, every Canadian will pay over $1,300 in interest payments alone (almost $70B in total) on federal and provincial debt before they get a penny’s worth of goods or service from their taxes.
Canada’s growing Trade surplus is almost exclusively in the areas of food and mining exports. We are taking up the global trade slack from Russian trade sanctions and reduced agro exports from Ukraine.
I am not so sure the Liberals should want to take credit for our country benefiting from war, strife and misery in eastern Europe.
Hardly the fiscal and economic performance that should be crowed about.
For sure.
I wasn’t “crowing”. I was pointing out a partisan mischaracterization.
“That the Liberals presided over a low deficit only means they failed to shovel the money out the door as fast as they wanted to”
This probably comes in handy when a goalpost needs to be moved.
“Canada’s growing Trade surplus is almost exclusively in the areas of food and mining exports. We are taking up the global trade slack from Russian trade sanctions and reduced agro exports from Ukraine.”
Ok, and? I can’t see why our benefiting from someone else’s reduced trade negates from that benefit.
I don’t support any party so in the end I don’t really care as long as you all are just as upset when PP runs up our balance sheet just like his mentor did.
These political figures came to Kug? Had no idea. No announcement, nothing.
She doesn’t care even a little for Inuit from her riding thanks caca gov
Good morning it’s about the inuit own business that NTI created lot of these so call inuit own business but there is no inuk workers only southerners if NTI really care about inuit own they would change the rules to must be at least 50% inuit worker to because right now a southerner just make a inuit the co- owner and then take advantage of Inuit own benefits NTI if you really care about inuit work force how about you prove it
I don’t think these businesses purposefully hire only southerners/non-inuit. They hire qualified people to do the work. How do we increase Inuit in the workforce? Education. More Inuit need to get specialized education to fill all these roles. Many of these jobs you cannot just learn on the job, you need 4 years of postsecondary University Education, and sometimes a Masters.
So encourage kids to stay in school and to attend University, Trade School, and/or Apprenticeships. Otherwise we will always rely on importing workers forever!
David, education, this is the golden key for Inuit to fill these positions. Encourage the youth to finish school and go on to university/college/trade school. Until then, like the poster said, Nunavut will always be reliant on southern workers. Even that is not sustainable as Nunavut needs to “grow its own talent”.
What?!!!?
This is no different then the last MP who did her tour across Nunavut. We know what the issues are, it’s been the same issues even before the creation of Nunavut.
“we’re also talking about the social issues and what the continuing impacts are of colonial policies”
What’s her action plan, what is she proposing the government do to tackle these issues, what federal, territorial, municipal governments and NGO’s is she reaching out to, to come up with solutions to address issues in Nunavut? Don’t just talk about the social issues, what are you doing to address them??
Welcome to the real world. Get educated or take up a trade and make a difference for the people!
“Idlout had hoped the trip would allow more time to look …. Specifically, Idlout wanted to tour crowded and mouldy homes to highlight the territory’s housing crisis, but the meeting and travel schedule did not allow that.”
How much time does it really take, go on the radio and ask if there is someone that would show of their house as it is… there are so many houses in need of repair that you could almost pick any house at random and it would show the issues (though some people might not just want a bunch of qalunaat invading there house, why go on radio and ask). Bring some tea and snacks for the people living there and visit for 15-30 min, talk to them.
Come on Nunatsiaq, you can do better with a title. “Arctic issues dominate MPs’ trip to the North” is a little to on the nose. I sure hope when MP’s go north they talk about arctic issues. Would be kinda funny if they talked about Ottawa public transit in Cambridge though.
Sad that our MP isn’t taking housing seriously. If she did, she would sell the numerous houses she owns so that Iqalummiut can buy them and become homeowners too. But she won’t will she.
Not a huge fan of Lori, but this is an awful take.
Lori idlout is a joke of an MP.
She has no idea of what she’s doing.
This may be so, but we chose her to do the job, so in the end we are responsible.