At 25, Nunavut is maturing into what it’s supposed to be
Territory’s ‘silver jubilee’ is Monday, the anniversary of its creation
Pangnirtung’s landscape is reflected in its small craft harbour. Someone on a boat shone a spotlight into an approaching Canadian North aircraft, Nov. 23. File photo by Corey Larocque)
Happy 25th birthday, Nunavut! Canada’s youngest territory is marking its silver jubilee on April 1 — the anniversary of the day back in 1999 when the new territory was created.
For people, 25 represents a coming of age. You’re an adult now, on your way to becoming who you’re going to be.
Hitting the quarter-century mark is a good occasion to take stock of where you are, how you got there and where you’re going. Nunavut is a bit like that too.
There’s a lot to celebrate. Its recent success at the Arctic Winter Games in sports like speedskating prove Canada’s smallest territory is capable of competing at national and international levels.
But Nunavut still has an awful lot of work ahead of it in other areas.
When Finance Minister Lorne Kusugak delivered the government’s budget in February, he said the territory can be “a beacon of good governance” signalling to leaders around the world how they can make life better for the people they serve.
That’s some generous political spin, considering the immense challenges the Government of Nunavut faces in delivering the core services it’s responsible for, such as education and health.
The GN can’t hire enough workers throughout the public service.
The territorial government is also not transparent. For example, it routinely takes longer than it should to give the public information they’re entitled to have.
The GN stifles constructive and productive discussion of public policy by muzzling its public servants from talking about the work they do, the problems they’re trying to fix and the solutions they have for fixing them.
To think of the GN as a beacon of good governance, the light is dim.
Every country, province or territory has social and economic challenges. Housing. Labour shortages. Meeting the health-care needs of its people. Creating opportunities for its youth. Developing its economy without debasing it. But Nunavut has its own unique twist on all of these.
If Canadians — and indeed the world — are to understand Nunavut better, Nunavut needs to celebrate its triumphs and face its challenges head on.
An open, honest public discussion will nurture the growth that lies ahead.
Check the current GN jobs ads. There’s one for Associate Deputy Minister / Deputy Secretary to Cabinet – one of the most important positions in the government. $156,383 to $223,405 per year. But not everyone can apply for it. The ad states, “This employment opportunity is restricted to Nunavut Inuit who reside in Iqaluit only.” Why? Perhaps because, as the ad notes, “No staff housing available.” So if you’re a Nunavut Inuk living in Rankin Inlet, you can’t even apply on the job. It would appear that some Nunavut Inuit are more equal than others. “An open, honest public discussion” of this reality is sorely needed.