Candidates offer choice of business, social activism

PATRICIA D’SOUZA

Two candidates vying for Baker Lake’s seat in the legislative assembly will pit big business against social activism in the race to replace outgoing MLA Glenn McLean.

Kivalliq businessman David Simailak has an edge with the powerful lobbying efforts of several privately owned Inuit development corporations behind him, as well as the support of McLean himself.

But Becky Kudloo, a Baker Lake hamlet councillor with a strong background in social activism, could shake things up with her commitment to programs to fight violence against women and the social ills that are bound to follow mining development in the region.

Kudloo has served 10 years with the status of women council, the final year as interim president, and 12 years with a treatment centre in the community, which she describes as the only centre in Nunavut to provide treatment to both victims of family violence and offenders.

“There’s business, and I think there should also be a social aspect to a community. That needs to be worked on,” she said this week in an interview.

Simailak agrees that social issues need to be addressed in the community. Baker Lake needs a new child care centre, a drop-in centre for youth, and a way to persuade young people to pursue higher education, he said.

He is also the volunteer chair of the Baker Lake Hospice Society, a 24-hour care facility for elders.

“I want to continue working with them. I want to see them get more facilities,” he said.

Simailak is also a cornerstone of the business community in the Kivalliq region, serving as the president of the Qamini’tuaq Development Corp., Piruqsaijiit Ltd. and Tapiriit Ltd., a triple threat in government lease-back contracts.

The firms have been his primary line of work since he helped to create them in 1987. Piruqsaijiit, based in Rankin Inlet, provides management and administrative support to the two other companies. In 2002, it introduced an ultimately unsuccessful scheme to open a private mammogram clinic in Rankin Inlet.

Tapiriit, owned by a number of other corporations, seeks out possible joint ventures. It owns 49 per cent of the Navigator Inn in Iqaluit, among other businesses.

Qamini’tuaq Development Corp. is mainly into real estate and owns several buildings containing office space and apartments, which it leases to the GN and housing associations.

McLean said Simailak’s business background is what makes him such a strong candidate.

“One of the main reasons I think I would support him is he has a real good business background. And you know what I’ve been like for the past five years, trying to be the voice of the business community in Nunavut. It never really went anywhere,” McLean said.

“I think it’s time … in Nunavut, you know, decentralization is basically over so now it’s time for the private sector to be given some recognition.”

But he admitted that Simailak could expose himself to conflict of interest concerns unless he adheres strictly to Nunavut’s Integrity Act.

“I’m hoping that with our new conflict of interest guidelines that he will do the right thing, and I’ve cautioned him about that,” McLean said.

“And I’ve told him, as a businessman, you’re looked at differently in Nunavut and you’ve got to be very careful how you operate. If he does succeed, I’m hoping he’ll take care of business.”

However, Kudloo, who is on leave from her job as a development officer for district education authorities, with Kivalliq School Operations, said people need to be taken care of too.

Mining, in particular, is a segment of big business that could have detrimental effects on the community.

“I think it will be beneficial in terms of employment opportunities. Also, I know everything is not going to be positive. So we have to start planning toward programs that can help,” she said.

“Where there’s a mine and more people are making more money, then there’s more alcohol and drugs available. Usually it’s the women and children who suffer for that, so I know there will be an increased demand for that type of service.”

In addition, she said Nunavummiut can’t repeat a particularly embarrassing statistic from the 1999 election – only one woman elected.

“Women can put a different aspect to decision-making because they’re nurturers of their families. I think we have to have a holistic approach to Nunavut.”