Council fails to reach consensus on communication concerns

CHARLOTTE PETRIE

If council’s recent discussion of how to improve communication with the public is any indication of its ability to communicate, the public may have to wait a long time before it sees improvements in that area.

There were as many suggestions put forward at the July 8 meeting as there were councillors present, and in the end the discussion was deferred for another two weeks.

It’s been an on-going debate for more than a month. Currently, the city’s primary source of information delivery is a one-page ad in the back of Nunatsiaq News – much to the chagrin of at least two councillors who feel the city should be equally supportive of Iqaluit’s other newspaper, News North.

Councillors Stu Kennedy and Keith Irving have said on several occasions that the city is being unfair to News North by allocating most of its advertising funds to Nunatsiaq News.

Kennedy shamed council for putting all its support behind a newspaper that is mainly focused on “northern Quebec and the Baffin,” and slighting News North, which covers “the Baffin and everywhere else.”

But Ian Fremantle, the city’s chief administrative officer, defended the city’s decision, saying “Nunatsiaq News has twice the readership in Nunavut that News North has, most likely more in the capital city.”

Fremantle also presented the cold hard facts in terms of dollars and cents to members of council.

In his report, he explained that for $30,000 a year, online advertising included, Nunatsiaq News would publish a full-page ad known as Capital News – for a total of 50 full-page ads per year. It costs the city an additional $250 per job and tender ad.

In contrast, News North charges $22,350 a year, without online service, for only 12 annual full-page ads. Additional job and tender ads cost $450 each, and are only in English.

Councillor Lynda Gunn proposed the city hire a communications officer to produce a quarterly newsletter, among other duties – a suggestion councillor Glenn Williams remarked would cost a lot more than $30,000 per year.

“Given the amount of information we get put out in that one page ad, it’s good bang for our buck. Thirty-grand is only half a man-year,” he said.

Councillor Doug Lem suggested the city make use of its Web site in forwarding information to the public.

Fremantle drew on his past experience in presenting yet another option. At a former municipal post, the mayor would give a televised quarterly report on the most significant issues of the day.

The TV appearances cut calls to city hall by one-third, Fremantle remarked.

In wrapping up the lengthy discussion, Mayor John Matthews recommending that nothing be done until a new council is elected in the fall.