Fulfilment outside of politics

Despite a few notable exceptions, Nunavut’s political leadership didn’t do so well in 2001.

Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association lost their presidents after painful, public spectacles that devastated the reputations of each organization. In a subsequent by-election to elect a new president for NTI, eligible voters avoided the polls in droves.

As for the government of Nunavut, the best that can be said for it is that it survived. Its most substantial accomplishment was to avoid Nunavut’s first territorial public service strike by putting together a wage and benefit offer good enough to persuade most NEU members that a strike was a bad idea.

Other than the Integrity Act, which sets out conflict-of-interest rules for MLAs, the Nunavut assembly passed no major legislation. Not until the introduction in the latest session of two bills that would amend the Hamlet Act and the Cities, Town and Villages Act, did the government even introduce any major legislation.

Instead, the government focused on finding more equitable ways of dividing up its minuscule capital budget. However, MLAs managed an early introduction of the government’s 2002-3 capital budget, and did so in a way that provoked few complaints about “consultation” from various affected groups. The early capital budget should allow for the early tendering of next year’s building projects, which in turn should make it easier for contractors to make their sealift and barge deadlines this spring. The government, especially the Department of Public Works, deserves some praise for this.

As for the legislative assembly’s mid-term leadership review, regular MLAs did more to expose their own weaknesses than those of cabinet members.

By the end of 2001, however, there were signs that the legislative assembly might actually begin to talk about legislation that will affect the lives of real people.

In February, we will likely see a proposed new Education Act. The Department of Sustainable Development will likely go to work on a long-delayed replacement for the antiquated Wildlife Act. We’re likely to hear much more about the Department of Community Government’s proposed changes to Nunavut’s municipal laws.

So for the government of Nunavut and the legislative assembly, 2002 promises to be a more fruitful year than 2001. But until we get a chance to observe how MLAs handle the legislation that’s put before them, we would do well to temper our optimism with some caution.

Outside of Nunavut’s troubled political institutions, however, creativity and the pursuit of excellence flourished as never before in 2001.

There are few Nunavummiut whose hearts didn’t quicken by a few beats when they heard about the spectacular success of Isuma’s Atanarjuat. To get the film made, Zacharias Kunuk and his colleagues at Isuma overcame innumerable obstacles, not the least of which was the short-sightedness of public officials in Nunavut. In music, Tanya Tagaq Gillis of Cambridge Bay took the art of throat-singing to new levels when she nearly upstaged Icelandic pop singer Bjørk on a world tour last year.

In their achievements, these two Nunavummiut demonstrated qualities of character that many Nunavut public officials would do well to emulate. We’ve heard a lot of talk over the years about how important is for politicians to act as if they were role models for the young. The year 2001 helped show that it’s the politicians themselves who need better role models.

JB