Housing, major projects top Arctic sovereignty strategy for GN, NTI
Leaders say plan is meant to show ‘unity’ in Nunavut on security, economic development
Premier P.J. Akeeagok, left, shakes hands with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. president Jeremy Turnaluk as they unveil a new Arctic sovereignty strategy Friday at the legislative assembly. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
More housing, government spending on major projects, and strengthened unity are some of the key features of a new Arctic sovereignty strategy launched Friday by the Government of Nunavut and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.
The strategy was developed following the Nunavut Arctic Sovereignty and Security Summit held in Iqaluit in June where government, military and business leaders discussed security, infrastructure and Inuit leadership, Premier P.J. Akeeagok and NTI president Jeremy Tunraluk said during a joint news conference.
“This strategy that’s jointly done between the rightsholders of Nunavut Tunngavik and us, as a government, really sends a clear message of our unity together,” Akeeagok said.
The 44-page document is divided into five “pillars,” and largely includes projects and initiatives previously announced or that are ongoing.
The first section, focusing on “strong and resilient communities,” calls for investments in building more housing to make up the shortage in the territory.
It also addresses the need to eliminate food insecurity and improve health-care services, internet connectivity and local emergency preparedness.
“We see at the core of it that you need healthy communities to assert your sovereignty as a country, and housing touches upon many aspects of the way of life up here,” Akeeagok said.
“Inuit-led” infrastructure is also a major component of the strategy.
It repeats a call made earlier this year by Akeeagok and Tunraluk for the federal government to support four “nation-building” projects: the Qikiqtarjuaq port; West Kitikmeot Resources Corp.’s Arctic Security Corridor/Grays Bay Road and port project; Nukik Corp.’s Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link; and Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corp.’s Iqaluit hydroelectric project.
Speaking in Edmonton on Thursday, Prime Minister Mark Carney hinted that Grays Bay — a deepsea port and 230-kilometre all-season road to link western Nunavut to the rest of Canada — could be considered in the future by the federal government’s major projects office for fast-track approval.
Other topics in the Nunavut strategy include better preparing Nunavut communities for the impacts of climate change, developing resources in partnership with Inuit, and giving Inuit a voice on the geopolitical scale.
Akeeagok and Tunraluk both said the strategy presents a vision that steps away from a “divide and conquer” relationship that existed between the GN and NTI.
This approach, they said, focuses on asserting “sovereignty within.”
“For too long, Canada’s concept of Arctic sovereignty has been measured in military assets and industrial potential, but real sovereignty is lived every day by Inuit who call Nunavut home,” Tunraluk said.
“Arctic sovereignty in Canada means Inuit security is measured in whether our communities are housed, connected and supported to prosper in our own terms.”
So what’s NTI done with the $400,000,000 plus in federal infrastructure funds that’s already been sitting in their bank accounts for a couple of years?
These fools couldn’t strategize their way out of a wet paper bag.
Am I the only one who is tired of all this?
-Tired of the Photo-ops
-Tired of all the Talk
– Tired of all the studies, programs and plans that lead to NOTHING!
– Tired of food insecurity
– Tired of the Healthcare crisis
– Tired of the Housing Fiasco
– Tired of the failing Education System
– Tired of incompetent Government and elected representatives
– Tired of Inuit organizations sitting on hundreds of millions of dollars and doing nothing to improve the lives of Nunavummiut
….. But most tired of these same people saying the same things over and over and over again, while Nunavut and Nunavummiut just keep spinning in a giant circle. Yeah. Tired of it!
There’s a cure for your tired. It’s called anti depressants. Make an appointment and have your head checked. Do yourself a favor and go to sleep your so tired.
“Anti-depressant”. Thank you Doctor. It never occurred to me that being “tired” of non performance, mediocrity, failed programs, failure to deliver on promises, talk that leads nowhere, wasting of money, not using available money to improve the lives of Nunavummiut and on and on, was associated with the need for a Doctor consultation, potential mental illness and the need for anti-depressants. You are a downright genius! You have singlehandedly discovered why so many of us are “tired” . Thanks to you we all now know, that being “tired” of failure is an illness. Who would have thought?
In that case, a large majority of us better get to the Doctor. Wait. What Dr.? We barely have any here. Good thing we have you Dr. We can simply follow your advice and “go to sleep”.
Here is my non clinical advice to you Dr. Do not give up your real day job. You are undoubtedly awesome at it.
These PO pros are at risk with their own lives. Gone with the wind so to speak.
So do you think there would be any political party willing to give Nunavut more billions considering what has happened with the NHT Program and number of years ago that was a disaster be pales in comparison to the currenr6 Nu 3000 which has blown hundreds of millions. Better get your act together before going with hat in hand looking for funding for big projects.