KSB chair “out of line”

In reply to the story “Aatami issues radio address in self-government talks” (Feb. 14), bringing light to a leadership issue in Nunavik may be useful.

The apparent “confusion” among Nunavimmiut that your journalist portrays in that article does not take the whole picture into account, and insults the Nunavik population’s intelligence.

The confusion, at best, should be attributed to the present leadership of the Kativik School Board and its president. Sarah Aloupa places her focus on the political issue of self-government. She states that the mandate to negotiate self-government does not belong to Makivik Corporation. She has also responded to the question of the school board’s court action, that its mandate comes from the fact that it is an elected body.

This argument is confusing since, to public knowledge, the election of an all organizations meeting took place in October 2001, where a majority voted to approve the negotiation process that effectively mandated the Nunavik Party to negotiate with two levels of government.

Sarah Aloupa seems confused either because of her lack of knowledge of the political process or a lack of far-seeing direction. And perhaps from a confusion of what a democratic process is. Her community elected her to be a commissioner to the school board. Now, can the lack of “consensus” in her community as to the number of votes for her prevent her from becoming a commissioner?

No. The democratic process allowed her to become installed in her position. Consensus does not mean total unanimity. Any society, especially the Inuit society knows that unanimity on any decision is difficult to attain, and so decisions have most often been made by majority. Any Inuk living in a small, tight-knit community understands this well.

The school board argument for the lack of “consensus” of the Nunavik Commission Report is weak. The school board’s argument for Makivik’s supposed lack of mandate to negotiate is weak.

Aloupa’s response to Aatami’s talk on the radio was to “inform” Nunavimmiut to actually call her so that she could distribute the upcoming negotiations framework agreement to them, for fear that, “once again,” the people were not being informed. This fear-mongering should stop.

Past experience has shown the Nunavik Commission travelling to each single community to consult with the population, and thereafter distribute its report freely for all to read, not to mention a presentation of the Nunavik Commission report, once again, to all of Nunavik. The population was given the time to read the report, and listen to the community radio. All opportunities and freedoms exist in Nunavik, as elsewhere, to obtain information necessary to make informed decisions.

Elected leaders, especially those who do not understand political process should not take it upon themselves to take responsibility for issues beyond their understanding.

Sarah Aloupa is way out of line, and she should step down from her podium of being the self-perceived saviour of Inuit and concentrate on improving the academic success of our students.

Name withheld by request
Montreal