No final decision on PPD transfer, Okalik says

PATRICIA D’SOUZA

Manitok Thompson, the MLA for Rankin Inlet South-Whale Cove and the minister of community government and transportation, narrowly escaped censure this past November when she declared her intention to challenge cabinet on the transfer of 13 petroleum products division jobs to Baker Lake from Rankin Inlet.

“I will oppose this to the end,” she told Nunatsiaq News just one day before cabinet’s Nov. 21 agreement in principle to move the PPD.

However, there is no evidence Thompson actually followed through on her challenge. The fact that cabinet reached an agreement-in-principle the very next day suggests she did not oppose the decision as planned. The details of cabinet discussions are protected by rules of secrecy.

Premier Paul Okalik said on Feb. 11, the day he bounced Rankin Inlet South MLA Jack Anawak from his portfolio, that Thompson made her comments before cabinet had reached its decision and had therefore not breached cabinet solidarity.

He was technically correct, although the story bearing Thompson’s statements was not available on news-stands until Nov. 22 — after the agreement-in-principle was made.

Anawak made his comments on CBC radio and television in February.

Details of the agreement took on added significance this past week, as Anawak asked his first question in the legislative assembly as a regular MLA.

“When was that final decision made?” he asked Okalik, the minister responsible for decentralization, on March 13.

“We have an agreement-in-principle,” Okalik said. “We have not had a final decision on it.”

An agreement-in-principle differs from a final decision, in that it allows for changes to be made. Anawak argued that because a final decision has not yet been made, he could not have spoken out against it.

“After they made an agreement to move those positions I was ousted from cabinet, and now the premier is saying they have not made a final decision,” Anawak said.

Furthermore, he argued that the premier’s recent decision to conduct a feasibility study into the transfer means that the controversial move could very well not take place at all.

Okalik confirmed that the feasibility study will determine whether PPD should be moved at all, and if so, how many jobs should be moved.

Baker Lake MLA Glenn McLean pressed Okalik to commit to moving more than 13 jobs to his community if the feasibility study determined it was necessary.

“If the feasibility study shows that there should be more than 13 positions moved to Baker Lake, will the Premier commit to that?” he asked.

Okalik refused to answer the hypothetical question, saying he would wait for the outcome of the study.

In a subsequent round of questioning the following day, Anawak suggested that if a decentralized community like Rankin Inlet can be decentralized a second time, then decentralized communities throughout Nunavut should be concerned that the same thing could happen to them.

“All I’m saying is if I’m one of those communities I’d be worried about it. If Rankin Inlet was decentralized long before 1999, are we now going to decentralize decentralized communities?” Anawak said.

“When decentralized communities are settled as a result of the decentralization program, should they be worried that those jobs will go to a community that needs jobs? Is that going to be the general practice?”

Okalik replied with a simple “No.”

The debate is long from over. Anawak has continued his line of questioning every day so far. He knows Nunavummiut are tiring of listening to it, and still he continues.

“Even if people get tired of hearing it over and over again, I’m going to keep trying until I get the truth.”