Nunavut elder van project ‘hasn’t panned out’ as planned, premier admits
Akeeagok says ‘lessons learned’ from $1M purchase of 5 vehicles that are yet to get rolling
Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok says the elders van project he announced last year “hasn’t panned out to the way we wanted.” (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Premier P.J. Akeeagok, left, lends an arm to Martha Tikivik as the pair descend from a new elders van in Iqaluit last October. Four months after the pilot project was announced, the vans are still not in service. (File photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Premier P.J. Akeeagok says there are lessons to be learned as the elder mobility van project he announced nearly a year ago is yet to get rolling.
During question period in the legislative assembly Wednesday, he was once again asked about the vans.
Akeeagok announced last October — almost a year ago — the Nunavut government purchased five vans at a cost of $1 million and shipped them to Iqaluit, Cambridge Bay, Coral Harbour, Pangnirtung and Rankin Inlet.
While making the announcement in Iqaluit, Akeeagok posed for photos helping an elder out of the van.
Northern Future Skills Development was recruited as the main proponent to operate the vans, in partnership with Arctic Training Ltd. and Caribou Cabs.
Responding to a question from Rankin Inlet North-Chesterfield Inlet MLA Alexander Sammurtok, Akeeagok confirmed the proponent has not secured funding to begin operating the vans.
“It hasn’t panned out to the way we wanted,” the premier said.
“As we have heard directly from the owners of these vans, they continue to seek federal funding as well as other funding to operationalize these vans, but to date they have not been successful.”
It’s not the first time Akeeagok has faced questions in the legislature over this project.
In February, Arviat South MLA Joe Savikataaq brought up the vans, calling their rollout a “million-dollar photo op.”
Speaking with reporters after Wednesday’s legislative sitting, Akeeagok said April’s federal election was a factor in delaying funding for the vans project. The federal budget, usually tabled in the spring, will instead be presented this fall.
Akeeagok said the vans were purchased to meet an urgent need to provide accessible transportation for elders, and he hopes to see them operating soon.
“We all heard from the elders of the urgency, and it’s from that angle that we were pushed hard to make that happen,” Akeeagok said.
“I think we all would love to see the vans operate in every community and that’s still the vision, but we will look back in terms of the lessons learned.”
The excuse is that the contractors you have an agreement with to operate these vans are looking for more government funding? You didn’t require them to do anything before giving them $1m in equipment? So confusing. This guy ran QIA?
I am sure you’re going to run for office and fix the problems.
Wonderful. Lets get (not) Vans in the major communities who already have ample transportation available.
How about a community like Kugluktuk. No taxi service, no bus service, no ambulance available to provide emergency services to the health clinic. The health clinic so understaffed they can’t keep a patient overnight. A patient under normal circumstances, injured with 5 broken ribs and a damaged spine and hips waits 3 days for a medi-vac and cannot stay in the health clinic until it arrives, Pushed in a wheelchair back and forth to his home revery day on snow packed roads, There is an ambilance with the hamlet but it camt be used because there are no trained staff. I guess no one at the hamlet or the GN thinks about training someone or hiring a contractor to provide the service. BEFORE SOMEONE DIES, (IF SOMEONE HASN’T ALREADY), PJ GET THIS TERRITORY’S ASS IN GEAR AND MAKE IT LIVABLE OUTSIDE OF BAFFIN.
Hey Paul if you get off your keyboard and look outside Kugluktuk has an elders bus and ambulance for medevac in the community….. but needs to get offline to see that I guess…..
Put your glasses on and read my comment again
Reality is that a lot of local talent cant always be relied upon to consistently show up to work to deliver these services, or to even attend and finish the required training. Then the only proven solution is to hire southerners or immigrants to do these unskilled jobs, which doesn’t look good.
How do we go about changing the failing work ethic without being accused of doing a colonialism or something?
This guy’s entire term as Premier has been a “lesson learned”.
PJ’s biggest accomplishments as Premier: Photo Ops
Indeed best photo ops and travel Maybe he thought the job was all about photo ops and travel? Next Premier will make it up and put everything back in order.
so best to not show the work he is doing? Any and all leaders are in the spot light and have their photos taken to show the voters. Think back to Joe, Peter, NWT leaders, and so on. If your point is no work done well that is another chat!
Had he admitted a year ago, and was able to answer questions, it would
have not been a lesson learned. Credit to him as he made a smart move and not run again. Adios, so long hey hey goodbye. 👋
Lesson learned for all of Nunavut. No more pictures and public relations people running the Premier’s office again!
There is just too much to do in this territory, time for another makeover and replace the last of the holdover ministers from this picture.
Hear me out.
Bell for Premier, unorthodox I know, but the dude brought $214 million to Iqaluit to fix a problem multiple other Mayors couldn’t do.
While some voices in the legislature seem more interested in scoring political points than serving Nunavummiut, Premier Akeeagok continues to lead with vision, humility, and action.
Let’s not forget…this is the same leader who delivered the historic Nunavut Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement, giving Nunavummiut control over their own land and resources the largest land transfer in Canadian history. Joe jabs reeks of jealousy especially considering that under his leadership, such bold initiatives were few and far between. George Hickes, too, has shown more interest in digesting headlines than digesting the real needs of our communities.