Nunavut legislature returns for long spring sitting

Nunavut’s MLAs will take to their sealskin-upholstered chairs in the legislative assembly Wednesday to start what’s scheduled to be the longest sitting of the year.

Government House Leader David Joanasie told Nunatsiaq News that cabinet plans to introduce seven bills over the course of this sitting, including the government’s budget for 2022-23. The legislature’s spring sitting is scheduled to run until June 14.

All seven bills will be be tabled for first reading in the assembly “almost right away,” he said.

The Finance Department is also planning to table one supplementary spending bill related to the budget.

Joanasie said he could not discuss details of the other four bills expected during the spring sitting, but he did say which departments would be introducing them.

Finance will have two non-budget bills, while the Department of Justice will have two new bills and the Department of Education will introduce one new bill.

Although Nunavut’s spring sitting is usually a short one, last year’s fall election meant the sitting schedule was pushed back, Joanasie said.

“There’s work that needs to be done,” he said.

And with those seven new pieces of legislation, Joanasie said he expects debate in the assembly’s chambers to be lively.

“I expect there’s going to be a lot of learning and questioning going on,” he said.

“I encourage Nunavummiut to make sure they tune in.”

Finance minister Lorne Kusugak also plans to table the budget on Thursday, which will lay out all expected spending for GN departments over the current fiscal year.

Kusugak’s office declined a request for an interview ahead of the budget’s release, saying the minister prefers to wait until after it is tabled.

Iqaluit-Tasiluk MLA George Hickes, a former finance minister, said he expects the budget to lay out some of the government’s “obvious priorities.”

“As we get through this budget, we’ll get a sense of what kinds of initiatives are coming from the mandate that was put out,” he said, referring to the mandate for the sixth legislative assembly, tabled in March.

Hickes said he hopes to see money for housing in the budget, including for government staff accommodations.

“There’s been a number of discussions over the last couple years on the lack of staff housing and how its affecting recruitment and retention,” he said.

Hickes also noted the federal government has given money to Nunavut over the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that won’t be the case for the next fiscal year.

“How we recover past that funding is going to be interesting,” he said.

Arviat South MLA and former premier Joe Savikataaq said with March’s winter sitting under their belts, the assembly’s newest MLAs feel more confident as they head into the spring sitting.

“It should be interesting. They’ve all got more experience now,” he said.

Savikataaq said he also looks forward to debate on the seven new bills.

“I always enjoy question period,” he said.

The sitting begins at 1:30 ET Wednesday and runs until June 14.