Nunavut must be realistic, DIAND minister says

DENISE RIDEOUT

OTTAWA — The federal minister of Indian and Northern Affairs gave Nunavut’s mayors a reality check last week.

On May 2, Robert Nault met with mayors from the territory’s 25 communities, who were in Ottawa for the Nunavut Association of Municipalities annual general meeting.

He told them while Nunavut’s demands are great, the territory simply can’t have everything it wants.

Since the creation of the territory in 1999, local and territorial politicians have lobbied and pressured Nault’s department to put more money into infrastructure projects for Nunavut.

Throughout the year, the Nunavut Association of Municipalities, an organization made up of mayors, deputy mayors and hamlet councillors, has been calling on Nault to invest more infrastructure money in Nunavut and create a northern economic development agreement.

Last year, Iqaluit’s mayor, John Matthews, headed straight to Nault to ask for extra funding to pay for a much-needed incinerator at the city’s dump. Iqaluit’s politicians laid on the pressure, saying without an incinerator, the city would have no choice but to continue openly burning plastics at the dump.

“Expectations within Nunavut have been very high,” Nault told the mayors, deputy mayors and hamlet councillors gathered at the meeting. “This is understandable. The creation of a new territory is exciting.”

But, he stressed, Nunavut has to be realistic about its demands.

Nault made that message clear, when several mayors and a cabinet minister urged Nault to help the territory provide for its basic needs.

Manitok Thompson, Nunavut’s minister of community government and transportation, demanded Nault put more money into road, water and sewer projects in the communities.

“We are a new territory. We have a lot of needs. We have very old infrastructure” Thompson told Nault.

“The needs are great. It varies from housing to roads. Water and sewer lines are falling apart,” she said.

Arctic Bay’s mayor then made a pitch of his own.

Joanasie Akumalik told Nault residents are dreading the closure of the Nanisivik zinc mine because it will take jobs and business out of the community.

He asked that Nault’s department help the community make some use out of the buildings and infrastructure that will be left behind after the mine shuts down this August. Akumalik and other residents want to see the site turned into an educational training centre.

“There’s no vocational centre in Nunavut. All Inuit that want training have to go to Fort Smith,” Akumalik said.

But Nault’s response to requests from Thompson and the mayors was short.

“We are a new territory. We can’t do everything all at once,” he warned.

While the federal government doesn’t have the money to help Nunavut with every single project it needs, the minister encouraged the mayors not to give up lobbying.

“I want your input and your vision for where we want Nunavut to go,” he said.

Nault, who started his political career in municipal government, applauded the mayors for taking such an active role in the territory. He said it was impressive that all mayors travelled to Ottawa to meet federal ministers face-to-face.

“This is a good process you’ve started here. But you have to say what you want over and over and over again,” Nault said.