Nunavut should have diversified economy

Like the editor in Nunatsiaq News (June 11, 1999), we all hope for easy answers to the question: “How can we develop our economy here in Nunavut? As the minister responsible for economic development, and as someone from a community who has struggled all my working life to establish a livelihood and help support my family, I know, like most Nunavummiut, that easy answers don’t exist

The development of Nunavut’s mining potential is important to us all. I can assure your editor that every effort is being made by the government of Nunavut to get the greatest benefit from this important industry for all of us here in Nunavut.

I can hardly agree that this is the “one industry… with real potential.” In my own community, Pangnirtung, we have in recent years seen the real contribution to job creation by the fisheries, tourism, and arts and crafts sectors, and the development of small business in other areas of the economy, such as the manufacturing of boats and commercial signs.

While we want to capitalize on our mineral development potential, we must not ignore the many economic opportunities in our communities that we can develop today.

Our future economic growth depends not on one industry, but on our capacity to diversify our economy.

I am disappointed by your editor’s low regard for government jobs and government spending in general. For too long Nunavummiut have been excluded from these government jobs.

Now that we are in a position to benefit from this employment here in Nunavut, I am disappointed (but not surprised) to see that your editor does not look at public sector employment as sustainable or as a legitimate source of economic growth.

As a minister in this new government, I do not expect too much criticism from people in Nunavut for doing everything I can to encourage federal spending in the new territory. Your editor views this spending as “largesse” or a lack of confidence, that I do not think is shared by many here in Nunavut.

We are proud to be Canadians, and to be recognized at last. Our share of Ottawa’s spending has been hard-earned, and4 indeed, if we are to move forward with the development of our economy in mining, that share will have to be increased. To describe federal transfers to Nunavut as gifts or as unsustainable, as does Nunatsiaq News, is an argument we have heard on occasion frcm the uninformed media in southern Canada, but this is the first time we have heard it from our own media.

Our government has been operating for only 75 days, yet your editor is impatient with us. He expects immediate announcements on new economic programming. Yet such announcements could only be made if this new government chose not to consult with anyone. This government was elected to provide an alternative to top-down decision making. We were elected to take the time to consult with our people to keep them involved.

There are no easy answers, and the best answers are complex. It will take time and hard work to develop new ideas for economic development in Nunavut, and great resolve to implement them. The people of Nunavut know this. They ask, first, however, that they be involved in our decision-making.

The strategic plan for development of the Nunavut economy that I presented in the Legislative Assembly is founded on the belief in the self-reliance of our people. I believe that if we are given a chance to participate in our economy, then conditions will improve for everyone.

So, what’s the first step? The first step is to go to Nunavummiut to ask for their ideas on how our economy should be developed. This autumn I will do exactly that. Every community will have the opportunity to participate in the development of an economic strategy for Nunavut.

In closing, I would appreciate that when your editor next decides to analyze the department’s budget, he take a little longer to study the figures, so the public can get the facts.

My department will not be spending $11,000,000 in government salaries and wages this year to deliver less than $13,000,000 in grants and contribution for job creation.

The salary budget wilI be directed to department’s huge scope of responsibilities to the environment, wildlife, parks, protected areas, land claim obligations, income support, economic research and the development of the economy.

All of the above are not involved in delivering our job creation programs.

Peter Kilabuk
Minister of Sustainable development