Nunavut’s legislature postpones sitting
Mandate to be presented in March
Members of Nunavut’s sixth legislative assembly were sworn in to their roles on Nov. 19 and will sit for the first time on March 7. (Photo by Mélanie Ritchot)
The first sitting of Nunavut’s sixth legislative assembly has been postponed until next month because of COVID-19.
The sitting will now begin on March 7, John Quirke, the clerk of the legislative assembly, confirmed in an email. It was originally scheduled to begin Feb. 21.
The delay was caused by the COVID-19 lockdown in January and MLA offices being closed, resulting in members’ meetings being cancelled.
Quirke said MLAs have been in Iqaluit for about two weeks for meetings and are in the process of returning home to their communities.
Sima Sahar Zerehi, Premier P.J. Akeeagok’s press secretary, confirmed the ministers have gone on their caucus retreat and the new government’s mandate has been agreed upon.
That mandate will be presented at the sitting in March, she said.
Public access to the foyer and visitors’ gallery of the legislative assembly are still restricted due to COVID-19, but the proceedings will be televised, broadcast on some radio stations and can be streamed on the assembly’s website.
If the schools are opened 100%, why do the ledge ppl get to not sit now? Take care of the high and mighty but never mind our future leaders? Pretty pathetic. Can all of GN not work while the MLA s are not working?
School open 100 percent and GN workers not working or sitting ? I don’t get it as to what the hold up is ?
Taking free money is good, sleep-in, sit at home while collecting $3800 after taxes, this is GN middle management take home salary, imagine upper management and director’s take home pay..,.wow there is a lot we do not know about GN, but most evident is hiring friends…..
Schools are open to full capacity yet our leaders are afraid to sit together? Why do you ask the children to be brave and make such sacrifices when you are not?
Such cowards – hiding behind the children.
WHAT! Our children is our future. Our concern and vote should count. We elected them and they what our children to go to school and back to 100% capacity. If the children get the virus so help us God. Yes there are many recovers but there will be some that are not strong enough to fight the virus.
I will be calling every MLA office on march break and can guess everyone will be down south for vacation! What a crock of shshsh.
They should be ashamed of themselves, for doing this Gad!..
Complete hypocrisy! Are these the people actually leading us? The abilities of this government to communicate anything so ineffectually is a true detriment to the northern society. Communications leaders and heads of government heads should roll! Meaning they lose there jobs!
Who got the guts at GN to roll the heads of DMs? they are the one who have total control of all aspects of government including Minsters and the House…Is the Premier welling to clean house? He can’t. GM managers are smart; many are just waiting for wrongful dismissal and then, lawsuits, big dent at GN budget….
Perhaps the leg can be used as a classroom so that the children can properly social distance?
This bunch has done nothing to reduce the number of cases and they want to avoid any accountability for their absence of any work. Will be nice to have recall legislation to vote these losers out of their little self importance offices. Please remember these losers in 3.5 years so we can replace them already.
How do you ppl not understand that it’s a priority for kids to be in school? I keep seeing ppl say “why are bars closed but our kids are in school?” “Why are GN offices closed by our kids are in school?”.
Think about it! If you limit the activity and spread in the community it protects the kids and allows them to continue in school! How is that hard to understand? It’s absolutely a priority for kids to be learning in school, for so many reasons.
Stop the amount of spread in the community which in turn protects the kids in school.
Get it?
If you close everything down, except the schools, then the schools are going to be the main place the virus spreads. The government is having the virus burn through the children and teachers why they hide like cowards and take a holiday. This government is a disgrace. Open everything up and then they can preach about just ‘living with the virus’.
Yes if children can go to school. Adults who are paid to govern should be able to create a safe work place for themselves. So they can do the people’s work.
But there is one positive about them not sitting. It will delay us having to hear members comment or even make laws. On issues they often no nothing about.
Anyone who is surprised by the compliance and incompetence of legislators in Nunavut, or elsewhere in Canada, ought to be ashamed of themselves.
Look . There are no heroes in any of our standing governments in this country.
I’m sure the same exact Legislative members who suggested the meetings be postponed we’re the same if not had their family members lining up at the B&W store getting their refill while at the same time insisting that schools be open full force.
And… Approved such GN employees to work from home too!!??. GO FIGURE!!!
Joe you need to voice up and teach a thing or two to PJ.
PJ I really thought you were a leader but you need to listen to those that has experience in political leadership.
Freedom Convey come on to Nunavut, where you can go anywhere without any proof of vaccination. We have the highest per capita of covid rates and this government has done nothing, repeat NOTHING to reduce the numbers. There has not been a single charge for not wearing a mask in public. We don’t have any government here in Nunavut.
…agree with all said above, pretty sad
One word ……cowards
I’m a GN office worker and I’ve been at work every day this year. I don’t get any deadline postponements or any time to “go home”. Not sure why these guys do.
What a great start for this new crop of legislators!
I hope its leave without pay they’re taking.
GN will keep schools open to keep the transmissions continuing so the dream of “working” from home without your children can continue to be fulfilled.
If there was a hard closure for a few weeks, everyone may have to return to work and not just teachers and Beer and Wine store employees.
The level of danger and disrespect being shown to teachers will be reflected in future hirings. How will retention look?
Teachers should start a convoy and go to Legislative building. Wait, our GN is a step ahead there too. There’s no way you will catch them slipping at work, or even at work for that matter.
Open up the bars, restaurants, and recreation facilities! It’s so easy for Government officials to issue a lock down or close down certain sectors when they keep getting paid wages regardless of if they work or not. Unfortunately not everyone relies on a comfortable GN job and cannot survive while being temporarily laid off due to mandates. When will the GN finally realize that some of these mandates are causing more harm than good when it comes to the economy, mental health, availability of physical activities etc. It’s time!!!
“Do as I say, Not as I do”
-Our leaders
They postponed their seatings as they feel their health and family matters more than our children!! ??
Same goes for those GN Employees who were approved to work from home?
Hypocrite is all they are.