Nunavut’s new premier ‘optimistic’ Trudeau will deliver on territory’s priorities
The 2 politicians had their 1st meeting since P.J. Akeeagok was named to role
Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s history of working together is key to a partnership between the two levels of government, says Akeeagok. (Photos by Mélanie Ritchot)
Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok says his longstanding working relationship with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will benefit Nunavummiut.
The two politicians spoke over the phone for about 20 to 30 minutes Monday morning for the first time since Akeeagok was appointed premier. They talked about child care, housing, mental-health resources, reconciliation and more.
Akeeagok has worked with Trudeau on a number of other projects during his time as president of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association.
“That’s something I’ve always held very dearly, in terms of, you can’t do things alone,” Akeeagok said in an interview.
Akeeagok raised the issue of child care as an example, describing challenges in Nunavut that aren’t addressed in the government’s federally subsidized $10-a-day daycare program, such as there not being enough daycares in the territory.
That said, he says he’s “very optimistic” that Trudeau can deliver on the priorities they discussed.
When asked when Nunavummiut will see results from this conversation, Akeeagok said he will hold himself accountable for making sure the Government of Nunavut holds up its end of the bargain in a partnership with the federal government.
He’s been in touch with other politicians as well, “so we can unify our voice, really advocate for these larger issues where there’s alignment,” he said.
“But right now, I think it’s a clear signal that we’re wanting to work together.”
Off to a joke start
At times like this I really miss Jim Bell.
It’s painful to watch how far we’ve declined here. Every article is just a cookie cutter rendering of what happened with no interesting commentary added. Fact is most of our local journalists have very shallow roots here, if any at all (i wonder if some even write from the south?). To be a Jim Bell or something of that caliber takes years of learning and on the ground work.
Transparency, that’s a good start. Keep working on the partnerships, we can’t do this alone.
what is equally important is the collective agreement that is never taken care of between the N.E.U. members who work for the government and the Fed. Gov. when is this finally going to be taken care of?!?!
Trudeau did a wonderful job eliminating all boil water advisories like he promised in 2015…..
Since 2015, the number of long-term boil water advisories has decreased by 57, and there are 43 remaining.
.
Sure, they have not eliminated them, but this is still significant progress.
Benefit of the doubt?
Trudeau has had 6 years to address Nunavuts priorities.
He had his bff JS in the Premiers seat, and that didn’t help.
It’s worth noting the Liberals, despite a Majority and now 2 minority governments, have never matched the housing money Leona brought to Nunavut.
Lits of piecemeal funding announcements – more PR than real funding – but nothing to make me think the Libs are interested at all in addressing housing or mental health or anything but Corporate profits meaningfully.
LOL! Leona never brought any new housing money to Nunavut. When she was elected in 2008 the housing money the Conservatives were talking about was from 2006 when the scrapped the Liberal’s Kelowna Accord in an attempt to save face. Over the years virtually all of the housing money promised by Harper and Trudeau goes back to funds from the early 2000s and 1990s.
All the federal money comes to Nunavut through the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation. And to be fair to the current government, the largest chunk of funding, $240 million, was first announced in 2017 as part of the Northern Housing Initiative. Nearly $50 million comes from an even older Canada-wide funding scheme, which was called Investing in Affordable Housing (IAH). Around $245 million comes from agreements from the 1990s when the federal government handed all public housing management over to the provinces and territories.
Let’s not joke around, Leona didn’t do squat. Especially when it came to housing and the well-being of Nunavummiut.
I lost so many friends in nov 2018. Most of them coming from puvirnituq. Suicide was very rampant and still is to this day. Justin Trudeau promised us help.
The Quebec govt sent a mental health worker to the school for a couple months and when they couldn’t get anything off the students, they dropped it shortly after.
Canadian Govt didn’t do nothing and they were being criticized that they haven’t been doing much and that suicide rates were just a bit lower (per capita) in the 90s as they were then, and they just swept it under the rug.
Justin only likes to tell people what they want to hear. I believe he has not much of a clue how things work.
Trudeau has kept exactly zero of his promises to Indigenous peoples, and Akeeagok thinks that’s gonna change any time soon?
Remember who his father was and what he did. The 60’s scoop. The white papers.
The Trudeaus are no friends to our people.
If you believe this I have snow to sell you. Lol