Nunavut’s top news stories

If there was ever a year of contrast for Nunavut residents, it was 2002.

For those able to participate in some of the eastern Arctic’s magic moments, such as the 2002 Arctic Winter Games in Iqaluit in March, the general assembly of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference in Kuujjuaq in August, or the Queen’s visit to Nunavut in October, the memories will last a lifetime. Those three events surely rank among the high points of 2002, and ought to be candidates for anyone’s list of the top 10 stories of the year.

But for others, unfortunately, 2002 was a time of turmoil, loss, trauma and bitter disappointment, especially those who were victimized by mindless acts of fatal violence that erupted in several eastern Arctic communities, especially among young people. Unfortunately, stories of homicide must also rank among the top stories of the year.

For Nunavut residents who watched their legislative assembly carefully last year, 2002 produced at least three or four stories that revealed the legislature’s strengths and weaknesses, and whose consequences will surely be felt this year too.

Last March, Nunavummiut discovered how it’s possible for MLAs to use their behind-closed-doors caucus meetings to talk about things they don’t want the public to hear. Only because of a leak from a friendly source, Nunavut’s news media were able to tell the public about a $2.7-million pension enrichment plan that MLAs had discussed in caucus for nine months. Unfortunately, most MLAs paid little attention to the line of angry protestors who stood on the steps of the legislative assembly building on March 5 in Iqaluit oppose that plan.

But that story isn’t over. It’s safe to predict that after this fall’s territorial election, at least a dozen incumbent MLAs could be thrown out of their jobs. This will happen for a variety of reasons. Some will lose because of bizarre vote splits, others will lose because they’re incompetent and the voters know it, while others may be defeated by new and more attractive candidates.

So you can be sure that most of those defeated members will be lining up for either early pension payments, or for the $70,000 transition allowance that they also voted for themselves last year. Nunavummiut will not be amused.

Another safe prediction is that Bill 1, the Nunavut government’s proposed new Education Act, will either die on the order paper or be withdrawn before the election. In this case, Nunavummiut and their MLAs have been provided with a powerful lesson in how not to develop legislation and policy, and how not to conduct a consultation exercise. It remains to be seen whether the department of education has learned that lesson as well.

In contrast, the process that the government used to used to consult people about the new Wildlife Act in 2002 is a good example of the right way to do it. Because of that, the Wildlife Act will pass by the end of the year, and the government will have made a major step toward complying with Article 5 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.

Nunavut residents also watched the Nunavut government continue their frustrating attempts to explain Nunavut’s legitimate needs to federal government officials. On a variety of issues that have enormous implications for Nunavut’s economy — including health care, infrastructure, fishing quotas and housing — Ottawa has given Nunavut the brush-off.

So it’s safe to predict that relations between Nunavut and the federal government, especially relations between Nunavut and Indian Affairs Minister Bob Nault, will continue to deteriorate in 2003. Since it’s unlikely that the prime minister will replace Nault with another MP, 2003 will bring more conflict between Nunavut and Ottawa.

The only potential bright spot in federal-territorial relations is the opportunity for a new deal on health-care funding offered by next month’s first ministers’ meeting. But we still don’t know how much of the Romanow report’s recommendations will be accepted as federal policy – especially the proposed $1.5-billion fund for rural and remote health care. So there’s every chance that this opportunity could degenerate into more frustration for Nunavut.

JB