Okalik meets with federal cabinet ministers in Ottawa

PATRICIA D’SOUZA

Premier Paul Okalik said his meetings with four federal cabinet ministers in Ottawa last week were generally positive, but he returned with no major announcements for Nunavut.

Okalik met with the ministers of infrastructure, health, justice and native affairs last Friday, to raise the territory’s profile and discuss Nunavut priorities.

Deputy Prime Minister John Manley, the minister responsible for infrastructure, told the premier his visit was timely, as he was involved in deciding how to distribute the $2-billion federal contribution to an infrastructure fund promised in the December federal budget.

“The minister was very open,” Okalik said.

He and Nunavut’s health minister, Ed Picco, met with Anne McLellan, the recently appointed federal health minister. “We focused on what we’re facing in Nunavut,” Okalik said, “hospitals and travel.” McLellan said she would discuss the possibility of increased health funding with other members of the federal government.

With new federal Justice Minister Martin Cauchon, Okalik, who is also Nunavut’s minister of justice, discussed several of the territory’s pressing needs, including a third judge and second courthouse for Nunavut. “I am hoping to see that develop in the coming months,” Okalik said.

The two justice ministers also discussed the new Youth Criminal Justice Act, legislation passed last week to replace the Young Offenders Act. “We don’t have any objections with it,” Okalik said. “It’s compatible with what we’re trying to do.”

However, the premier did discuss the need for extra funding to follow through with the new act’s provisons. Nunavut has nine probation officers, but the law says there should be one in every community.

Cauchon seemed receptive to his concerns, the premier said. “I was very impressed by his knowledge of issues and his willingness to work with us.”

In his full day of meetings, Okalik had only a short time to talk with Robert Nault, the minister of Indian and northern affairs. They briefly touched on water issues, and the shut-down and clean-up of the Nanisivik mine, but had no time to discuss the funding for children affected by fetal-alcohol syndrome promised in the budget speech.

The money is dedicated only to aboriginals living on reserves.

“We didn’t get to finish our discussions and we weren’t able to come to a consensus,” the premier said.

Yesterday, Okalik joined the Prime Minister as part of a Team Canada trade mission to Russia and Germany. In Russia, he will concentrate on building links in the cold-weather construction industry, and meet the GN’s partners in an internship program. “We have hired Russian interns,” he said. “We will very possibly continue that, and send our own people to Russia.”

Team Canada will spend most of the 10-day trade mission in Germany, where the premier will pitch Nunavut’s meat to a part of the world ravaged by mad cow disease.

He will also promote tourism in Nunavut. “Germany loves aboriginal culture,” he said.

Sylvia Ivalu, star of Atanarjuat, will join the premier as a delegate on the trade mission to promote filmmaking in Nunavut, as well as Inuit art and culture.