Property tax “a social program,” NTI says

PATRICIA D’SOUZA

CAMBRIDGE BAY – After releasing a legal opinion this month declaring property tax a social program that falls under the jurisdiction of the Nunavut land claims agreement, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. is continuing to take strong action on housing and homelessness.

The board of directors of NTI met in Cambridge Bay this week for their last meeting before the March 16 election for president and second vice-president.

NTI and the housing corporation formed a partnership this year to lobby the federal government for increased funding for social housing in Nunavut.

But in his address to the board, CEO John Lamb had harsh words for the Nunavut Housing Corp.

“I have to tell you that we are finding it quite difficult to work with the housing corporation. They are very slow to move and seem resistant to new approaches,” Lamb said.

“They’re even more bureaucratic than most of the GN. If we had been doing this on our own, the [Paul] Martin government would have had our proposal last November.”

Lamb told the board that NTI may consider withdrawing from the joint working group in the coming months.

He added that NTI staff have been working with a housing expert to develop a presentation for the new federal government, showing why Ottawa should renew support for social housing in Nunavut.

The presentation will be ready to go within the next few weeks.

Disabilities issues

As part of a list of 10 priorities for the new social and cultural development department, NTI staff are directing new energy to support for people with disabilities.

“As part of this, we’re looking at other regions, including Nunavik, the Inuvialuit region, as well as Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island, to get a comprehensive sense of how people with disabilities are being treated elsewhere in Canada,” Lamb said.

However, he added, the organization is again not getting much support from the Nunavut government.

“The data collected by the now-disbanded Nunavut Disabilities Council is being held by the territorial department of culture, language, elders and youth. For some reason, they are refusing to share that data. We’re not very impressed with that.

“Eventually if they don’t lighten up, we may be asking you, the political leaders, to step up.”

The two-day meeting wrapped up Wednesday evening.