Tootoo opposes pension funding

MLAs approved funds last week to pay for the supplementary pension plan passed in March and the GN’s portion of settlements for the Ed Horne and pay equity disputes.

Of the total $24.2-million operations and maintenance appropriation for 2001-2, $2.3 million was earmarked for the enriched pension plan. The amount represents the additional $700,000 a year, or $35,000 per member, the plan will cost, retroactive to April 1999.

The three Iqaluit MLAs, Hunter Tootoo, Ed Picco and Paul Okalik, as well as Quttiktuq MLA Rebekah Williams, opted out of the plan. During a committee of the whole session last week to debate the supplementary appropriation, Tootoo reminded MLAs of his position.

“It’s no secret that this fund is something I didn’t agree with and still don’t agree with,” he said. “I can think of $2.3 million ways that this money could be more properly spent.”

Tootoo presented a motion to have the amount deleted, which, if passed, would have overturned the assembly’s earlier approval of the pension plan.

“This was already approved by the legislative assembly in Iqaluit,” committee chair David Iqaqrialu said.

Iqaqrialu ordered the motion to be presented in writing, then objected when Tootoo’s hastily handwritten motion was presented to him only in English.

“What I have here is written in English. I might as well throw it in the garbage because I can’t read it,” he said.

During a 10-minute break, the motion was translated and order was restored.

MLAs showed their displeasure for the motion.

“We already voted on it in the budget session so it’s a little late talk about it again,” said Rankin Inlet North MLA Jack Anawak.

“I just think it’s political grandstanding right now,” said Baker Lake MLA Glenn McLean.

“It’s not grandstanding,” Tootoo said later in an interview. “There’s no crowd of people here and it’s not going to be on TV. No one’s going to know about it unless they read Hansard.”

Tootoo called for a recorded vote, which requires MLAs to stand and state their position. He was the only one to stand in favour of the motion. Okalik, Picco and Williams were absent for the vote. All other MLAs voted to reject the motion.

The $9.4 million MLAs approved to pay last month’s settlement for Ed Horne victims represents the end of the government’s 15-year involvement in the case.

The GN’s portion of the pay equity dispute amounted to $12,800.