Town of Iqaluit can’t find Inuktitut speaking dispatchers

MICHAELA RODRIGUE
Nunatsiaq News

IQALUIT — The Town of Iqaluit may have disqualified itself from an RCMP contract to provide emergency dispatch services because it doesn’t have Inuktitut-speaking dispatchers.

A motion proposed by Coun. Lynda Gunn and passed by Town Council last week will ask the RCMP to make bilingual emergency dispatch service mandatory. If the RCMP complies, the Town could lose out on a $142,000 contract.

Iqaluit town staff has run an after-hours emergency dispatch services for the RCMP for about seven years. Its current contract is set to run out at the end of the month.

The Town’s administration wants to renew the contract and has met all of the RCMP’s requirements. But last week’s motion could make it impossible for the Town to win.

Under the motion proposed by Gunn, Iqaluit will send a letter to RCMP officials requesting a clause requiring bilingual service be added to the contract .

If the RCMP add such a clause, Iqaluit won’t be able to sign the contract, said Neville Wheaton, Iqaluit’s director of emergency services.

“If we go back to the RCMP now it will effectively eliminate us,” Wheaton told council.

That would mean the RCMP would have to find someone else to work dispatch, or do it themselves.

It would also put Iqaluit’s four full-time dispatch workers out of a job, Wheaton said.

Gunn said it’s essential to have Inuktitut-speaking dispatchers.

“We should feel good about providing the service,” Gunn said. “Let’s perhaps raise salaries — but let’s do it, let’s provide Inuktitut services,” she said.

Wheaton has tried to find bilingual Inuktitut-English dispatch workers for three years. He said salary, security clearance and shift-work hours have all been barriers to hiring Inuktitut-speaking employees.

“I will assure you, we are trying very hard to fill those positions,” Wheaton said.

Over the past year, about 15 bilingual people have applied for a position. For various reasons, Wheaton said, none have been hired.

“There’s a raft of issues. People have said it’s not enough money, but the salary range is based on the Town’s wage classification. It doesn’t seem there are a lot of people who are interested in the job,” Wheaton said.

There are five full-time positions. One space is now open and none of the workers speak Inuktitut. One casual worker understands, but doesn’t speak Inuktitut, Wheaton said.

The starting salary for an emergency dispatch worker is $32,600 plus benefits.

The Town now has three possible Inuktitut-speaking candidates for the job. But it could take up to six months for the candidates to receive their necessary security clearance.

Wheaton said that unless each of the five full-time staff speak Inuktitut, it won’t meet the standard set out in Gunn’s motion.

Gunn’s motion passed by four votes to two. Matthew Spence and John Matthews both voted against it.

Both Matthews and Spence said they agreed with the sentiment behind the motion, but wouldn’t support it.

“We should continue to aggressively pursue getting bilingual dispatchers, but we should enter into the contract as is. It’s two separate issues,” Spence said.

The RCMP may choose to ignore council’s request to enforce bilingual service. If they don’t, RCMP will have to find someone else to staff the phones.

“We would have to address that in the event that will happen. There’s always a contingency plan,” said Sgt. Glen Siegersma.

The Iqaluit RCMP provides bilingual service during regular office hours.