Whale Cove mayor says his community plans to pull out of Nunavut Association of Municipalities
“It came out of the blue, I had no idea,” says association president Kenny Bell
Whale Cove Mayor Percy Kabloona, centre, seen here pre-pandemic, has resigned from his position as second vice-president of the Nunavut Association of Municipalities and says he wants to pull Whale Cove from the association, which represents the interests of 25 communities across Nunavut. (File photo)
The mayor of Whale Cove says he wants to pull his hamlet out of the Nunavut Association of Municipalities.
Percy Kabloona has also resigned from his position as second vice-president of the association, which represents communities across the territory, at the organization’s annual general meeting Dec. 9.
If Whale Cove leaves, the hamlet won’t have any representation at the association’s meetings or be able to bring issues to the table to be lobbied for by the group.
Membership also gives municipalities access to senior government officials and to businesses that want to work in Nunavut’s communities, according to association president Kenny Bell, who is also Iqaluit’s mayor.
“Unfortunately, if they leave, they won’t have any part of that,” he said.
“It would be unfortunate for them to leave and I sincerely hope they don’t.”
Bell said that Kabloona hasn’t offered any explanation for his actions, beyond saying that he doesn’t feel his community doesn’t get good value from its membership.
“It came out of the blue, I had no idea,” he said.
“It doesn’t make any sense to me … but we are going to reach out to him.”
Kabloona did not respond to interview requests.
A NAM bylaw says a municipality must give written notice to the executive director to withdraw. Executive director Tony Bird said he has not yet received written notice from Whale Cove.
Baker Lake mayor Richard Aksawnee will take Kabloona’s place as second vice-president of the association, after a vote at the AGM Dec. 9.
Bell said it was a good choice “because it’s part of the Kivalliq region as well, so it spreads our executive across the territory.”
Good for Whale Cove. Many of these organizations have lost their way. Organizations such as NTI, NEBS, NAM and others have forgotten who they are supposed to fight for. More people need to take a stance.
Does it cost hamlets a yearly fee to be a member of NAM?
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Are you a member under the Nunavut Agreement? if so and you dont like what NTI is doing why dont you just quit being under the Nunavut Agreement.
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What communities that are not satisfied with NAM should do is when there are meetings they should publicly say they will not waist the money to go to the meetings. but to pull out of NAM completely seems short sighted.
No disagreement from me. But is it not easy to go against the status quo in Nunavut and the NWT. It is a tiny bit easier in the Yukon. People like Percy will be ridicule. But the truth is, many organizations in Nunavut have stopped working for the good and betterment of the many.
Percy, Percy, Percy…..you obviously lack an understanding of NAM and its benefits to the people in your community who elected you to represent their economic, social and health concerns and issues within Nunavut….NAM is like belonging to a Business Association, which allows you and Council to network and promote your community as a place to do business, lobby government Depts for funding for programs and infrastructure, participate in other Municipal projects and funding from 3rd party sources, and more importantly, work with other Nunavut communities on shared concerns and/or goals? Together we are stronger, alone, we are weaker. Percy’s decision will have Whale Cove on the outside looking in.
You clearly don’t understand why the regional CGS office exist do you? Have you ever worked for the Municipality? Not only the CGS but also ED&T,
Every year moneys are wasted on meetings like NAM to benefit who? The list goes on as sending staff, council south to promote your municipalities, give away your logo on sweaters, pens etc, have some wines etc the list goes on but in real who benefits from it ? Absolutely no one aside from business providing the rooms, meals etc of course the bars
I’m glad to hear a Hamlet making a right move for a change and it’s about time someone speaks the truth
Says Who ?
I don’t blame Whale Cove Mayor opting to pull out, nothing comes out of these meetings,even though it has been established for many many years.
Yes, all mayors and Senior Admin. Officers do their annual meeting but what comes out of it?
We never hear any updates,if there are any? After the N.A.M. meetings.
Have mercy for percy!!!!
Percy is strong enough to stand up for his community , what have you done for yours ?
If whale Cove says they’re out , fair enough . But is that any reason for the rest of you to have a say or even express your opposition to their decision . Flake off , it’s none of your business .
NAM has become a reactionary entity with no real focus on things that matter to the smaller communities and I can understand why Percy may have better things to do to tackle his community’s pressing matters. Perhaps this move will wake up the NAM to focus more on the smaller communities instead of trying to shadow the other governments of the day,