Nunavut files going home
Dave Sullivan
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Mar 21/01) - Two years after becoming a new territory, Nunavut civil servants are on the receiving end of countless files that the Government of the Northwest Territories doesn't want any more.
Among them are about 13,000 mining reports that are being flown from Yellowknife to Iqaluit.
"We're down to the nitty gritty," says Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development spokesperson Stephen Van Dine, of final transition steps under way in setting up a regional office in the new capital.
The shipments are a milestone for the still-fresh Nunavut government. Canada's new territory celebrates its second anniversary on April 1, but planning for this stage of the handover began three years ago.
Until now DIAND had a small presence in Nunavut, says Van Dine, and mining matters concerning the territory were mostly handled from Yellowknife.
"We've had excellent communication between the two offices. There's been a real positive energy about getting a new office started," he says.
Stephen Traynor, DIAND's Nunavut operations manager, adds that "everyone is excited to take over the responsibilities, there's lots of activity."
DIAND in Iqaluit started hiring people last summer to look after the extra paperwork and new responsibilities. The number of DIAND staffers there has ballooned from a dozen to 60, according to Traynor.
A big batch of files -- about six pallets -- are being flown out this week with more expected throughout the year.
"We don't want to swamp the Nunavut office with a lot of materials at once," says Van Dine. Starting in the beginning of April, mining rights in Nunavut will be issued from there.
Even in the computer age, the government continues to keep thousands and thousands of paper files. The mining assessments contain surveys, maps, and environmental information that, with current technology, is hard to computerize. Besides, many in the mining industry are traditional types.
"You know what it's like with prospectors and geologists. They like to see the big map and have paper," says Traynor.
Legal requirements related to mining leases play a role on the paper dependence. There are at least two copies of each file, with one remaining in Yellowknife for easier corporate and public access. Many files have a third copy stored on microfiche.
The files spell out ownership of mineral claims and rights.
Federal government plans call for reductions in the number of papers it needs to generate. Some day.
"That day has not yet arrived," Van Dine says.
Shipping everything to Iqaluit is costing about $100,000, plus the new district office is being renovated for $200,000.
