Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Dec 17/01) - The ex-president of the former Yellowknife Inuit Association scans a newspaper article on the results of the Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. election. Suzie Napayok is not surprised only 41 per cent of beneficiaries in the Baffin region bothered to vote.

Suzie Napayok looks at the election results from last Monday's NTI election, which attracted low turnouts in many regions. - Jennifer McPhee/NNSL photo

Napayok grew up in Iqaluit but now represents Inuit for the Yellowknife Women's Association. She also runs a translation and consulting business.

She blames the low turnout on a cynical attitude, which is a result of too many leaders failing to complete their terms because of personal problems and corruption.

Napayok says slashing high salaries of NTI executives and paying employees better wages would go along way to restoring the faith of Inuit people. In the long run, she says it would also encourage people to get involved.

"The concentration of money should not be hogged by boards," she says. "We've got to concentrate more on actual people."

One of the problems, according to Napayok, is that beneficiaries in Yellowknife have nowhere to get information. She wants the NTI to help Inuit set up a Yellowknife office or hire a liaison worker to relay information about training, job and benefit opportunities.

"There shouldn't be such a blackout because of our location," she says. "It's like Inuit discrimination against other Inuit."

Still, Napayok is optimistic about the new president, Cathy Towtongie from Rankin Inlet.

"This is the first time an Inuit woman is president of NTI. That's fantastic for Yellowknife women and children," she says.

Tuppittia Qitsualik, whose sister Rachel Qitsualik was a candidate in the election, agrees that money should be distributed more to Inuit beneficiaries. "Stop having meetings and start giving it to the people that need it," she says.