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Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services
At the meeting, Premier Paul Okalik said the names are a good start, but need more work. He said street names in the capital should represent communities throughout Nunavut, not just the regions.
He also pointed out no streets are named after women and argued that the explorers with streets named after them did not really contribute to the city or the territory.
Language Commissioner Eva Aariak agreed and raised other concerns. She wondered why names in Iqaluit should honour explorers like the ill-fated John Franklin, who refused to hire Inuit guides.
Longtime residents, she said, "deserve recognition over and above Franklin."
The commissioner said names are too simplistic and the requirement that names must be easy to pronounce "undermines the abilities of people."
Aariak is also disappointed the city decided to overlook Inuktitut alternatives for Federal Road, Apex Road and the Road to Nowhere.
"Once again, the English name will prevail," she said.
Although disappointed with the project to some degree, Aariak said she doesn't think the city will overhaul the process and is content with most of the recommendations.
However, she said she believes a working committee made up of elders is necessary to name future streets.
Iqaluit resident Kowesa Etitiq did not attend the meeting because it was in the afternoon. But he was shocked to see no original Iqalungmiut on the list. "How come they wouldn't have one Iqalungmiut?" he asked.
Etitiq also said he the names cater to Qallunaat. "Every word they know in Inuktitut is there," he said.
Because of the meeting, the most contentious names will change. Council agreed to switch names of explorers to names of Nunavut's pioneers, including at least one woman.
And names of regions will switch to those of specific communities. Future street names will reflect Nunavut communities, historic ships, and important people.
Council will continue to accept suggestions from the public. The next step is verifying the spelling of new names, replacing names of explorers with names of Nunavut's pioneers and then getting approval from families.
Once completed, the bylaw will return to city council for review. Mayor John Matthews said good comments came out of the meeting, but feels the entire bylaw shouldn't be scrapped.
