Rankin Inlet (Mar 28/05) - Federal fees on marine services are unfair and inflate the cost of living North of 60, argues the Nunavut government.

The territorial government passed a motion on Monday, March 21, put forward by Rankin Inlet North MLA Tagak Curley.

He argues marine service fees amount to a tax on shipping companies, who in turn offload it on consumers.

"Shipping companies are not going to just cover it," he said.

"They're passing that back to the consumers.

"I'm just referring to them as taxes, because that's what they are."

Service fees aren't applied to ships moving from one Northern location to another. But in the case of Nunavut, shipments moving from southern locations like Montreal are charged these fees.