Karen Mackenzie
Northern News Services
Published Monday, November 5, 2007

NUNAVUT - Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. president Paul Kaludjak has requested an investigation of the land claims process in Nunavut by Canada's auditor general.

Federal watchdog Sheila Fraser was in Iqaluit on Oct. 22 and 23 to meet with the directors of the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation.

An audit of that organization is due to be released today (Monday).

During her visit, members of her team met with NTI's executive "to hear from our side what are the critical issues that are facing us today," Kaludjak said. "I verbally requested that our claim be audited as well so they can gauge how much has not been implemented, and how much remains to be done."

Fraser's office tabled a report in late October on the 23-year-old Inuvialuit land claim process.

In it, she heavily criticized the federal government for failing to live up to its implementation obligations in the Western Arctic.

"It shows that even after 23 years that these things can be left undone, and again, that's a critical example, because our claim is only 15 years old and we're already into those kinds of problems," Kaludjak said.

A representative of the Office of the Auditor-General, which is charged with reviewing federal spending and policy implementation, said she couldn't yet confirm whether they were considering an audit of the Nunavut land claim.

Nunavut Member of Parliament Nancy Karetak-Lindell said she believes land claims agreements need to be examined throughout Canada.

"This government doesn't talk to anybody. They make these announcements about the North, without actually consulting with anybody here..." she said.

"If the Office of the Auditor-General is the only one that the government wants to listen to, then so be it."

It has been almost one year since NTI filed its $1-billion lawsuit against the federal government, alleging a breach of contract in not living up to its land claims responsibilities here.

Since that time, Kaludjak said he and his staff have noted some improvements in the process, particularly in the relationship between Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) and NTI's negotiating team.

During their last meeting with new INAC Minister Chuck Strahl, "we told him that we're open to offers, that the door is not closed," Kaludjak said. "We said if we see that if there is some movement in the matter of implementation, we are willing to negotiate, we are willing to consider options other than the litigation matter that we are dealing with."