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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Still sitting on the cabinet side due to space limitations, Rankin Inlet North MLA Tagak Curley started a new habit on his first day as a regular member: questioning the government's decisions.

Rankin Inlet North MLA Tagak Curley used the first question period since his stepping down to show he is no longer in cabinet by raising concerns about the government's contracting decisions. - Casey Lessard/NNSL photo

After criticizing the Aqsaqniq Air contract Feb. 21, the next day Curley criticized the government's choice to ignore the NNI Contracting Appeals Board's decision about contracting fuel distribution in Coral Harbour.

"I believe that it is perfectly evident that there are serious inconsistencies with the government's approach to contracting and procurements," Curley said, suggesting the Nunavut business community will lose confidence in the government if it continues to ignore advice, such as that given by the appeals board.

Inuit-owned Sudliq Developments Inc. had the hamlet's fuel contract for 25 years, and appealed when the government handed the contract over to Katudgevik Co-op in September 2011.

"The appeals board identified a number of problems with the contracting process, and recommended that the contract be terminated," Curley said. "With the people of Nunavut listening, could the minister clearly explain why his department decided earlier this week to reject the recommendation of the appeals board?"

Community and Government Services Minister Lorne Kusugak said the board's decision was not unanimous, so the government awarded the contract "in accordance with contracting policy."

Government considers flat rate for public housing rent

Noting that Nunavik has flat rate rent, the Minister responsible for Nunavut Housing Corporation Fred Schell said Feb. 21 that Nunavut is considering the same thing to make public housing more affordable.

Schell's comments were in response to questions by Pangnirtung MLA Hezakiah Oshutapik, who said he could not afford the rent on his housing corporation unit.

"The maximum rent that anybody pays - it doesn't matter what kind of a job they got or how many people are in the household - is 30 percent of their income," Schell said. Another option the government is considering is assessing only the person on the lease, not everyone in the home, he said.

Schell said the government is working to make housing "a little bit more affordable," and anticipated announcing a new rent scale by the end of the year. In a separate discussion, Schell responded to Quttiktuq MLA Ron Elliott about Nunavut Housing Corporation's over-commitment to the Nunavut Housing Trust and affordable housing initiative.

Schell said Deloitte & Touche's audit is expected to begin in March, be finished in August, and presented to the legislature in the fall session.

Sanikiluaq students miss English exam

A bureaucratic fumble means some senior high school students at the new Paatsaali school in Sanikiluaq may not have the marks they need to get into university, MLA Allan Rumbolt said Feb. 21.

"Apparently, Sanikiluaq high school students weren't able to take their English departmental exam last month (January) because someone forgot to update the Alberta testing division of Sanikiluaq's new school name," Rumbolt told the legislature.

Education Minister and Premier Eva Aariak, who attended the school's opening in December, was unaware of the problem or solutions until after question period. During a committee of the whole meeting on education, Aariak said Alberta first rejected the request for exams because the school did not have an assigned code, and then the exams did not arrive at the school in time to be written.

"Our registrar for student records was not notified until two days after the date the exams were to be written by the students that the school did not have the exams in their possession," she said.

Students will be able to write the Grade 12 English exam in June, which is the next date the exams are allowed to be administered, she told the committee.

Vandalism concerns at Pond Inlet airport

Something needs to be done about overnight airplane vandalism at Pond Inlet's airport to ensure Canadian North and First Air don't change their scheduling, Tunnuniq MLA Joe Enook said Feb. 21. Currently, both airlines park their planes overnight, which allows Pond Inlet fliers to leave early in the morning and arrive in Iqaluit to make connections to other destinations.

"If this situation continues, there is a risk that airlines will no longer be able to overnight their aircraft in Pond Inlet," Enook said, "which will cause significant disruptions to flight schedules and severely inconvenience my constituents."

Economic Development and Transportation Minister Peter Taptuna said he would look into the situation. Enook also asked Taptuna to return with information about any plans for surveillance cameras to improve security at small airports across Nunavut.

Territorial power rate set in motion

The territory will move toward a unified power rate starting in 2014, Qulliq Energy Corporation Minister Lorne Kusugak said Feb. 21. The first phase of the rebalancing of rates among Nunavut communities will begin April 1, 2014.

The biggest adjustments a community will face is an increase of five per cent or a decrease of four per cent per year until all communities are on par. The decision, approved by the Utility Rates Review Council after consultations last fall, does not increase revenue for the utility, Kusugak said.

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