Youth raise concerns in legislature
Teenagers from across territory attend Youth Parliament
Casey Lessard
Northern News Services
Published Monday, December 1, 2014
IQALUIT
Legislators heard concerns Nov. 27 about seismic testing, families torn apart due to drug abuse, the need for after-school programs, the high school dropout rate and the falling standards of education in Nunavut. And if one member gets his way, the beer and wine store debate will be irrelevant.
Jenny Klengenberg was Nunavut's Youth Parliament premier. She acknowledged Premier Peter Taptuna, back row left, as a visitor to the legislative assembly Nov. 27 as 22 youth from across Nunavut gathered to raise their concerns in the mock parliament. - Casey Lessard/NNSL photo |
"I am asking today for the Government of Nunavut to make alcohol illegal in Nunavut," said Tedd Nattaq, representing Iqaluit-Tasiluk. "The impact it has in Nunavut is significant. Nunavummiut do not need that type of issue."
Nattaq's name may not be familiar to those who follow the legislature. Indeed, Nattaq is a high school student representing the riding in the biennial Youth Parliament, which gathered 22 teens from across the territory to replace elected representatives in the legislature for the day. Although this is the fifth such Youth Parliament, it was the first year no one missed the program due to weather.
Although the implication is that the mock parliament could mean nothing to future policy, this is not necessarily the case.
Premier Peter Taptuna, who was replaced by Jenny Klengenberg, was in the gallery to hear the youth speak, as were several ministers, MLAs and Commissioner Edna Elias.
Considering Nunavut has the lowest median age of all provinces and territories, the youth brought forward issues that are of unique concern for a territory with strong cultural heritage.
"I rise today to raise my concerns about the ability of the community's health centre to deal with an emergency," said Uqqummiut representative Tyson Palluq, who once fell through thin ice while hunting.
He said he wouldn't be alive had an elder not told doctors how to warm him up. "I was immediately rushed to the health centre and I saw the nurses and doctors didn't know what to do with me.
One of the main issues was the old equipment they used to warm up my body. I would like to call upon the minister of health to make sure all health centres have adequate equipment and medical supplies."
The Youth Parliament's legislative assembly, the marquee event, came on the third day of a program that showed the Nunavut students the workings of the assembly.
"We get the youth involved in the political process, our consensus government," said clerk John Quirke. "For the past two days they've been working in our committee rooms as if they were regularly elected officials, so they get a feel for what we do."
Although this was a mock parliament, the statements were representative of the issues facing the territory. And the regular student members posed tough questions that at times stumped student ministers. Anyone who has followed the legislative assembly sittings would acknowledge this is also representative of the reality. (The first oral question each member asked was written and provided to the minister to come prepared. Following questions were not provided to the ministers ahead of time, testing their improvisational skills.)
Almost all of the proceedings took place in English. Only one student minister - Michel Oolateeta, representing Aggu - spoke in Inuktitut.
Nolan Kiguktak, representing Quttiktuq, pointed out the language loss among youth.
"The majority of Inuit cannot speak Inuktitut anymore, especially youth," Kiguktak said, asking Oolateeta, education minister and minister responsible for Nunavut Arctic College, what he was doing to ensure youth know about the interpreter/translator program.
Noting the same concern, Culture and Heritage Minister Apphia Kullualik, representing Iqaluit-Sinaa, encouraged parents to support the Inuit language.
"To keep our culture strong, it starts at home," Kullualik said. "I highly encourage parents and elders to speak mostly Inuktutit to their children, grandchildren, and especially the youth to learn in the best way possible."
Some of the mock exercises may have encouraged those tuning in on TV because the proceedings were broadcast across the territory. Seismic testing was a hot topic.
"All activity regarding natural gas and oil will be suspended for a three-year period, where Canadians will be consulted and information will be collected," said Arviat North/Whale Cove representative Elizabeth Aglukark, who served as Economic Development and Transportation minister. "If it's dangerous and will affect the environment, seismic testing will not be conducted in these areas."
Observers can only wait to see what commitments made at the Youth Parliament come true. Perhaps one day, these youth will return to the assembly to take their seats as adult representatives. It is now up to the adult members to show their presence in the gallery was not just for moral support, but to hear the ideas from the youth and make change.
