Taptuna refocuses cabinet
Premier shares thoughts on how changes will make a stronger, more effective government
Michele LeTourneau
Analysis
Northern News Services
Published Monday, December 8, 2014
IQALUIT
No doubt I'm not the only reporter who suspected punitive action on the part of Premier Peter Taptuna when he announced his cabinet shuffle in the late afternoon Friday Nov. 28, effective Dec 5.
After all, the Department of Health is embattled, dealing with the aftermath of at least one tragedy, the death of an infant in Cape Dorset in 2012, and what appears to be administrative mismanagement. Like Taptuna himself told me a few days later: Health is big, Health is a very tough position. Not a surprise when I opened the attachment and read Health had been reassigned.
But, surely, I thought, this shuffle wasn't a simple knee-jerk reaction to a tough situation. So I asked the premier's office if I could speak with "someone" about the shuffle. I was a bit shocked to get the call checking my availability to meet with Taptuna.
I feel jaded and cynical by the total lack of meaningful communication with the federal government and only slightly less so with those who work just a block from my own office.
When we sat down to chat, I encountered a serious man with a serious agenda. To say he wants to get things done by the end of the fourth legislative assembly in 2018 would be an understatement. He's determined to see noticeable dents in all the issues Nunavummiut face, the issues that underpin the government's mandate in Sivumut Abluqta: Stepping Forward Together 2014-2018.
About Ell and whether the shuffle was all about that, he says: "Absolutely not."
Fair enough. I actually wouldn't expect him to tell me if it did. Not a great way to keep people working together in a consensus government.
"As the premier I'm trying to fine tune the strong points of our cabinet ministers to become more efficient," said Taptuna, adding he wants to keep the files moving forward.
"It's my decision based on reviewing their performances over the past year. They all did fairly well, some more than others. It's fine tuning going into the next year, leading up to the leadership review."
In a consensus government, mid-term leadership reviews are "rather automatic," he said.
"I feel the ministers are stronger in some of these other portfolios."
Taptuna explains that after the election, the process for choosing the premier and cabinet was done by secret ballot. There was a lot of discussion beforehand, but he makes the point that he barely knew some of them. A year into this government's mandate, he's learned more about each minister's assets and strengths.
"Going into the mid-term, we want to make sure that we complete some of the things we've set out in our mandate. I feel some of them could do better in moving some our action items forward with a different portfolio."
As an example of a minister suited to his portfolio, Taptuna offers Finance Minister Keith Petersen, "a strong person when it comes to the numbers game. In some cases, in some departments, we need a better grip on the finances."
Petersen has been given the additional responsibility of minister responsible for the Quilliq Energy Corporation.
"On the other spectrum, we need more connection from the department to the people," said Taptuna.
As premier, he is looking for the best possible outcome - which is to fulfill Sivumut Abluqta.
"Monica has a good background in business and, of course, in our mandate there's a plan there that we include economics in our smaller communities," he says.
Taptuna explains Ell's job moving forward as minister of Economic Development and Transportation, a job she may be uniquely qualified for by virtue of being the Iqaluit-Manirajak member:
"When we talk about Nunavut and the uniqueness of our communities in Nunavut, the most unique place is Iqaluit. When a southerner comes from down south and visits Nunavut, they usually visit Iqaluit. Nunavut is not all like Iqaluit. Iqaluit is a city and it's booming, a lot of activity.
"When you go to a small town, it has very little economic activity. We want to make sure that we include these smaller communities in our economic activities. With government being the biggest economic driver, we want to make sure we make efforts to assist our smaller communities when it comes to economic development."
As for George Kuksuk, who previously had Ell's new portfolio - he will head to the Department of Culture and Heritage.
"George is a really strong person when it comes to that. And I feel he is in a better position now to deal with some of these things in Culture and Heritage. As you know, that's part of our mandate ... Every legislation that we do includes Inuit traditional values, societal values. I want to make sure that in whatever new policies and acts, Inuit societal values are included. George is a traditional guy and I think he will do a lot better there."
And who gets the Big Problem? Paul Okalik inherits the Department of Health. Taptuna thinks having the same person head the departments of Justice and Health is a natural fit. Aside from the obvious and possible legal repercussions of the department's past sloppiness, it does make sense.
"Paul is a real foot soldier. When it comes to Health ... this is our fourth government, our longest serving minister in that portfolio was Mr. Picco. I think he spent five years there. He did a lot of work. It is a lot of work. Paul is strong when it comes to mental wellness, mental illness, suicide - that has a good connection with Justice. I feel he is a strong candidate that will advance forward in health."
One fact is clear, Nunavut has serious problems to overcome.
Taptuna noted in the introduction to Sivumut Abluqta: "We are a young, dynamic territory with rich cultures and history, a vast geography and unique governance arrangements. We have much to look forward to in our future. At the same time, we are under increasing pressure to address the ongoing social and economic challenges that we face."
He also stated the fourth legislative assembly is committed to taking "bold, decisive action leading to real and visible progress."
Ed Picco, incidentally, resurfaced in government this summer as Taptuna's top advisor after a six-year foray in the private sector. A veteran of legislative assemblies, first in the NWT then in the first two Nunavut assemblies, he is now Taptuna's principal secretary.
Will this shuffle bear fruit? If Taptuna has his way, the answer is a resounding "yes."
Ministers with new or additional portfolios include:
- Monica Ell retains the designation of deputy premier and becomes:
- Minister of Economic Development and Transportation
- Minister of Energy
- Minister responsible for mines
- George Kuksuk retains Nunavut Housing Corporation and now takes on: Minister of Culture and Heritage, Minister of Languages, Minister responsible for Labour, Minister responsible for the Liquor Licensing Board
- Paul Okalik retains the Justice portfolio and responsibility for immigration, while now becoming: Minister of Health
- Paul Quassa retains Education and Nunavut Arctic College portfolios and takes on the additional responsibility as: Government house leader
- Keith Peterson retains the Finance portfolio, as well as responsibility for the liquor commission and workers safety and compensation board, and becomes the: Minister responsible for Qulliq Energy Corporation
Ministers with no portfolio change:
- Johnny Mike, Minister of Environment
- Tom Sammurtok, Minister of Community and Government Services
- Jeannie Ugyuk, Minister of Family Services, Minister responsible for Poverty Reduction, Minister responsible for Homelessness, Minister responsible for the Status of Women
Source: Government of Nunavut
