by Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 26/97) - A business approach and attention to detail are needed if Nunavut is to flourish, says Liberal candidate Nancy Karetak Lindell.

"It's like a business, you can have a very good idea of what you want to do, but unless you have your paperwork intact, have your bases covered, and a plan to administer it -- a lot of businesses die because they don't take care of the fine details.

"That's exactly how I see the transition into Nunavut -- the idea is really good, but unless people have dotted all their i's and crossed all their t's and covered all the angles, it could take a nosedive before it starts to go up."

Communication between Nunavut and the federal government, she said, will be key. Karetak Lindell, said that would be better handled by a representative that's a member of the governing party.

"It would make it that much easier for the past MP (Jack Anawak), who is now commissioner, to deal with the same people who he's forged relationships with."

Karetak Lindell, who started campaigning a week after the election was called, has been travelling non-stop.

She has visited eight Baffin communities, five in the Kitikmeot and will be in the Keewatin region this week.

May 28 she will be in Iqaluit for an all-candidates meeting. As the incumbent party's chosen successor, she is considered by some the front-runner.

Karetak Lindell said there are two sides to the gender-parity debate, and people need to consider both carefully. "I could easily say I don't need it, because I feel I can run for any position, but to me that's taking a very selfish attitude.

"But I wonder about the people out there that live in small communities that might not want to run against their father-in-law and brother-in-law, and visa versa.

"In some small communities it's just not culturally accepted for some people to be assertive."