Monday, June 15, 1998
Every MLA and minister should ask themselves: What do I believe in more? Premier Don Morin's innocence or the peoples's right to know the facts of his conflict of interest case.
The record shows the MLAs and ministers believe more in Morin's innocence, so much so they are willing to stack the deck against MLA Jane Groenewegen, who is bringing out the facts.
Since launching the conflict complaint against Morin, Groenwegen's legal costs have hung over her like a noose. The decision to pay her bills lies with the management services board, a secretive chamber composed of the Speaker, a cabinet member and two MLAs.
Like a shadow cabinet, the board dictates the conduct of the legislature's business and is protected from public scrutiny. Groenwegen could even face formal discipline if she tells the public what the board is telling her.
Iqaluit lawyer Anne Crawford was entrusted by MLAs to get the facts. Morin tried to get her removed but failed. Undaunted, Crawford concluded eight deals have the potential to put Morin in a conflict of interest. Many of the transactions involve two of the premier's closest business associates. Clearly, there are grounds for a public inquiry.
Crawford also ordered the government to pay Groenewegen's legal fees but there has been no discussion about doing so. Obviously, a fair inquiry is not high on the legislative assembly's list of priorities.
While a tight rein must be kept on legal expenses to be paid by the government, financial support should be exactly the same for both parties. Politicians are employed by the people and we are not interested in who wins or loses on the basis of their wealth.
So stop the old-boy's-club secrecy and stonewalling strategies and provide Groenewegen with full legal support and same for Morin.
The facts will reveal who is clean, who is not as well as right a wrong on behalf of any innocent party.
Could it be true that Nunavut Arctic College officials feel the future lawyers of Nunavut don't have the wherewithal to plan their own media campaign? It would seem so in light of Bill Riddell's suspension.
The acting director of student services says he was told to leave his office last week and he believes it came about because the college president thought he instructed legal studies students to approach the media concerning mysterious cuts to their programs.
College administration needs to do better. With education and empowerment come self-determination and a sense of free will. The people of Nunavut have worked hard to get where they are and they're prepared to fight for what's theirs. If college officials can't stand the heat, they should get out of Nunavut.
Residents of Baker Lake are proud of their new Inuit Heritage Centre and rightly so. A project that began five years ago with an elder's dream to build a museum, Itsamitakarvik, has become an impressive facility.
The community worked day and night for the last several weeks ensure the museum opened on time. With persistence and dedication, they are taking an active role in the celebration and preservation of their culture.
Baker Lake, in building their first museum, has tapped into a crucial aspect the community -- the life, past and present, of its people.
The people charged with keeping aboriginal languages in the NWT have a lot to worry about, but there is only one real solution to endangered tongues, and that solution lies at home.
Languages can't be saved in the workplace, they can't even be saved at school. Only if they are spoken in the home do they have a chance of survival. So when the language advocates look at Gwich'in, which is the language in the homes for only about 40 people, that's where the energy will have to be directed.
It's easier to throw money at government offices and publicity campaigns, but without some innovative solutions to fostering true grassroots support, Gwich'in and other Northern tongues could soon be extinct.