Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Nov 23/98) - Just as, as the saying goes, "Membership has its privileges," many Northerners believe certain benefits come with being a resident of a capital city.

In the legislative assembly two weeks ago, Jim Antoine spoke for a lot of people outside of Iqaluit and Yellowknife when he told the legislative assembly, "There is not much attention or financial help going over to the communities...(and) there is a strong resentment out in the communities toward Yellowknife because of that."

Antoine was speaking against a motion to give Yellowknife two more seats in the western territory's legislative assembly. All but two MLAs outside of Yellowknife agreed with him. Together they voted down the motion.

An electoral boundaries commission had recommended Yellowknife get two more seats because, on the basis of population, people there are under-represented in the legislative assembly.

Access is power

A factor the Electoral Boundaries Commission did not take into consideration is something people from smaller communities say is as plain as day -- living in the home of government provides power that goes beyond votes.

"Everybody knows that," said Rankin Inlet Mayor John Hicks. Anyone who doubts it, said Hicks, needs only to ask someone from Pelly Bay or Gjoa Haven about the cost of flying to Iqaluit to speak to government.

"In my mind there's no question, if you live in the capital you have direct access to the seat of power," said Hicks.

Iqaluit resident Andrea Cnudde agreed, living in the capital can be an advantage, if you know how to take advantage of it.

"I'm sure there is more accessibility here, if you know how to access government," said Cnudde. She said few people know how to take advantage of having a government nearby. "I don't know how accessible it is to the average low-income non-government employee."

Would Grise Fiord's needs be better attended to if it had been named capital of Nunavut?

"Oh yes, a whole lot more," said 11-year resident Jimmy Aakpik.

Aakpik said his community is as close to the minds of government and its servants as it is to Yelllowknife (ie. about 2,000 kilometres away).

"Government services are almost nil here," said Aakpik.

The hamlet municipal liaison officer said there is one nurse to serve the community, no social services centre, mail is left to the school and a social worker comes to town only every few months from Resolute.

Aakpik works in an office composed of three trailer sections put together in the 1960s and have not been renovated since.

Battle for the basics

Across the way, in Aklavik, Rita Arey agrees those nearest power benefit most from it, even where the most basic needs are concerned.

"For years and years, we've been bringing concerns forth in regards to our water treatment plant," said Arey. "Our community has grown, and they put a few dollars in here and there for small upgrades, but we need a bigger plant and that's never been at the forefront in the legislative assembly."

Arey said Aklavik seems penalized for the pride it takes in maintaining its buildings, many of which are old. Because it does such a good job at extending the useful lives of the structures, they get no new ones.

"We seem to be the ones that suffer," said Arey. "You look at our curling rink, it's the most pathetic curling rink in the region, yet, the government won't come forward to put a new one in the community."

Aakpik said in order to understand the needs of communities, politicians need to visit them more often.