Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

IQALUIT (Nov 09/98) - With the resignation of Nunavut Tunngavik executive director Alex Campbell almost official, president Jose Kusugak announced last week how he intends to restructure his senior management.

"The demands on anyone in the executive director's position are high...and they're getting higher," said Kusugak in a press release issued by his office. Because of the growing pressure and list of duties, Kusugak said he would divide the position into two jobs.

Hagar Idlout-Sudlovenick, the current assistant executive-director, and Terry Forth, the executive director of claims management, will share the job, effective immediately.

"The co-management concept is based on the idea of team, of co-operation, and of consensus...all very important parts of NTI's organizational structure," said Forth.

Both officials have years of experience in senior management and policy experience.

Western vision

The minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development told a forum in Ottawa last Thursday that the new western territory could become an economic force in Canada after division.

Stephen Kakfwi told the national round table on the economy and the environment that, by taking greater control over their economic development and resolving land claims and self-government issues, western residents would be financially successful in the future.

In his address, Kakfwi also spoke about the importance of Northerners having more input into the sustainable development of their resources and he noted that the federal government needed to share the wealth earned through the west's natural resources with the GNWT.

Housing

Baffin South MLA Goo Arlooktoo spoke in the legislative assembly last week about housing issues that face NWT residents.

He commended the NWT Housing Corp. on its Plan 2000 and said it had improved the living conditions of more than 1,000 families since 1997. The goal Arlooktoo said, was to provide 2,000 families with better homes and a better quality of life by the year 2000. He urged other MLAs to do everything they could to help the corporation meet its goal.

Arlooktoo also spoke of the homeless problem in the North and noted that it was particularly bad in Yellowknife and Iqaluit.

But, again, he praised the Housing Corp. for its efforts in providing people with shelter and he mentioned the newly re-opened Iqaluit Emergency Shelter Society.

Run by several different parties, the newly renovated shelter was opened last week.