Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

IQALUIT (Mar 29/99) - The president of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association wants a more thorough apology from the RCMP in response to the past mistreatment of Inuit in Nunavut.

Pauloosie Keeyootak stated last week that he intended to seek formal apologies for each community in the Baffin region. He said he also planned to ask for compensation during QIA's next board meeting in Resolute Bay in May.

"The apology given by the RCMP would be more credible if they were to go to each community and formally apologize in person. Inuit would believe the RCMP more if they made this effort, otherwise their recent apology has no real meaning," said Keeyootak.

Cpl. Glen Siegersma, a media relations officer for Nunavut's soon-to-be V Division, said the RCMP was still in the process of working towards a reconciliation with the Inuit residents of Nunavut.

"It's going to involve some process of further consultation. We want to allow any persons that feel they were aggrieved the opportunity to consult with the RCMP," said Siegersma.

Election wrap up

Brian Armstrong, the co-ordinator of training and information for Elections NWT, said the de-briefing with Nunavut's returning officers was a success.

Held in Yellowknife on March 22-23, the meeting involved 17 of Nunavut's 19 returning officers and gave them the opportunity to discuss what worked and didn't work during the new territory's first election.

"Things went well. We basically went through the election from the beginning to the end, starting with the training in Iqaluit and enumeration," said Armstrong.

Each returning officer was given the opportunity to make comments and suggest possible changes that could be made to the Elections Act and Armstrong said some of them would likely be incorporated into the election in the West scheduled for the fall.

Some of those suggestions include less paper work, or at very the least, easier forms to fill out and the need for more consistent training.

"There was a desire amongst most returning officers for something in between elections on the training side so we're not just getting them together every four or five years," said Armstrong.

In terms of positive feedback, he said the officers were pleased with their operational manuals and appreciated the wall calendars they were issued that walked them through the 45-day election period.

Armstrong said overall, the discussion was an excellent exercise and that once the electoral boundaries were settled in the West, they hoped to be able to use the information during the planning of the NWT's election process.

"It was a good discussion. It was open and frank and provided us with a lot of good suggestions and comments."

Second judge on board

The federal Minister of Justice and Attorney General Anne McLellan announced last Wednesday that a second superior court judge had been appointed to the Nunavut Court of Justice.

Joining Iqaluit resident and senior judge Justice Beverly Browne on the bench will be Justice Robert G. Kilpatrick of Smithers, B.C.

Justice Kilpatrick will reside in Iqaluit and preside over the new judicial system that takes over on April 1.

A third superior court judge is also expected to be appointed to the Nunavut Court of Justice.

McLellan also announced that a total of 16 superior court judges from across the three Northern territories, along with several judges from the Alberta and Saskatchewan Courts of Appeal, had been appointed to sit for Nunavut's Court of Appeal.

Chief Justice Catherine Anne Fraser of Edmonton will sit as the chief justice of the Nunavut Court of Appeal.

New appointments

Nunavut's Premier-elect Paul Okalik announced the appointments to his executive last week.

Acting interim commissioner Joe Kunuk will leave his position as the deputy minister of the Department of the Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs (EIA) to work as Okalik's principal secretary.

Iqaluit lawyer and GNWT Conflict of Interest Commissioner Anne Crawford will replace Kunuk in that position and close her law firm.

Jimi Onalik will leave his position as the manager of communications for EIA to work as Okalik's executive assistant and Judy Anilniliak leaves her role as the executive secretary to the clerk of the Nunavut's legislative assembly to work as the executive secretary to the premier.

Annette Bourgeois has accepted the job of press secretary to the premier and leaves her work as a reporter with Nunatsiaq News.

The appointments are effective on April 1.

Inuit assignment

The Amarok Hunters and Trappers board of directors appointed a committee to deal with the contentious issue of Inuit rights to assignment last week.

The committee will work to establish a set of procedures for the assignment of harvesting rights in the Iqaluit area in accordance with the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.

The assignment forms that are currently used will still serve as temporary documents until a new set of procedures is developed.

The process of assigning harvesting rights was originally developed to assist elders and others who were not able to harvest their own food for themselves. With the population growing as quickly as it is in Iqaluit, the board felt it necessary to develop a clear and fair set of procedures.

Education week

The GNWT's Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Charles Dent, kicked off Education Week last Wednesday.

Including breakfasts with elders, fashion shows and visits to the school by members of the public and politicians, the theme of Education Week in both Nunavut and the NWT was "Creating Two Territories."

"The purpose of Education Week is to increase the public's understanding of the importance of education, and highlight the components of a well-rounded education," said Dent.

Holiday official

Acting interim commissioner Joe Kunuk announced last Monday that April 1 would be a holiday for all of the employees of the government of Nunavut.

"This is a historic day for the people of Nunavut," said Kunuk in a press release from his office.

"Our employees have worked hard over the past few years and we want them to have time to celebrate with their families and communities."