Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Repulse (Aug 07/00) - When the MLAs return to the capital for their fall session, at least one member will come out swinging.

Following weeks of working with the communities he represents -- Repulse Bay and Kugaaruk (Pelly Bay) -- Ovide Alakannuark expects to approach his colleagues from a position of strength.

"I think he knows all of our concerns," said Repulse Bay acting senior administrative officer Brian McQuarrie.

Both McQuarrie and Alakannuark were with the elected officials and management from the two hamlets meeting in Repulse Bay. Their goal was to find a united front to deal more effectively with the Government of Nunavut.

"It should make his job easier," said McQuarrie. "Now he has some specific issues to deal with his colleagues. It's a game-plan on how some of these issues can be resolved."

The idea to host the meeting came about shortly after the electoral boundary became official. Representatives felt the district faced more than its share of problems, many of which were heightened because Repulse Bay and Kugaaruk are located in two different regions of Nunavut.

The boundary itself, along with the high cost of transportation, skyrocketing fuel prices, high power rates, water and sewer subsidies, nursing shortages, the housing shortage and the government's handling of surpluses, were all discussed during the three-day event.

McQuarrie said the very fact that the meeting happened made it successful and said it was a big step in allowing the two hamlets to negotiate together.

Kugaaruk's SAO agreed

"It laid a lot of inroads between us," said Taggart. "We covered a wide variety of topics and made resolutions on 12 of the 13 agenda items."

For example, Taggart said the lack of RCMP presence in Repulse Bay was brought up. The hamlets plan to ask the GN to create two policing positions, the first of which will be located in Repulse Bay, while the second officer will travel back and forth between the two communities, providing support where needed.

The next step was to draft letters to the Government of Nunavut bearing the signatures of both hamlets' mayors.

"We're hoping this will carry more weight and not just get the letters stuck in a file folder. We're expecting actions and results from this," said Taggart.

He also said that similar meetings have been organized for the fall, all of which should help Alakannuark perform more effectively in the legislative assembly.

"He understands more about the importance of the two communities coming together. He realized there is a certain amount of regional difference, but that there's a lot of common ground," said Taggart.

"That should make it easier to represent two communities."