Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Oct 09/00) - Last week's attempt to reach compromise on time zones did everything but cool down the fiery dispute.

The only thing that changed was the source of the heat. As tempers cooled in the Baffin region with the announcement of changes to the time zone, they flared in the Kitikmeot region.

Trouble started as soon as government officials announced the result of a review that was promised by Premier Paul Okalik when he first united the three regional time zones last fall.

Instead of changing the time back one hour on Oct. 29, Nunavut residents will leave their clocks alone and remain on Eastern Standard Time for six months. Come April, they still won't touch their timepieces. That will put them on Central Standard Time for the next six months.

Keith Peterson, mayor of Cambridge Bay, said the time zone was a non-issue until the latest change.

"They ignored our concerns and our wishes were not taken into consideration," said Peterson.

The five Kitikmeot mayors plan to make a presentation during the mayors' meeting in Iqaluit this week.

"Our underlying concern and the sentiment in the Kitikmeot as a whole is that (government) decisions are made in Iqaluit primarily for the benefit of the Baffin."

Peterson said that was the consenus among the region's mayors at a meeting in Cambridge Bay last week. He said while they hoped for a rational solution to the "fiasco," they are not opposed to a revolt.

"That was discussed. That's an option, but we hope we don't have to...because we're leaders. We don't want to be radicals or rebels, but if that's what it takes...," he said.

Similar sentiment was ringing through the unpaved streets of Kugluktuk.

"Whatever we do in the Kitikmeot will always be outvoted by the Baffin region," said Peter Taptuna, the secretary-manager of the Kugluktuk Hunters and Trappers Association.

Taptuna was especially critical of the telephone survey the GN used to support the new time regime. He said more than 500 of the territory's 26,000 residents should have been contacted.

"They said they asked 500 people, but was that in the east or the west?," he said.

In a letter another Kugluktuk resident crafted for his mayor, the MLA and the media, Baba Pedersen said the decision was "a bunch of baloney" and showed "that the GN is willing to sacrifice what is good for the few in the Kitikmeot for the betterment of the many in the Baffin."

Ditto in the Taloyoak hamlet office.

Kivalliq residents however, didn't feel particularly affected by the change the president of the Kivalliq Inuit Association referred to as a non-issue for them.

"Our reaction is that it's pretty much status quo," said Paul Kaludjak.

"It's old news."

Mayor Aime Panimera in Iglulik said he was extremely pleased with the decision.

One of the most outspoken advocates of the change last year, Panimera had decided to revolt against the GN this fall. Those plans are no longer necessary.

"I got what I want. I'm pleased," said Panimera, pointing out that the tables had turned.

"Some western communities who thought we were raising ridiculous questions, now it's their turn," he said.