Maria Canton
Northern News Services
Quttiktuq (Nov 27/00) - Voters in the Quttiktuq riding say they want an honest and trustworthy MLA who will move delayed projects along.
Eight candidates in the Government of Nunavut byelection are on the campaign trail through Grise Fiord, Resolute Bay, Nanisivik and Arctic Bay as they vie for the seat left vacant when Levi Barnabas resigned in the fall.
Barnabas is running again in the Dec. 8 race.
In Nunavut's most northerly community, voters are conscious of the fact that no one from Grise Fiord is running and they say they want more frequent visits for public consultations.
"I think the primary issue for the community is to have more visits to the community more often," said Grise resident Marty Kuluguqtuq.
"Our MLA has to be here to keep on good terms with the community and to hear our concerns."
Kuluguqtuq also feels not having an MLA during the last sitting of the Legislature meant important issues went unheard.
"Our school expansion project has been on hold for three years and we needed someone to address that in the Legislature," he said.
Approved by the GNWT, the project has been delayed several times because of the 1999 division and now the local school is so over-crowded that students are sitting in the hallways.
"The community is getting frustrated, we need a commitment from the government instead of the runaround," said Kuluguqtuq.
In Resolute Bay, where candidates have held public forums and aired their platforms on the local radio station, resident Zipporah Kalluk-Aronsen says she wants to see the new MLA keep promises.
"(The candidates) have all been coming here and they all promise this and that, but in the end it never happens," she said.
"This time a lot of them are saying they will help the hunters and telling us we can call them anytime with concerns -- I just hope they are listening and can be honest and trustworthy."
Kalluk-Aronsen's thoughts are echoed throughout the communities in the Quttiktuq riding, including the 17 voters at the Polaris Mine site.
Voters repeatedly say they are looking for honesty and integrity in their politicians, someone they can trust to bring their concerns forward.
