Language barrier slows compliance
Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services
Iqaluit (Jan 15/01) - Mary Inuktaluk has her hands full dealing with the federal gun legislation.
Although she's the municipal liaison officer in Sanikiluaq, Inuktaluk has been a go-between for Inuktitut-speaking Sanikiluaq residents who want to find out the status of their gun licence applications.
"I call and they ask for the person who applied but the people in New Brunswick don't speak Inuktitut," Inuktaluk said. "And then they have no choice but to talk to me."
News/North also called the number.
"This is a general information line," said the operator at the other end. "We will only give information to someone calling on behalf of an applicant if we have written permission. Under Canada's privacy legislation we are required to have written permission."
So, people shuffle in and out of Inuktaluk's office wondering when the licences they paid for are going to come. She said probably half the people in the town who sent in applications have not received them yet.
Ron Petooloosie, who answers Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.'s gun law hotline (1-800-780-4036), said people can contact someone who speaks Inuktitut about their licence application.
He refers them to the same federal number, but the trick, he said, is to press the number one twice at the automated prompts.
"Then they press extension 4514 to get the Iqaluit line," he explained.
That connects to Nunavut Firearms Officer Josh Mitsima. He speaks Inuktitut and he can trace applications. People can call him directly at 1-867-979-8757. He said "there was no budget allocation" for giving his office a toll-free line.
"I asked if we could advertise my extension number and they are looking into that."
