Iqaluit (May 05/03) - We need more money -- it's a plea Nunavut's health care, infrastructure and education professionals all seem to be echoing these days.

The latest call came as Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) and the Government of Nunavut announced plans to seek up to $20 million from the federal government to train Inuit for government jobs.

"The implementation of Article 23 was not adequately addressed in the first negotiating period," said Hugh Lloyd, director of aboriginal corporate affairs with the GN.

Article 23 set a target to have 85 per cent of government employees in the territory of Inuit descent.

They're less than half-way there. Right now, 42 per cent GN jobs are held by Inuit while Inuit make up 33 per cent of federal employees in Nunavut.

Lloyd said a deal struck in 1993 allotted $160,000 over 10 years for implementing Article 23.

Richard Paton, chief operating officer with NTI, said funding more in the range of $10 million to $20 million a year is needed to address the barriers to bringing the ratio of Inuit government workers to capacity.

To bolster their case, the GN and NTI commissioned a 300-page report by Pricewaterhouse Coopers to show the impact of not spending money to train Inuit for government jobs.

According to the report, over the next 18 years, if Inuit representation numbers do not change, Inuit will have lost $2.5 billion in wages.

The report also indicates the cost to the federal government could hit $1.3 billion -- in social assistance payments, cost of training of non-Inuit and lost tax revenue.

Paton and Hughes have hopes they can convince the federal government to invest more money in training.

"It's in everybody's best interest," said Lloyd.

Negotiating with the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND) has not yet begun but it is expected those talks should start in the next few weeks.