Chris Puglia
Northern News Services

Baker Lake (Aug 06/03) - Premier Paul Okalik gave residents of Baker Lake and Rankin Inlet a reason for celebration last week.

For the past three years the Nunavut Government as been working on decentralizing government jobs to provide equal opportunity to Nunavummiut across the territory.

That process, the premier said, has not been an easy one.

For Rankin Inlet residents it has also been a process clouded with uncertainty and controversy.

The original plan was to move 13 jobs from the government's petroleum products division to Baker Lake from Rankin.

However, negotiations have been ongoing to reduce or halt the move.

On July 31, Okalik not only finalized the process, but left residents in Rankin relieved and gave those in Baker a reason to celebrate.

All 13 PPD jobs in Rankin will remain in the hamlet and 15 jobs, two more than previously committed, will move from Iqaluit to Baker Lake.

"There are always more jobs available out of the capital and always more vacancies in Iqaluit," said Okalik.

The move will headquarter the Nunavut Power Corporation in Baker.

"It's a win, win- situation, people will get jobs in Baker and PPD will keep their jobs in Rankin," said Rankin MLA Manitok Thompson.

Facilitating the announcement was the restructuring of Nunavut's power structure.

Qulliq Energy Corp was formed through the unification of the Nunavut Power Corp and Qulliq Fuel Corp.

That restructuring, Okalik said, has helped offset the cost of the change in the decentralization plans.

"We look at it as an economic benefit, the creation of new jobs generates a lot of additional revenue for the community," said Okalik.

Susan Makpah, director of PPD, said she and her staff will sleep a lot better at night now.

"We all said we wouldn't move if the offices were relocated to Baker Lake," she said.

But, she added, there are not enough jobs in Rankin to accommodate all of the PPD employees if their jobs were relocated.

"It's a sigh of relief," she said.

Rankin Mayor Lorne Kusugak was equally impressed by the announcement.

"I'd like to thank the government for recognizing the needs of our community," he said.

Kusugak's counterpart in Baker Lake, Mayor Joe Niego, was also impressed by the news, as was MLA Glenn McLean.

"I'm very pleased. It means a lot. Every year there are fewer jobs, it was very important to us," said Niego.

McLean commended the government for its hard work in Baker. He said the hamlet has been lucky over the term, receiving a new school, library and now additional work.

"I have nothing left to ask for," said McLean.

Okalik said with decentralization complete, which has meant relocation of 451 jobs across the territory he can move on to other goals.

"It wasn't an easy task. I am done, it's not nice. It's like when I was in law school and my final exam is done," said Okalik.