Kathleen Lippa
Northern News Services

IQALUIT (Nov 01/04) - Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) directors and executive directors gave themselves a raise during their annual general meeting held in Iqaluit, Oct. 25-29.

Executive directors will now get $350 a day, which is up from the previous $300 a day.

Regular directors will now get $300 a day. The raise is to help cope with the high cost of living, said members.

Higher power subsidy

People in the High Arctic will soon be in total darkness until the spring, and have to have their power on more than other people, so they should be subsidized more, Larry Audlaluk told QIA last week.

"We pay taxes just like everybody. We are Canadian," said Audlaluk who lives in Grise Fiord. "We pay a lot of power bills.

Special considerations should be made for people living in these regions: Grise Fiord, Arctic Bay, Resolute Bay and Pond Inlet."

Too much English

A number of QIA members are complaining people in Nunavut are losing their distinctive, hometown dialects and use too many English words when speaking Inuktitut.

"I don't want to lose my language," said Timut Qamukaq, of Hall Beach. "Kids are using language that is not their dialect. I want the original language in each community."

Piujuq Enoogoo from Arctic Bay said, "It starts at home. You have to constantly teach them." George Qulaut from Iglulik was asked about a book of Inuktitut terminology and a dictionary that was being produced in Iglulik in the 1970s. Qulaut said the project was abandoned due to lack of funding. Qulaut said QIA should be able to respond to what it perceives as an erosion of the language at least in print.

"Do we review syllabics?" he asked.

NTI needs a plane

Loasie Audlakiak asked Paul Kaludjak if Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. ever considered getting its own aircraft.

"We have to travel using our own equipment," he suggested.

Audlakiak was stressing the need for all Inuit organizations to take more control of their equipment. At this time NTI has no plans to get its own aircraft.

Not enough money

QIA members say not enough funds go to search and rescue operations.

Loasie Audlakiak, of Qikiqtarjuaq, insisted on the need for better equipment for search and rescue workers. Larry Audlaluk, of Grise Fiord, said the cost of getting equipment delivered to the High Arctic should not keep getting used as an excuse for why Inuit do not have the proper equipment they need to save lives.

Low flying planes

QIA directors heard complaints this week about low flying planes over Iglulik and how such activity disrupts the wildlife and people living below. The planes in question were doing mineral exploration.

QIA directors suggested writing letters to the exploration companies to explain the impact of their actions.

Inuk takes the reins

After five years, Brian McLeod, chief executive officer and president of Kakivak Association, has moved on to a new job and made sure he was replaced by an Inuk.

"It was my commitment when I took the job. It was the same when I was at NTI," he said on the phone from his new job at the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation. "Planned obsolescence I guess."

The group's new leader is Leonie Qaumariaq.