Iqaluit (Sep 11/06) - Ernie Pitseolak is on the move again, something he has become used to in his young life.

The 18-year-old suffers from Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and has spent most of his life in facilities in Nunavut, mostly in the children's group home in Iqaluit.

Ernie Pitseolak shares one of man hugs he received last week. The 18-year-old was a resident of the children's group home in Iqaluit. He is now being moved to Calgary. - Chris Windeyer/NNSL photo Placement resources in Nunavut: Handicapped children - 14 Adult handicapped - 16 Senior/palliative - 24 Mental health - 13 Long-term Care - 20 Child behaviour treatment - 0 Social Services personnel available to deliver programs - 46 - Source: Department of Health and Social Services

Twice he was adopted and moved south, and twice he was returned to sender: the Government of Nunavut.

Now, instead of the people he has grown used to, he faces life in Calgary. On Sept. 6, Pitseolak was sent to Alberta.

"We've known Ernie for eight or nine years. He was in Grade 3 with one of my kids. They brought him home and he adopted us," said Jo-Anne Falkiner.

Falkiner has three boys - ages 16, 14 and 12 - and Ernie was like part of the family for them.

"I think we were important to Ernie. I think he liked being a part of the family. He'd play with the dog, sleep-over occasionally, play Playstation," said Falkiner.

Pitseolak also held down a job of sorts. Some days after school, he would head over to Baffin Island Canners (BIC). In other Canadian jurisdictions, inclusion - bringing mentally challenged people into the workplace to teach them life and job skills - is the preferred method of treatment. In Nunavut, it isn't formal, but BIC would have him back.

"We have had kids from the children's group home before, and it worked. It was pretty hard to tell him to do stuff, but it wasn't real hard work. He would go on deliveries and help out," said BIC manager Mark Dubeau.

Pitseolak is shy, and not very talkative. He did say that BIC was a good place to be.

"It is good, after school. It's been a couple of years," said Pitseolak.

With "Care closer to home" being the banner of Nunavut's Department of Health and Social Services, one has to ask why a kid like Pitseolak is being shipped to a facility in Calgary.

The department will not comment on individual clients, but Norm Murray - the director of Nunavut social programs - would talk about the crisis his department faces every day. There are too many clients and not enough resources.

Right now there are 37 children and 69 adults receiving special care in southern facilities.

"If they are there, they need something we don't have," said Murray.

But why are youth like Pitseolak in Calgary?

"What should happen is that they roll over to the adult group home, but the longevity of adults is longer than kids. At that point, we look at supported group homes in the south," Murray said.

Falkiner is concerned for Pitseolak's well being.

"What I worry about is that Ernie will just disappear," she said. "The boys tried to teach him about e-mail before he left, but we haven't heard yet."

Murray said he receives monthly reports on all youth clients in the south.

Those clients cost Nunavut between $250 and $280 a day.

If that money was spent to provide more care in Nunavut, it would fit the "Care closer to home" plan. Murray doesn't disagree, but building more spaces for kids isn't something his bosses seem prepared to do.

"We have talked at great length about that. In all cases it is lack of funds. You would be paying twice before you saw any savings," said Murray.

He would like to see Nunavut build a Behaviour Modification Institute for youth. That way, youth with behaviour problems can learn how to deal with them, and they can hopefully develop without the need for further care.

But the Government of Nunavut has different priorities.

"How does Nunavut prioritize the needs of all its people? Our department was mandated by the legislature to build elders' homes, but we crunched the numbers and the numbers didn't justify (additional residences for seniors). We expanded the homes, to make them more multi-purpose," said Murray. "If it comes from the legislature, that's what you do.

"I don't know what they were reacting to (ordering the building of elders' facilities). Trying to explain things to people who aren't in social services is tough."

While he has different priorities than the legislature, Murray feels that his department is still helping the kids.

"We have bumps, wrinkles, and lack some bells and whistles, but we don't have any kids being denied service," said Murray.

Still, Falkiner would dearly like to see Ernie stay closer to home. "When we said goodbye, he was still talking about coming back," she said. "I just don't know, I hope he's OK."