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Legislative Briefs
Better air service

Kent Driscoll
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Nov 27/06) - Levi Barnabas called for the Government of Nunavut to work with the airlines to "improve the availability of affordable, reliable, air service to Nunavut's smaller, under-served communities."

His regular member's motion was endorsed by the entire legislature.

Two MLAs missed the beginning of the legislative sitting. Levinia Brown was absent due to meetings in the Kivalliq, and Tagak Curley was away due to illness.

MLAs were quick to extend their best wishes to Curley for his quick recovery.

Peter Kattuk and David Alagalak also missed the first day at the legislature, but were able to make it for day two.

Keeping cool

Premier Paul Okalik lost his characteristic cool during the Nov. 22 committee of the whole.

After fielding queries about prisons during question period, Okalik had to sit in front of the committee of the whole to explain capital expenditures for the justice department. Keith Peterson asked the premier about an apparent error in a document, which read Iqaluit in one place, and Rankin Inlet in another.

"Yes, we are talking about the same thing, and it is becoming quite frustrating going through this every year. So, whoever is listening who works on these, please get it right next year, I'm getting tired of this exercise," said Okalik.

Although he had two government officials with him, Okalik answered every question the MLAs had himself.

Good news, bad news

The bad news for Minister Leona Aglukkaq was that her Department of Health and Social Services over-spent nearly $4 million last year.

Yet she had some good news to share with the house as well. She stood to congratulate her cousin, Kim, and Kim's husband, Fraser, on the birth of twins, a boy and a girl.

Speaker Peter Kilabuk joined in with his congratulations for the family as well.

Golf, not hockey

Hunter Tootoo usually makes jokes about the hockey skills - or lack thereof - of his cabinet colleagues, and their favourite NHL teams.

In the legislative session that opened last week, he took some time to harangue one of his colleagues for his skill on the golf course.

Ed Picco and Tootoo took part in the Habitat for Humanity fundraising golf tournament in Ottawa in the fall.

"My honourable colleague won a prize for the biggest divot. Unfortunately, we don't dig basements in Nunavut because that divot could have been used as an official ground breaking ceremony," said Tootoo.