Kent Driscoll
Northern News Services
Monday, March 26, 2007

IQALUIT - David Simailak admitted that the GN is looking at a special one off project to create Inuit accountants.

"We are just starting to look at the possibility of an Akitsiraq law school type of program for accountants," said Simailak.

After that admission, Pond Inlet MLA James Arvaluk asked if there were any plans for a similar program for nurses. The premier stepped in and answered that one.

"When we can find partners for such programs it would be just wonderful like we did with the Akitsiraq program," said Okalik.

Sanikiluaq service

GN employees in Sanikiluaq received their long-time service awards, and the list of recipients is like a who's who of Sanikiluaq.

Sanikiluaq MLA Peter Kattuk rose to congratulate Dora Fraser and Lucy Uppik for 10 years of service, while Lisi Kavik and John Jamieson from the Nuiyak school received awards for 15 years and 20 years of service respectively.

Worst case scenario

Cambridge Bay MLA Keith Peterson painted an ugly picture when questioning Health and social services minister Leona Aglukkaq about ambulance service in the Kitikmeot community .

The Cambridge Bay fire department has decided not to renew their transport contract with the Kitikmeot regional health centre, and Peterson was asking about alternatives.

Peterson asked three questions about ambulance service, and each one was met with a variation on a set theme.

"Those fire departments are under the hamlets and not the department of health," was one response by Aglukkaq.

"The department of health does not directly provide ambulance service in every community," was another similar response to the question.

Finally, Peterson broke out the heavy ammunition.

"If a particular person died because they couldn't be transferred to the health centre in an ambulance or other vehicle in a timely manner... what liability is there for the department of health and social services," asked Peterson, with his final supplemental question.

"If a person requires assistance getting to the health centre, when there are no ambulance services in the hamlet, that assistance is available," said Aglukkaq.

Nukes for Nunavut

Arctic Bay MLA Levi Barnabus wants to know if Minister of Energy Ed Picco is considering a nuclear power plant for Nunavut.

"They (the federal government) are looking for hydro, wind and solar heat. Has he looked into nuclear power as has been suggested? New Brunswick and Ontario are using nuclear energy. Is it also not possible to use that also up here," asked Barnabus.

"In Nunavut, because of some of the issues and the economies of scale, it would be very difficult in having that type of opportunity here," said Picco.

Working overtime

MLAs have been meeting until 8 p.m. every evening and are holding a rare Saturday session.

Bulb ban

Nunavut could be the first jurisdiction in Canada to ban the use of incandescent light bulbs.

Energy Minister Ed Picco hopes to see all GN, federal and public housing units switch over to compact fluorescent light bulbs, cutting Nunavut's greenhouse gas emissions by 1,300 tonnes a year.

Americamiut?

Sanikiluaq MLA Peter Kattuk is ready to show American wildlife officials that polar bears are not endangered, despite what the U.S. Department of the Interior thinks.

The department is preparing to list polar bears as threatened; meaning American sport hunters will not be able to return home with their catch.

"If the American government is worried, they should come over here to see for themselves to see that they are not at risk," said Kattuk.

Bush portrait

Political appointees of the Bush White House should feel at home in at least one cabinet minister's office.

Ed Picco has a portrait of George W. Bush hanging in his office. The portrait was a gift to the Energy minister, and does not indicate any political philosophy.