Derek Neary
Northern News Services
Monday, May 07, 2007

NUNAVUT - The Nunavut Association of Municipalities has again served notice that it wants a share of resource revenues through a future territorial devolution deal with the federal government.

In an open letter to Premier Paul Okalik issued on May 2, Nunavut Association of Municipalities (NAM) president Elisapee Sheutiapik chides the Government of Nunavut for failing to respond to a proposal NAM submitted nine months ago.

"It's frustration just because of a lack of co-operation," Sheutiapik said in an interview with Nunavut News/North on May 3.

The association holds its annual general meeting in Iqaluit this week. Okalik is expected to address the assembled municipal leaders on Thursday morning. Other ministers are also on the agenda throughout the week.

When approached by Nunavut News/North on May 2, Okalik said he hadn't yet had time to review NAM's letter and therefore declined to comment on it. He said to call him at his office the following day, but a message from Nunavut News/North was not returned by deadline.

The communities are asking the governments for a designated revenue stream from mines in particular because they bring more people to communities, creating an additional strain on services such as water and sewage, Sheutiapik said. Lynda Gunn, NAM's chief executive officer, added that extensions of runways and training facilities are other needs.

"The credibility of Nunavut governments at the territorial and community levels declines in the eyes of the federal government and the mineral industry with every day of inaction," the letter from NAM to Okalik reads in part. "But most importantly the credibility of the governments declines in the eyes of the people of Nunavut as they see that there is no planning and preparation for the future of their communities."

Although impact benefit agreements are signed between mines and regional Inuit associations, those pacts do not include hamlets, Sheutiapik said.

She added that she's eager to see devolution negotiations get underway as "the longer it takes, the more money we're losing in the territory," she said.

Should Nunavut's city and hamlets be successful in attaining a percentage of resource revenues, that money would be placed in a trust fund to be shared by all, Sheutiapik said.

She acknowledged that some communities have plenty of prospects and industrial activity while others are very limited.

The formula or method for dividing the money among the communities hasn't yet been decided, she said.