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IQALUIT - Following the election of Tagak Curley as the eighth member of cabinet Jan. 26, Nunavut's premier, Eva Aariak, reassigned several portfolios in a cabinet shuffle.

Curley received three portfolios that were previously under minister Keith Peterson, including Health and Social Services, Utility Rates Review Council and the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission.

In turn, Peterson kept his portfolio as minister of Finance and was given the Justice portfolio.

Minister Hunter Tootoo retained his Nunavut Housing Corporation and Homelessness portfolios and was given an additional role as the minister responsible for the Qulliq Energy Corporation, previously held by Lorne Kusugak.

His education portfolio was reshuffled to minister Louis Tapardjuk, who holds three other portfolios, including Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, Languages and Aboriginal Affairs.

Tapardjuk, who had been stripped of his Justice portfolio for remarks in an e-mail to staff, was given Education because of his commitment to advancing Inuit culture and language.

"To bring Inuit culture into the education system and to advance Inuit language curriculum development, I have asked Minister Tapardjuk to take on Education," stated the premier. "It is a priority for this government to produce fully bilingual, educated young Inuit."

Tootoo's role as minister responsible for Nunavut Arctic College was transferred to Daniel Shewchuk, minister of Environment and minister of Human Resources.

Premier meets with PM on infrastructure

Premier Aariak said Monday that she had met with prime minister Stephen Harper and his cabinet, including Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq, to discuss the 2009-2010 federal budget and suggest priorities for infrastructure investment in Nunavut.

Nunavut has an infrastructure deficit that is being addressed through the government's capital plan as well as through federal funding, including the Building Canada Fund and Northern Housing Trust, Aariak added.

In the budget announcement Tuesday, the federal government specifically pledged up to $217 million to accelerate construction of a harbour in Pangnirtung.

Options to hedging policy to lower fuel costs

Minister of Finance Keith Peterson said the government is looking at a couple of options to buy fuel at a lower cost.

During Monday's question period, Paul Okalik, MLA for Iqaluit West, asked the minister whether he had planned to use the hedging policy to purchase fuel for the territory at a lower cost.

Peterson said that in the previous year, the government ended up buying fuel at the highest possible price, about $130 to $140 a barrel. He said there were "no immediate plans to use the hedging policy this year."

"Our advisors who monitor fuel prices are indicating long-term that they don't see fuel increasing much past $50 per barrel," said Peterson.

Toll-free elder's line

Louis Tapardjuk, minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, announced the launch of an elder support line.

The toll-free line will provide elders with "advice and support in dealing with personal safety issues they are facing on a daily basis," he said through an interpreter. "For elders concerned about their physical and emotional wellbeing and who would like to talk to someone, this toll-free phone line will be available for peer-to-peer counselling in Inuktitut."