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IQALUIT - In passing a motion to denounce the seal products ban being considered by the European Union, MLAs let loose on the animal rights movement and parliamentarians overseas.

"They've got no problem over there eating calves, sheep, or any other kind of domesticated animal. They've got no problem slaughtering those animals in a much less humane way than seals are harvested," said Minister Hunter Tootoo, MLA for Iqaluit Centre. "I think these people should take a good strong look in the mirror and realize what hypocrites they really are by portraying something like that."

"They want to ban the sealskin not because of lack of food, it's because the seal pups are cute," said Minister Tagak Curley, MLA for Rankin Inlet North. "The European Union is being manipulated by animal rights groups."

South Baffin MLA Fred Schell went a step further to suggest that perhaps the territorial government should boycott liquor products from Europe.

"I think that we should ask ourselves the following question: 'If the European Union won't allow our seal products to be imported into and sold in Europe, why should the GN sell liquor products made in the European Union to Nunavummiut?'" he said.

Tootoo agreed the government should consider sending a stronger message.

"I commend my colleague from South Baffin for his suggestion. You know that old saying, Mr. Speaker, 'What's good for the goose is good for the gander,'" he said. "This is something that our government is working collaboratively with the federal government on and I think that those are steps that as a country we should be looking at doing, that exploitation that's being done to us should not be accepted by us as a nation."

Fuel rebates

Lorne Kusugak, minister of Community and Government Services, announced March 20 that Nunavummiut would start saving 10 cents per litre at the pumps.

The reduction in the price of gasoline was made possible through a pre-purchase program, he said.

"The Department of Community and Government Services' Products Division was able to complete a purchase of fuel at a reduced price through a pre-purchase program," said Kusugak. "The government will continue to monitor the price of fuels and we will review the status of other fuel products once estimates are completed around June."

Keith Peterson, minister of Finance, also indicated that the government was introducing a one-time fuel rebate of $400 for all homeowners across Nunavut.

He said that the previous year, the government purchased a re-supply of fuel when oil prices had soared to almost $150 per barrel, causing an increase in costs to Nunavummiut.

"With the recent drop in prices, the Petroleum Products Division of CGS will be taking advantage of low prices and our government is immediately passing those savings on to homeowners in Nunavut," said Peterson, adding that application forms and procedures were being developed for the rebate.

Put economic agency in Iqaluit: Taptuna

In discussions with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada surrounding the federal government's proposed Northern Economic Development Agency, Peter Taptuna, Nunavut's minister of Economic Development and Transportation, has suggested Iqaluit as the headquarters for the new organization.

"We take this position, Mr. Speaker, because we regard Iqaluit as a gateway to the new North and because we believe that every one of the territories will be better served by having their headquarters for the regional development agency located here in Iqaluit," he said in his minister's statement, March 20.

Taptuna also said he expected the new agency would have the same status as other regional development agencies across the country and would be funded accordingly.