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IQALUIT - Iqaluit West MLA Paul Okalik is not making any apologies for remarks which members have seen as racially charged and undermining the spirit of co-operation.

During the sitting on March 18, Okalik suggested that Arviat MLA Daniel Shewchuk was incapable of representing Nunavut's interests as environment minister because he was not Inuk.

Former premier amnd Iqaluit West MLA Paul Okalik is making no apologies for remarks members have seen as racially charged. - NNSL file photo

"Today, I look across the floor and see for the first time in our young government that once again a non-Inuk minister is making very important decisions for us on the most basic of our necessities in managing wildlife," said the former premier through an interpreter. "If what we are witnessing today is an indication of what is to come, we will be sorely disappointed and the Inuit agenda that we fought so long and hard for will be lost as we are returning to the days of non-Inuit making Inuit decisions."

Last Friday, South Baffin MLA Fred Schell said racism in the legislature, as in the territory, should not be endorsed.

"I believe that we need to come together and firmly reject any notion that racism or intolerance is acceptable in this house or this territory," he said. "We have wasted enough of our time and our constituents' time with petty posturing and personal agendas."

Schell went on to say that any member who wasn't interested in working co-operatively toward a better future should resign. "I will be frank: any one of us who has a different agenda should simply do the honourable thing – resign and let the rest of us do the job that our constituents sent us here to do."

Last week, premier Eva Aariak said simply that race should not be a factor.

"We are a public government representing and represented by all Nunavummiut, regardless of race," she told Nunavut News/North. Okalik had also attacked Quttiktuq MLA Ron Elliott, who had remarked earlier that Nunavummiut were looking for change when electing the current government.

"To begin, he won by nine votes," said Okalik in Inuktitut. "I am not sure if I were in his shoes I would be enjoying the type of change that he represents of this government and he is boasting about it."

The following Friday, minister Hunter Tootoo, MLA for Iqaluit Centre, apologized to Shewchuk's and Elliott's constituents, and to all Nunavummiut, for Okalik's remarks.

"I apologize in particular to the residents of Quttiktuq and the residents of Arviat for comments that were made here in these chambers this past week," he said in his member's statement. "I want to assure them that the views expressed here in the house are not the views of all Iqalummiut and I apologize to them for that on behalf of Iqalummiut."

Other members, including James Arvaluk, MLA for Tununiq, Adamee Komoartok, MLA for Pangnirtung, and John Ningark, MLA for Akulliq, emphasized the importance of cooperation and consensus amongst the membership.

"We cannot afford the luxury of putting politics above progress," said Arvaluk. "We cannot let our constituents down by emphasizing matters of personality above issues of substance. We should not seek confrontation when we have the opportunity to achieve consensus."

Despite the members' response, Okalik said he would "never apologize for trying to do what is best for my fellow Inuit."

Last week, he maintained that his criticisms had nothing to do with race.

"It's not a matter of race. It's a matter of credibility for our government," he said. "I want the best for our territory and the strongest government to face the challenges we're seeing today."