NUNAVUT

While upholding the decision to revoke the outfitter's license of Tom Faess's TT Enterprises, Economic Development and Transportation Minister Peter Taptuna did throw Faess an olive branch in the form of a chance to have his license reinstated in Nunavut.

Tents owned by Tom Faess's TT Enterprises will remain devoid of tourists for the 2011 tourism season in Nunavut. - photo courtesy of Tom Faess

In making his decision on Faess's appeal of having his licence revoked, Taptuna informed the outfitter the steps taken by his officials in regards to the matter were correct and necessary.

The conditions Faess must meet to have his licence reinstated are lengthy, including 12 listed under the heading of conditions related to outfitter operations, five under conditions related to tourist establishments and another two under conditions relating to the capacity to deliver services.

The final category calls for Faess to submit copies of his 2009/10 financial statements and his current bank account statements confirming operating funds.

Taptuna stated once all conditions are met, his department is prepared to process the company's application quickly in order to ensure operation in 2011.

Faess said although he appreciates the opportunity to reinstate his outfitter's licence for 2011, it's already too late for his company to market and put together enough clients to operate this summer.

He said it will take more than a year and thousands of dollars to accumulate the information being asked for.

Faess said he remains mystified as to how Taptuna can conclude his department's action of suspending the licence without notice was somehow appropriate, and how the public was supposedly at risk, since the complaint, as shown to him, was a customer-service matter and not a safety issue.

"The complaint also occurred in the NWT, not Nunavut, thus it was clearly outside the Government of Nunavut's (GN) jurisdiction," said Faess.

"In fact, the process throughout the entire GN investigation of this matter has been flawed and biased, and everyone who looks at the investigation reports thinks the same thing.

"The GN's attempt at plausible deniability regarding its role in all this is missing one important thing - plausibility."

Faess said there were issues left unaddressed in Taptuna's decision.

He said at the top of the list is compensation to the clients who lost their trips and funds due to the GN's action in August 2010.

"There are still some very angry people out there about this, and no doubt there will continue to be a barrage of bad press about Nunavut travel and tourism until this issue is repaired and the clients are appropriately compensated by the GN.

"You can look at the trips-and-tips section of the growing Internet blog by jilted client Lee Mann at his Lee Mann Photography website.

"Although the GN's actions and investigative process has damaged our business, and we lost an entire season's revenue, we are not insolvent.

"We still have strong customer support and plan to reopen our special wildlife tours to Northern Canada in 2012."

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.