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IGLULIK
A petition to replace the nurse-in-charge in Iglulik, and a counter-petition to keep her, have circulated in Iglulik in the past few weeks.

Amittuq MLA Louis Tapardjuk tabled a petition in the legislative assembly on March 7 containing signatures of 188 Iglulik residents requesting the community's nurse-in-charge be replaced.

It states, in part: "We need someone who will treat everyone fairly and will come and do their job, for the people."

"Right at the moment, there really is no health board or any other independent organization where the concerns can be heard," Tapardjuk said, noting a proper complaints process needs to be established.

Nunavut phased out the regional health boards after it became a territory in 1999.

"I felt obligated to put that petition at the assembly, which I did. We're just waiting on the government to respond to the petition and see what they have to say about it."

The government has to respond by May 7.

When Janet Airut heard about the petition on March 9, she started her own counter-petition to keep the nurse. As of March 19, it had garnered 72 signatures.

Once she has more than 188 signatures - the current number signed on the petition against the nurse - she will present her counter-petition to Keith Peterson, minister of Health and Social Services.

Airut said the nurse-in-charge has been working for 10 years in the community, and is being picked on unfairly. Iglulik has four nurses.

"I believe they are wrongfully trying to remove the nurse-in-charge by a petition," said Airut. "I believe she is doing the best job she can do as a nurse. I think those others are just trying to be spoiled."

Regarding to the petition to replace the nurse-in-charge, Iglulik Mayor Nicolas Arnatsiaq said it was not put through hamlet council.

"As to who started the petition, it is unknown to me or to council. We weren't aware of the petition," he said.

But Arnatsiaq said concerns related to the quality of care at the health centre have come up.

"Because of the ongoing concerns that were raised at the health centre, something was bound to happen and it turned out it was a petition to get rid of the head nurse," he said. "There were concerns about some patients not getting the appropriate medication and some patients being turned away."

Arnatsiaq did not want to elaborate further on those concerns.

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