MP denies seeking apology
Rankin deputy mayor says SAO told him Aglukkaq wanted letter praising Nutrition North
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Published Monday, December 1, 2014
RANKIN INLET/KANGIQLINIQ
Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq is denying she demanded an apology from Rankin Inlet's deputy mayor for saying elders in the community were scavenging food from the dump.
Sam Tutanuak appeared in a documentary Nov. 21 aired by Aboriginal People's Television Network depicting elders in Rankin Inlet scavenging at the local dump for food items thrown out by the Northern store. During the 30-minute broadcast, Tutanuak said the federal government's Nutrition North subsidy program was not working.
A few days later Tutanuak said he was contacted by Rankin senior administrative officer (SAO) Tom Ng, asking him to meet at the SAO's office.
Tutanuak said Ng told him he had received a phone call from Aglukkaq and that she was upset by comments he had made on the food situation in Rankin.
"I was stunned when the SAO (Ng) told me she (Aglukkaq) was demanding an apology for what I had said," said Tutanuak.
"Then he said she also wanted a letter from the hamlet stating that Nutrition North was working. The rest of the conversation is a little blurry because that just floored me.
"All I could think or say was that I won't apologize for telling the truth and, as a councillor, will not write any such letter."
Aglukkaq issued a strongly worded statement Nov. 28 denying she had ever asked for an apology from anyone.
"The allegations made against me by the deputy mayor of Rankin Inlet in an article published by the Aboriginal People's Television Network are completely false and must be corrected," Aglukkaq wrote in the statement.
"I was troubled when I heard reports about families in Rankin Inlet struggling to find food, so I followed up with my constituents to address these concerns.
"I also contacted the SAO in Rankin Inlet to learn more about these concerning reports. At no time did I, or my office, request an apology from anyone at the hamlet.
"The deputy mayor's claims about this conversation are completely false. I am currently reviewing all of my legal options."
Tutanuak said he stands by what he said the SAO said to him.
He said he also stands by his comments on the Nutrition North program.
"I agreed to do the TV bit and I commented on Nutrition North because I was concerned about the people in this community making $30,000 or less a year," said Tutanuak.
"I don't know why the federal government continues to insist Nutrition North is working, when it's obvious it isn't."
Ng declined to discuss what he and Aglukkaq talked about when reached for comment, Nov. 28.
"We had a private telephone conversation," said Ng. "I don't want to go into details."
Hamlet council called an emergency meeting for the morning of Nov. 27, during which, according to Tutanuak, a "gag order" was placed on anyone speaking to the media about the issue.
Rankin Mayor Robert Janes said he needed to get totally up to speed on the issue.
When asked by Nunavut News/North what his SAO's recollection of the conversation he had with Aglukkaq was, the mayor said, "No comment."
"We have an idea of where we're going from here, but we won't make an official comment until we've had time to go over everything properly," said Janes.
"We have a regular meeting of council this coming Tuesday (Dec. 2) and that's the time we officially decide what we're going to do.
"It has to be done by consensus at a regular meeting."
- with files from Michele LeTourneau
