Taptuna wants Nunavut in carbon-pricing plans
High cost of air travel brought up at First Ministers' Meeting
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Monday, March 14, 2016
IQALUIT
Nunavut must be part of any talks about carbon pricing, Premier Peter Taptuna said in the legislative assembly March 7.
Premier Peter Taptuna confirmed in the legislative assembly his interest for Nunavut to be considered when it comes to a carbon-pricing scheme. - Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo |
"It was quite clear that we made the impact and impression that the North, especially Nunavut, will have to be considered through this working group to have a flexible means of dealing with carbon pricing," said Taptuna, responding to a question from Iqaluit-Niaqunnguu MLA Pat Angnakak about outcomes of the First Ministers' Meeting recently held in Vancouver.
"Again, we are all well aware and all premiers, including the prime minister, are well aware of the delicate situation we face up here."
Taptuna said he wants to make clear to the country's premiers and the prime minister about Nunavut's "very limited capacity, delicate economy and high cost of living."
He stated that the territory's greenhouse gas emissions accounted for 0.1 per cent of the country's total.
"Although we contribute very small amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, we're the most impacted in the world, and I wanted to get that message out to our colleagues and the prime minister," added Taptuna.
Angnakak also asked if Taptuna brought up the territory's need for affordable air travel.
"Another one of the issues that we have discussed in detail in the house is the need for the federal government to do more to support accessibility and affordability of air travel for Nunavummiut, especially in our most remote communities," stated Angnakak. "As has been pointed out on many occasions, this support would help to assert Canadian sovereignty."
Taptuna responded that he brought it up indirectly because the meetings go according to the prime minister's schedule.
"It's very difficult to get direct discussions happening one on one," he stated. "I did again mention, through our discussions at the table, these things that the member has raised, the high cost of living up North, the cost of transportation and the high cost of a regular food basket that other jurisdictions in Canada take for granted."
He went on to say that the country's top politicians fully understand that high cost of air transportation in Nunavut is a barrier to development.
