news Dreams of Nunavut's birth gradually overcoming harsh realities of governing

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Dreams of Nunavut's birth gradually overcoming harsh realities of governing


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By Bob Weber, The Canadian Press

IQALUIT, Nunavut - Dreams seemed so real the night of April 1, 1999, when the new eastern Arctic territory of Nunavut was officially carved out of the old Northwest Territories.
Inuit from across the vast and frozen land gathered in the new capital of Iqaluit for games, performances and feasts to celebrate the new government that was to finally reflect their concerns and culture. Sled dogs chained up on the sea ice of Frobisher Bay howled as fireworks exploded over their heads, while dozens of reporters from around the world filed stories on Canada's bold experiment.
"You are the closest people on earth to the North Star," Romeo LeBlanc, who was governor general at the time, told citizens of the new territory.
"Tonight, when Canadians look up to the North Star, we will remember your long history of courage, compassion and endurance."
But looking back, those who helped create Nunavut knew those dreams created expectations that would soon come crashing up against a reality as harsh as January in Igloolik.
"I was in a celebrating mood myself, but at the same time I was a little bit worried about what the future would be," said John Amagoalik who, as one of the negotiators of the Nunavut land claim, is often referred to as the Father of Nunavut.
"There were a lot of expectations. There was frustration and disappointment."
Too many people felt the new government would immediately bring jobs and prosperity as quickly as the greening of the tundra after the melting of winter's snow.
Housing would be comfortable and plentiful. Government jobs would be available to all. Inuktitut would be the territory's working language.
It didn't work out that way.
"The deep-rooted problems we had back then are still here and in many cases even worse," says Amagoalik.
Tagak Curley, one of the first to push for the creation of Nunavut and now health minister in the territorial government, acknowledges that there simply weren't enough qualified Inuit to run the place.
"There was a lot of expectation that you could get employed without much experience. Too early, there was a lack of experience."
Even today, barely half the civil service is Inuit - far lower than the 85 per cent that would match the Inuit portion of the population.
Many positions simply remain unfilled. In the crucial Health and Social Services Department, 41 per cent of available jobs lie vacant.
And the vision of a government that somehow reflected Inuit ways has given way to just another southern-style administration not that much different from anywhere else, says political scientist Graham White from the University of Toronto.
"The basic structure of the government of Nunavut looks very familiar to anyone acquainted with Canadian government organization at the national, provincial and territorial levels," he wrote in a paper.
As well, high expectations and lack of a strong private sector have created a government-oriented culture in Nunavut, White says.
"People look to government for solutions to a much greater extent than they do in other parts of Canada. I do wonder if you don't get into a cycle of automatically looking to government and not exploiting the possibilities of the private sector that is there."
Still, the government of Nunavut is gradually shifting out of survival mode.
"People were saying (Nunavut) is not making a difference, that things haven't changed," says Amagoalik. "But after 10 years now, people are much more competent and comfortable."
Inuit culture is also percolating in, says Curley.
"The system may be the same, but the policies will always include the fact that we need to have a relationship with the elders. Their values must be honoured."
Things take a long time to develop in Nunavut, Curley says. The new language legislation that ensures people can receive services in their native tongue, for example, took four years of consultation with far-flung communities where residents speak a variety of different dialects.
"Ten years is not a long time," he says. "Ten years is like yesterday.
"Mistakes were made, but we will build something yet."