Nunavut residents making capital choice

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Nunavut leaders don't have to play hot potato with Nunavut's seat of government anymore.

After more than a year's worth of hand-wringing, research and plenty of evasion on the part of Nunavut leaders, Ron Irwin, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND), threw the potato into the laps of the Nunavut residents last month by deciding to let the issue resolve itself in a vote.

But Irwin's decision, made at a September leader's meeting in Rankin, Inlet. NWT, has some people wondering who's controlling the Nunavut agenda.

"I think the minister had pretty well made up his mind long before that meeting in Rankin," said John Amagoalik, Nunavut Implementation Commission (NIC), the body appointed to recommend a process for selecting the capital.

The NIC said that on purely technical grounds, Iqaluit was the best choice for the capital. It also recommended against a plebiscite, saying it would be divisive.

"I certainly have no indication that (Irwin) went up there with (a decision) in mind," said Ken Wyman, executive director of DIAND's Nunavut Secretariat. "The decision was made when he was (in Rankin Inlet)."

Nunavut's MP, Jack Anawak, who is also Irwin's parliamentary secretary, said Nunavut leaders have been pressing Irwin for a decision on the capital selection process for a long time.

"They told him he had to make a decision so he said, 'Okay, I've made a decision. We're going to have a plebiscite," Anawak said. "If you're not going to like the answer, don't bother to ask the question."

Anawk, who is from Iqaluit's capital rival Rankin Inlet, has always supported a vote to decide the issue.

"We don't think Irwin is listening to the Inuit leadership except his parliamentary secretary," said Iqaluit mayor Joe Kunuk.

The vote will likely take place December 11, 1995, to coincide with municipal elections across the NWT.

Canadian citizens, 18 years old or older, who have lived in the Northwest Territories for at least the past year, will be eligible to vote. Iqaluit, population 3,900 and Rankin Inlet, 1,900 will be in the race for sure. As of late October, it was not clear whether Cambridge Bay, 1,200, would also be on the ballot.

Rankin Inlet rests on the western shore of Hudson's Bay, in the geographical centre of Nunavut. Iqaluit, Nunavut's largest community, is located on the southern top of Baffin Island, north of Quebec across Hudson's Strait. Cambridge Bay is above the Arctic Circle in western Nunavut.

The vote will not be legally binding, Anawak said. It's more of an opinion poll. But Irwin said last month he would go to Cabinet with whatever the people of Nunavut decide, Anawak said.

"The Cabinet, I'm sure, is not going to get caught up in the legality that it's only a public opinion poll," Anawak said. "They'll listen to Irwin who, as far as I'm concerned, is a pretty reasonable man."

Baffin residents, who make up 53 per cent of Nunavut's population, will most likely vote for Iqualuit. Keewatin and Kitikmeot residents, who are far removed for Iqaluit, will most likely vote for Rankin Inlet. They make up the remaining 47 per cent of the population. That would make for a tight race.

Local politicians, business people, and other interested parties have been campaigning for their respective communities for more than a year. "The Iqaluit for Capital Committee" got resolutions passed by Montreal and Ottawa city councils to support Iqaluit's bid for capital.

Iqaluit mayor Joe Kunak even played host to the mayors of both cities on a recent weekend visit to Iqaluit, ". . . to put into perspective all the figures and facts we fed them."

Rankin Inlet mayor Keith Sharp said southern support doesn't mean a thing. He said Rankin Inlet hamlet council considered wooing the Winnipeg city council to pass a similar resolution for their community but decided against it.

"It's a northern vote. What difference does Winnipeg make" Ottawa make? Montreal make? It's a northern decision," Sharp said.