November 19, 1998

NTI salaries shoot up to $5.2 million for 1999-2000

NTI officials will pay themselves and their staff a million dollars more next year than they paid themselves in 1997-98.

Nunatsiaq News

CAMBRIDGE BAY — The executive members of Nunavut Tunngavik's boad have proposed a budget of $20.6 million to cover the operation expenses of NTI and the regional Inuit associations in 1999-2000.

The funding request would allot $10.3 million for Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI), $3.5 million for the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, $2.7 for the Kitikmeot Inuit Association and $2.3 million for the Kivalliq Inuit Association.

An amount of $1.8 million would be reserved for NTI's special regional economic development fund. The whole amount is to be borrowed from Nunavut Trust, which declared revenue of $26.2 million from investments in 1997.

The proposed $10.3 million budget for NTI assumes that the Inuit birthright corporation has a total of 55 staff positions in Iqaluit and at its regional offices in Cambridge Bay and Rankin Inlet, as well as a small office in Ottawa.

Proposed spending on salaries and benefits in 1999-2000 would total $5.2 million – about $1 million more than was spent in fiscal year 1997-98, and more than $250,000 than is budgeted for 1998-99.

Under the plan presented to delegates at NTI's annual general meeting this week, total travel expenses for all departments of the birthright corporation would rise by $100,000 in 1999-2000 to close to $1.7 million.

Other administration expenses in the proposed budget break down as follows:

• $115,000 in advertising;
• $94,900 in bank charges, insurance and equipment rental;
• $102,575 in printing expenses, which includes $40,000 for production of the annual report;
• $39,200 for postage;
• $200,000 for Nipisi Magazine;
• $752,000 in rent and utilities;
• $160,000 in telephone expenses;
• $500,000 in contracted professional services, such as advisors, consultants and outside legal counsel;
• $125,000 in relocation expenses.

NTI also requested $675,562 in funding for the Nunavut Social Development Council and an amount of $246,773 for the Inuit Heritage Trust.

NTI's total assets at the end of the 1997-98 were $28.3 million, compared to $15.7 million last year, thanks to a much larger payout from Nunavut Trust.

Audited statements show that NTI increased its operating deficit to $62,700 as of March 31, 1998, from $58,000 in 1997.

The entire annual report will be posted on Nunavut Tunngavik's internet website at http://www.tunngavik.com.