December 30, 1998

1998: What a year it was

Nunavut's year in review: Disgrace for the GNWT, new hope for Nunavut.

Nunatsiaq News

IQALUIT — One tumultuous year later, and Nunavut residents are only a few months away from the birth of a dream.

It was a year that ended in disgrace for the Government of the Northwest Territories, as former Premier Don Morin resigned over Conflict of Interest Commissioners scathing report into his activities.

But for Nunavut residents, it's a year that ended in hope, as residents prepare to elect Nunavut's first legislative assembly.

As many events of 1998 made clear, the government of Nunavut will have a daunting task: the territorial health and educations systems are deteriorating, while crime, addictions, suicide, homelessness and other social evils show no signs of abatement.

January

Indian Affairs and Northern Development Minister Jane Stewart issues a "statement of reconciliation" on behalf of the federal government. The statement acknowledges the pattern of abuse that many First Nations and Inuit people were subjected to in Canada's residential school system.

The apology draws the praise of many Inuit leaders and is accompanied by $350 million to establish a healing fund for Canadian aboriginal victims of physical and sexual abuse within residential schools.

The GNWT unveils a conservative, no-frills budget for the 1998-99 fiscal year, one that contains modest increases in public financial support for low-income families, but no new money for education or health care, despite a $12 million surplus.

A committee of Baffin region health board officials is struck to decide whether or not to sever its 30-year-old tie with Montreal-area hospitals, and contract services with a group of Ottawa hospitals.

Nunavut's interim commissioner unveils his long-awaited implementation plan, setting forth the framework for the new territory's first administration, including a unique single-court justice system.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare proclaims solidarity with Inuit subsistence hunters, vowing to focus its worldwide anti-sealing campaign on the commercial hunting of marine mammals.

February

Hay River MLA Jane Groenewegen files a formal conflict-of-interest complaint against Premier Don Morin, alleging that Morin's relationship with Yellowknife businessmen Roland Bailey and Mike Mrjdenovich constitutes a violation of the spirit and intent of section 67 of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act.

The Act states that MLAs must maintain public confidence and trust in their integrity and impartiality, and that they must not accept any remuneration, gift or benefit that could erode such public confidence.

Keewatin region mayors look at the Keewatin Pilot Project, a controversial plan that would see hundreds of millions of dollars transferred directly to a regional communities' association for spending on local infrastructure such as schools and health centres.

Critics of the pilot project denounce the plan as contrary to the Footprints II model for government structure in Nunavut.

The federal government announces it will spend $30 million to build new docks and breakwater facilities in several Nunavik communities, drawing the ire of erstwhile Makivik Corp. leader Zebedee Nungak, who claims that this is a much scaled-down version of an anticipated $80 million marine infrastructure program.

Anglican lay minister Akeeshoo Joamie shocks Iqaluit residents by appearing in court on charges that he committed repeated sexual assaults over a period of nearly two decades. The septuagenarian and his wife operated an open custody home for young offenders until 1995.

Nunavik Inuit appear before the Supreme Court of Canada to argue their case against the legality of a possible unilateral declaration of independence by the separatist Government of Quebec. In a submission to the Court, Makivik Corp. lawyers claim a constitutional right to choose whether or not to join a future independent Quebec.

March

The longest drug-crime investigation in NWT history ends spectacularly in Iqaluit, as RCMP round up nearly 30 suspected dope peddlers in a pre-dawn sweep of private homes and businesses, including The Snack Restaurant.

Simultaneous arrests in connection with the investigation are made in Quebec, Montreal, B.C. and Pangnirtung. By the time it's all over, 27 people face conspiracy charges related to the operations of what authorities describe as a "significant drug distribution network" operating in the Baffin for several years.

A 25-year-old woman from Pangnirtung is flown to Ottawa for emergency medical attention after being doused with fuel and set on fire by a male assailant. Twenty-nine year-old Gary Kuniluisie is later arrested and charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault by members of the RCMP.

Addictions counsellor, community activist and part-time actor Joanasie Salamonie dies in Cape Dorset after a long illness at the age of 60, giving friends, family and colleagues pause to celebrate this man's remarkable, and joy-filled life.

Six-year-old Leah Tikivik is killed and eaten by a pack of sled dogs on the sea ice near Iqaluit, 100 metres from the shoreline. Her death prompts calls for a tougher animal-control bylaw and better child-safety education.

31-year-old Steven Ayalik of Kugluktuk uses a .12-gauge shotgun to kill three of his five children, aged 4 to 13, before turning the gun on himself, following an all-night drinking binge.

April:

Nunavik Inuit announce that they are close to a deal on self-government with the Quebec government. Premier Lucien Bouchard, Indian Affairs Minister Jane Stewart and the Makivik Corporation prepare to sign a Nunavik accord agreement to establish the first-ever Nunavik Commission, with the mandate to design a new more powerful territorial government for those residents of the 15 communities along the Hudson Bay and Ungava coasts.

Fred Coman, northern entrepreneur extraordinaire, art dealer and proud community benefactor, dies of brain cancer at age 64. Hundreds of Iqaluit residents pack St. Jude's Cathedral to pay their final respects.

Martha Flaherty, president and director of Canada's national Inuit women's organization, is fired for habitually using Pauktuutit Association funds to cover her personal debts.

Canadian parliamentarians pass Bill C-39 in the House of Commons, paving the way for the new territory's first Legislative Assembly election on February 15, 1999.

May

Nunasi Corporation and the Inuvialuit Development Corporation announce plans to buy Canadian Airline's northern operations through their joint-venture holding company Norterra Inc. This would create the second Inuit-owned airline in the NWT.

Norterra promises consumers that it will look closely at the possibility of bringing north-south jet service to the Baffin region in direct competition with First Air. First Air chairman Pita Aatami personally intervenes in the vain hope of persuading Nunavut Inuit to abandon the planned purchase.

RCMP and Canada Post team up to celebrate the Mounties' 125th anniversary by re-enacting a part of postal history in the North: Cpl. Dave Bishop, Cst. Rob James and former special constable Sanday Akavak set out for Kimmirut from Iqaluit on snowmobiles, mailbags in tow.

A drunken fistfight in Kuujjuaraapik leads to the death 55-year-old Sidney Bullfrog, a Cree man who became embroiled in a dispute over cab fare with a 29-year-old Inuk after a night of heavy drinking at the local Qilaugaq Resto-Pub bar.

Municipal Affairs Minister Manitok Thompson shelves the GNWT's proposed Keewatin Pilot Project after mounting opposition in Nunavut and in the Legislative Assembly.

Thompson says it will be up to the first Nunavut government to decide the fate of the pilot project. The proposed Keewatin Communities Association would have the authority — and the money to plan and develop infrastructure in all the hamlets of the Keewatin region.

June

Nunavut Arctic College suddenly cancels five federally funded training programs, including pre-nursing and legal studies courses, leaving outraged students feeling betrayed. Many of them had moved to Iqaluit expressly for the education opportunities and now won't be able to finish the programs they started.

It is revealed that $69,000 in federal money earmarked for Nunavut Arctic College's legal-studies program was applied to the college's deficit instead. The Nunavut Bar Association, which lobbied for the federal contribution, argues the money should have been used to ensure that students are able to complete their certification requirements.

Baffin drug-ring suspects Adam Pitts, 24, is found guilty and sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison for his part in conspiring to traffic in illegal narcotics, including marijuana and cocaine.

Provisions for media coverage of the 1998 bowhead whale hunt are included in the hunt committee's final plan, presented for approval to the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, despite previous suggestions that reporters be kept away from the kill site.

July

Fearful of promoting an outbreak of the respiratory illness RSV, Rankin Inlet bans all children under the age of five from a weekend-long Christian evangelical extravaganza. Mayor John Hickes tells parents not to bring young children to the popular Benny Hinn religious revival, saying that the warmth from the crowd would provide an excellent incubator for the respiratory syncital virus.

Falconbridge Inc. celebrates the opening of its Raglan mine in Nunavik by bringing 250 visitors to the site at Kattiniq. Father Dion, a Catholic priest from nearby Kangiqsujuaq, prays for the nickel mine's success.

Eight circumpolar countries begin discussions around the idea of establishing a transnational university of the Arctic, a place where a multiplicity of aboriginal knowledge and customs would co-exist with Western learning traditions.

Rescue workers call off their search for Mark Seltzer and Marilyn Chan, a Toronto couple whose kayaks capsized in rough waters between Pond Inlet and Bylot Island.

Speaking at the eighth annual Inuit Circumpolar Affairs Conference in Nuuk, Greenland's premier, Jonathan Motzfeldt, implores Inuit to overcome their fear of losing local dialects and calls for the creation of a common writing system to preserve and promote the Inuit language.

August

Volunteer rescue workers pluck lone Australian hiker Simon Marsden from the Soper River Valley after he is "stalked" for three hours by a mother polar bear and two of her cubs. During the ordeal, Marsden briefly entertains the thought of killing himself by swallowing a bottle of painkillers and white gas from his campstove to blot out the horror of being mauled. Lucky for him, the bears had been gorging on berries and were not serious about the hunt.

Conflict-of-interest commissioner Anne Crawford gives the green light to a public inquiry into allegations that NWT Premier Don Morin violated the spirit and intent of section 67 of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act. The hearing is set to begin Oct. 13.

Three boys aged 12 and 13 burn down the Killinik High School in Cambridge Bay after breaking into a storage room and setting fire to campstove fuel stored there. The loss is valued at $7 million.

Nav Canada announces it will delay implementation of new air navigation fees expected to suck at least $7.5 million out of northerners' pockets.

46-year-old Tommy Aculiak is found guilty in Inujuak of sexually molesting a two-year old baby girl.

September

Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. and the Department of National Defence end years of negotiations by finally agreeing on the terms and conditions of clean-up work to be carried out at 15 former Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line sites.

The 10-year deal sets out how demolition and landfilling of the old radar stations will be carried out, how to proceed with the removal of hazardous materials and the conditions under which contaminated soils must be excavated and transported to the South for disposal.

All charges are stayed against accused dope dealer Jay Wisintainer when it is revealed in court that police illegally seized and searched private and confidential documents related to his defense. In rendering his decision, Justice Michel Monnin admonishes the RCMP and Crown prosecutor Brad Allison for failing to protect Wisintainer's legal rights. Wisintainer goes free.

Nuyalea Kipanik, also charged with conspiring to sell drugs, isn't so lucky, though he does plead guilty in order to cut a deal with the Crown. Judge Beverly Brown sentences him to four years in prison, in return for staying related charges against his common-law wife.

Makivik Corp.'s board of directors calls a special meeting in Kuujuuaq to confront president Zebedee Nungak about his recent performance, and in particular, concerns that his drinking may be affecting his health and putting the reputation of the office in jeopardy. When it's over, Nungak resigns, embarking on what he calls a healing journey.

October

Jean Dupuis, chairman of the Nunavik Regional Health Board, calls for stronger action against sexual abusers. "I want to declare war on these perverts," he vows, noting that the youth protection unit is strapped for cash and resources.

Carlos Carneiro, a 41-year-old casual laborer from Iqaluit, is found guilty in NWT Supreme Court of sexually assaulting a nine-year old boy. Carnerio befriended the Nakasuk pupil, then on several occasions in January, 1997, lured him to his home, where he had the boy perform oral sex on him and attempted unsuccessfully to penetrate the child anally. The victim is admitted to a youth treatment centre.

Qikiktaaluk Corp. enters into a joint venture to transform seals for market in China, lifting hopes for job creation in the Baffin region.

The Office of the Interim Commissioner releases final staffing plans, announcing that the decentralized Nunavut government intends to employ 1,200 persons. This is about 100 more jobs than originally forecast.

The NWT liquor board shuts down two popular Iqaluit drinking establishments for a week as punishment for overserving customers.

Police testimony and a review of liquor inspection reports in 1998 show that many patrons of the Royal Canadian Legion and the Tulugak Bar are regularly served long after achieving a high degree of intoxication. Legion and bar management say they have redoubled efforts to curb overconsumption of alcohol on their premises.

Nunavik Inuit beneficiaries elect Pita Aatami to lead their birthright corporation into the next millennium, following an election called to find a replacement for former president Zebedee Nungak. Aatami defeats second-place rival Charlie Watt with a 160-vote lead, taking 34 per cent of the vote overall. Aatami vows to use his position to lobby governments for more social housing in Nunavik.

November

The Baffin health board admits that a staffing crisis at Nunavut's largest hospital caused by low pay for nurses has forced the closure of nearly half of its 34 beds.

Recruitment of temporary short-term nurses is now an regular process at the Baffin Regional Hospital, where pay-and-benefits packages have fallen far behind what's offered in other regions of Canada.

Francophones in Iqaluit announce that they are close to a deal for funding with the Department of Canadian Heritage that could see construction of Nunavut's first French school begin as early as the summer of 1999. News of the school project touches off a tirade of bigotry on the Nunanet political discussion forum.

Premier Don Morin resigns in disgrace after a scathing report on his conduct in office is handed down by Conflict of Interest Commissioner Anne Crawford.

Crawford finds that Morin violated the spirit and intent of the conflict-of-interest section in the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act by routinely accepting favors and benefits from friends in the private sector who won lucrative government contracts.

Morin vows to challenge the findings in court, but by resigning he spares fellow MLAs the unpleasant task of removing him from cabinet. In the meantime, the member from Tu Nedhe will continue to sit as an MLA.

Accused drug dealer Claude Caza makes a brief appearance in Territorial Court in Iqaluit, but his legal counsel manages to further delay proceedings by challenging the legality of police wiretap recordings used as evidence in the prosecution's case against him.

December

In a secret ballot vote, MLAs elect Jim Antoine, the former minister of transportation, to serve as NWT premier. Antoine, the member for Nahendeh, vows to work closely with colleagues to restore public trust in the beleaguered GNWT cabinet.

The Parti Québécois MNA for Ungava, Michel Létourneau, is returned to his seat in the National Assembly during Quebec provincial elections.

A First Air flight to Igloolik is cancelled when the pilot aborts takeoff and crashes the plane in the tundra near Iqaluit. Passengers and crew escape the accident with no serious injury, but the Hawker Siddley 748 aircraft sustains heavy damages.

Four young boys playing with gasoline burn down a million-dollar government staff housing project under construction in Iqaluit.

Chief electoral officer David Hamilton signs 19 writs of election for each of Nunavut's electoral districts, and makes public the names of all returning officers. The first Nunavut territorial election will be held on February 15.

The break up of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation (NTPC) seems imminent as negotiators break off talks aimed at reaching a transition agreement between Nunavut and the NWT.

It was hoped the agreement would keep the electric utility in one piece for three years after division, but differences over how to jointly manage the crown corporation and share the utility's corporate dividend prove insurmountable.

The Office of the Interim Commissioner announces that it's ready to talk with other electric companies who can provide service to Nunavut residents after April 1.

The NWT's chief electoral officer, David Hamilton, signs the writs that will officially kick off Nunavut's election campaign on Jan. 1. The deadline for receipt of nominations is 2:00 pm, Jan. 11. The election is to be held Feb. 15.

Nunavut residents last week got their first look at how the Nunavut government will spend its first year's $620 million budget, as Interim Commissioner Jack Anawak unveils a budget "framework" that Nunavut MLAs will look shortly after April 1, 1999.