Winter 2002

Dear Constituents,

The past year has been a year of turmoil and change, and even Iqaluit was not spared. On the brighter side of things Iqaluit was recognized as a City – the first in our new territory of Nunavut – while on the darker side, labour disputes at the municipal offices made for hard feelings, poor road conditions and garbage in the streets.

Our community is growing at a phenomenal rate bringing the challenge of delivering, municipal services in a fair and even manner and ensuring that proper town planning for waste disposal, use of open spaces, road construction, etc. is undertaken. My colleagues, the Hon. Paul Okalik and the Hon. Hunter Tootoo, and I are engaged in ongoing dialogue with the City Council in these matters.

A step in the right direction would be for the City Council, whom I have met with several times on this matter, to formally accept and endorse the “Nunavut Capital Commission” report which I tabled in the Legislative Assembly last spring. The report outlines possible development opportunities, green spaces, play grounds and a capital reserve area that extends from the midway point of the Apex Road to be Bill MacKenzie Drive, and encompasses both the historic Hudson’s Bay Company buildings as well as the lower Apex trail area. The Upper Apex Road area would also be the proposed site for the new Legislative Assembly building, expected to be built sometime in the near future.

I also joined City Mayor, John Matthews, Senior Administrative Officer Rick Butler, and our Member of Parliament, Nancy Karetek-Lindell, in Ottawa to lobby the Federal Government for extra incremental infrastructure support for our community. The meetings went well and we expect some positive developments as a result of the trip.

On the Legislative scene, your Government introduced several new pieces of legislation, some of which are highlighted later in this newsletter, and they announced good news in the form of reduced gas prices and lower home heating fuel prices, both of which will leave more money in your pocket.

I welcome your advice, invite you to share your vision, and ask for your continuing support in the coming year. My constituency office is located in the Nunanet building (Building 1057-3) across from The Navigator Inn. If we can be of assistance to you please give Onga Henderson, my constituency assistant, or myself a call at (867) 979-3954. My complete contact information appears on the last page of this newsletter.