Thank you Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, for obvious reasons I also will not be supporting the amendment to the motion. Mr. Chairman, there are a number of points I believe that need clarification and background as relates to the
discussion that took place in the committee of the whole on Friday.
Mr. Speaker, for the most part I do not think the real issue is whether Sanikiluaq gets its own seat, whether Whale Cove should remain in the riding of Rankin Inlet or should go with Arviat. Mr. Speaker, I think the issue is the process that was put in place to get to this point. Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday, I agreed with my colleagues that I would accept Option C of the Boundaries Report which indicated that Arviat and Baker Lake would each have their own seat as it pertains to my riding. There are also other changes to the boundaries throughout the Eastern Arctic. Mr. Speaker, when I left that meeting, it was my understanding and my impression, I agreed to Option C and that is what was going to be delivered to this House.
Mr. Speaker, I speak of the process that was used to get to this point, I refer to the fact that it was my understanding after I agreed to Option C that is what was going to be presented. I also indicated to my colleagues that I would not be in the House on Friday, as I would be attending a funeral in Arviat. Due to my work schedule, my plans changed and I did come to the House to be shocked and surprised to find this amendment in front of me indicating that what I agreed to was no longer in place. It was radically changed to have Whale Cove join up with Arviat. Mr. Speaker, that is one issue. To me that is not acceptable.
The other issue, Mr. Chairman, is I could live with the fact that there was an amendment. This is politics and it happens. I do not have to like it. I can tell you very clearly that I did not like it and I still do not, but I will live with it. The other issue, Mr. Speaker, that compounded this decision was when I brought forward in this Chamber on Friday a request to delay, just to delay the vote on this issue until the people of Whale Cove and my community of Arviat were properly, honestly and openly consulted. Mr. Speaker it is one thing for my colleagues, some of the Ordinary Members to abstain from a vote, I can understand that. Mr. Speaker, I have great difficulty when I see some Members of this Cabinet vote against allowing a delay in this issue so that consultation could take place in both communities. Mr. Speaker, we hear for the last two years from the Premier and other Ministers about openness, about consultation, about empowerment and so on and so forth.
Mr. Speaker, this flies directly in the face of what is being preached. I think the people of Arviat and Baker Lake, Rankin, Whale Cove, they should all be given their democratic right to be heard, to be consulted, especially when it is in reference to major changes to their area. Mr. Speaker, I speak for my home community of Arviat. Their wish as it was very clearly pointed out in discussions during the Boundaries Commission tour that they felt due to their size and their rapid growth they should have their own seat as should Baker. Mr. Speaker, we have, as most people in the south know, severe unemployment problems in my community. There is not a whole lot to go around. To me, to put another community with similar problems to join that up with my home community of Arviat, I think is somewhat unfair. Not only unfair to Arviat but also unfair to the other community, Whale Cove.
Mr. Speaker, to me that would be like having ten kids, no job, no money, little food and somebody saying, "Here, here is ten more" when it is very possible that somebody else, another neighbouring community could accept this community as part of their riding such as Rankin, where things are somewhat more positive and booming with the possibilities of the mining industry going to, I think, beyond the verge of exploding which, therefore, would provide opportunities for jobs and a better quality of life for all concerned. Mr. Speaker, we do not have that in my home community. We are struggling to get by and out of nowhere this amendment comes in to here, also take this community and not only that, take it but we are not going to consult with you nor with Whale Cove. Think about it. Is that fair? Is that what this government is all about? Is this a sign of what is going to happen with the upcoming division? While Members of this House sit around and listen to me speak to this issue and refrain from voting or vote against it as some Members of Cabinet did. That is shocking. Unacceptable, Mr. Arlooktoo. Democracy in its worst shape.
What happened here last week, Mr. Chairman, was to me a betrayal. I vote to accept Option C. Option C which would give a seat to Arviat and Baker Lake and to leave that room two days later and have an amendment in there that I was not consulted on, nor was my community, nor the community of Whale Cove. Who is speaking for Whale Cove? That is a good question. Where is their voice? I should not be here speaking for Whale Cove. Mr. Chairman, I have spoken to a number of people in Whale Cove on the weekend. I had numerous calls. I spoke to the Mayor of Whale Cove, the Mayor of Arviat, and a number of constituents. To say the least, they are not pleased with what transpired here on Friday. Mr. Chairman, they are asking for consultation. They are asking to be heard. The Mayor of Arviat made it very clear in his letter that I tabled a few minutes ago in this House, that stated they will not accept the amendment to this motion. Furthermore, in a letter that came from the Mayor of Whale Cove and from a number of conversations I have had with him and his counsellors over the last few days, they have stated very clearly that they have not been consulted. I will say that again. They have not been consulted. They have indicated to me that for the past four or five months, even more so in the last three months, they have been trying to get answers as to why this is being done. Not to have their phone calls returned. That is what was told to me. That is unacceptable.
Mr. Chairman, the letter that came today from the Mayor and council of Whale Cove clearly points out their dissatisfaction with the lack of consultation. They are asking further for a delay in the vote on this amendment until they are properly, honestly and openly consulted. Mr. Chairman, that is not much to ask for. Therefore, I will move that we defer this item until such times as the communities of Arviat and Whale Cove are properly consulted. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.