Nunavut report card incomplete, former premier charges

Consultants who were asked to prepare a report card of the Nunavut government's policies and services got paid a lot of money for work they did not complete, former premier Paul Okalik said Tuesday.

Speaking on the first day of the fall legislative session, the Iqaluit West MLA said the territorial government paid North Sky Consulting more than $1 million to conduct the GN Report Card Project, known in Inuktitut as Qanukkanniq? or "What's next?"

The consultants reviewed the government's programs and operations over the10 years since Nunavut became a territory in 1999. Their findings, along with 93 recommendations for improvement, were releasedOct. 1.

No grading system

But Okalik, who was the territory's premier from 1999 until 2008, said the report card was not clear on the government's strengths and weaknesses.

For the amount of money the government paid for the report card, Okalik said there should have been a more comprehensive document, complete with a grading system.

"The government issued a request for proposals, with the terms of reference stating that the report card would have to be like a report card," Okalik said outside the legislative assembly on Tuesday.

"That was not met by the contractor, and a lot of other proponents may have come forward if they knew that those requirements weren't necessary."

Okalik said he is not dismissing North Sky Consulting's work altogether, noting interesting highlights, such as public comments from Nunavummiut.

Shortly after the report card came out,Premier Eva Aariak met with all MLAs to choosewhich of the report's recommendations which included a review of the government's decentralization policy and the creation of a child advocate's officethey wouldtackle first.

Lacklustre start of session

Okalik was one of only a few MLAs who asked questions during the first day of the fall session, which marked the first time members gathered in the legislative assembly since June.

A few statements were given on Tuesday, but not many questions came from non-cabinet MLAs other than Okalik.

Tununiq MLA James Arvaluk blamed the lack ofengagement on flight delays that MLAs who flew in for the session had to endure and, in his case, missing documentation.

"I wanted to ask [questions and make] statements," Arvaluk said outside the assembly. "I'm not quite ready as result of this chaos; the weather [played a role], I think."

Some MLAs say they expect the session to get more lively on Wednesday, as they prepare to deal with the capital budget and other issues.