Not surprisingly

language or the ability to speak a language has come up in the campaign for president of Nunatsiavut.

Candidate Zippy Nochasak has lodged an objection as to candidate Nathan Obeds eligibility to run based on his Inuktitut speaking abilities.

Nochasak claims that the president of Nunatsiavut should be fluent in Inuktitut. Obed admits his Inuktitut is patchy, but he is taking lessons and does not think that his lack of fluency should be an impediment in him being a good potential leader.

Jack Shiwak the chief electoral officer for Nunatsiavut says that all criteria has been followed in the nomination process. Shiwak adds that if Nochasak wants to protest Obeds eligibility to run for president it would have to be through the courts.

The wording in the Nunatsiavut constitution is ambiguous at best, it says that the president should be able to speak and understand Inuktitut.

No mention of any proficiency. This seems to have been changed from the old LIA constitution where I’m sure it said the president had to be fluent in Inuktitut.
Lesson here is; you gota pay attention and read the fine print.

It’s good that a debate is now taking place on language retention and its importance or not. Sadly the debate should have taken place before people voted on accepting the self government proposal put before them. Politicians in their self serving way blinded many people with rhetoric, lack of information sharing and throwing tax payers money around like drunken sailors.

CBC had good coverage on the story on both radio and TV. People in the street were asked their opinions. It is evident that confusion is there, but others are very adamant and informed, coming down on one side or the other.

One sorry individual said “I don’t thing the president should have to speak that language”. No wonder many INUIT despise the term beneficiary.