North's only senator promises 'extraordinary' effort to hear from Nunavummiut

SenatorDennis Patterson said he wants to make sure the concerns of the Nunavummiutare heard in Ottawa this year.

Currently, Nunavut is the only northern jurisdiction withrepresentation in Canada's Senate, becausethree northern senators resigned in the past year.

Senator Charlie Wattis in the process of resigning his Senate seat.

Watt was outspoken on issues affectingNunavikin Northern Quebec. Last week, hewas elected president of Nunavik'sInuit advocacy group, theMakivikCorportation, andwon't serve in both roles.

The Senate seats in Yukon and the Northwest Territories have been vacant since August and September respectively.

• N.W.T. Senator Nick Sibbeston resigns
• Yukon Senator Daniel Lang retiring from the upper chamber

The Senate exists to give regions and minorities in Canada a voice in Parliament.- Senator Dennis Patterson

ConservativeDennis Patterson says the Senate's special committee on the Arctic will have to be rejigged now that Wattis gone.He was selected to chair the committee.

Patterson said the committee, which met in December for the first time, will continue.

Senator says he will visit 25 communities

Patterson said he plans to put in "extraordinary effort" this year to visit all 25 Nunavut communities to hear from residents.

"I hope to giveNunavummiutvalue for money [on this trip], by making sure their voice is heard in Ottawa," he said.

"The Senate exists to give regions and minorities in Canada a voice in Parliament."

He will begin by visiting the Kitikmeot region of Nunavut on February 9.

According to Patterson, the visits will take up the majority ofhis breaks from Senate for the year.

In addition to the community outreach, he hasalso posted an online survey soNunavummiutcan share their concerns on his website.

Patterson said the idea came to him when he attended a Nunavut Association of Municipalities meeting late last year.

Mayors cite lack of consultation

That's where he heard Nunavut's mayors say theyfelt they hadn't been consulted in upcoming federal decisions, such as marijuana legalization, the new Arctic Policy Framework and carbon pricing.

In regards to marijuana, he said themayors expressed a desire for drug and alcohol treatment facilities. They were also worriedabout work and school attendance, and the effect on youth.

Patterson said othersenators have alsoexpressed concern about the marijuana legislation. He said they have the opportunity to make amendments to legislation and grill the ministers on issues that arise in the region.

He also people are concerned with howcarbon pricing will changethe cost of livingin Nunavut.

"It will make the cost of living higher in an already very high cost of living jurisdiction," he said.

• Provinces have until the end of 2018 to submit carbon price plans: McKenna

"What I'm hearing is Nunavut should be exempted from the carbon price, until the federal government assists Nunavut to develop serious alternate energy sources."