Nunavut Premier Joe Savikataaq says if MLAs have problems with cabinet's performance, they can always go to him with their concerns.

Savikataaq's comments came by way of his own letter, in response to a letter from MLAs on Wednesday in which they griped about how ministers were answering their questions in the Legislative Assembly.

"In order for me to carry out my professional duties, I must first be notified of specific concerns pertaining to the performance of my colleagues on the executive council," Savikataaq wrote in his letter, which he tabled in the legislature Thursday.

"Until such time that specific issues are brought to my attention, I am unable to carry out my responsibility in ensuring corrective measures are instituted."

While tabling the letter, Savikataaq emphasized his open door policy.

MLAs more engaged

The MLAs' letter, which warned censure and even non-confidence motions for certain ministers if they didn't improve how they respond to questions, is a first in Nunavut's legislature. This assembly, however, has already seen MLAs rally to censure the government, and oust a premier by way of a non-confidence motion — another Nunavut first.

Regular caucus chair John Main emphasized in an interview with CBC News that MLAs are the ones who pick who gets to be a minister.

Earlier this week MLAs griped about how ministers were answering their questions in the Legislative Assembly. (Jane Sponagle/CBC)

Asked what makes this group of MLAs different from past assemblies, Savikataaq said some of his colleagues are a lot more engaged.

"In their line of questioning, it's getting to very operational stuff and very detailed stuff, and that's when we have trouble getting the exact information that they want," Savikataaq told CBC News.

Sometimes we can't tell the whole story. - Premier Joe Savikataaq

The premier went on to defend his cabinet, saying, "we also have to be cognizant of privacy issues, or issues that we can't let the public know yet, that we're working on. So sometimes we can't tell the whole story.

"We get good briefings from our departments, and we get thorough briefings. But there's times where we can't tell the whole story until it's worked out."

Premier clarifies 'bureaucrat' comment

Savikataaq also wished to clarify comments he made to CBC News on Wednesday, in which he said MLAs shouldn't expect ministers to know everything, as "that's what bureaucrats are for, and not even one bureaucrat can know everything. "

"I just meant it in a way that [the bureaucrats] are the program experts," Savikataaq told CBC on Thursday.

"A department as big as Community and Government Services, you have your [information technology] expert, you have your infrastructure expert. You have a whole bunch of experts and then all that information gets filtered up to the minister. And some ministers have multiple portfolios.

"So just to clarify that if [the MLAs] want detailed information, we need a heads up so we can get that fine detail, because as ministers, we work on the upper level and the government workers are where they do the operational stuff."