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Quttiktuq – Nunavut Election 2017 candidate profiles

It's a crowded field in Quttiktuq with nine candidates on the ballot: Mishak Allurut, David Akeeagok, Kataisee Attagutsiak, Leo Eecherk, Gary Kalluk, Mavis Manik, incumbent Isaac Shooyook, Andrew Kuunak Taqtu and Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley. Eecherk and Manik did not turn in candidate profiles. 

David Akeeagok

Reason for running:

Main point of my campaign is to represent the three communities with my experience to take issues into action.

With travel cost almost impossible for personal travel, and the high cost of freight, our government needs to assist where possible to make this reasonable.

Harvesting opportunities should be explored to shared locally, territorially and abroad. Education is key to our success – need to ensure we are at par with territory.

 

 

 

Mishak Allurut

Reason for running:

To commercialize the country food harvest by establishing a social enterprise administered by the Government of Nunavut, same as they do with fur-pricing program, so that the harvesters can have a venue to earn income and to provide the elders with country food and help the communities with food security and to establish trading of country food to other communities in Nunavut.

To provide a safe boarding home for expectant mothers by establishing a maternity home and to enable local health centres to start training midwifery so they have a choice to stay home.

To streamline training and career development so when students graduate, they can access scholarships and training funds under one department. To reduce high cost of transportation in Quttiktuq by formalizing the High Arctic Transportation Strategy.

 

 

Kataisee Attagutsiak

Reason for running:

What a privilege it was the first time I heard of Nunavut at the age of 17 in 1982 while taking journalism training in Ottawa. A message came from NTI that Nunavut, our land, our people, would be created with the final passage of two bills in the House of Commons in June of 1993, the final Land Claims Agreement.

It was wonderful as my mother sat next to me when we celebrated newest territory of Nunavut on April 1,1999! We not only had pride, but many serious questions, even today for our ancestors and for the future of Inuit and Nunavummiut. From then on I have made sacrifices for my boys and now my grandchildren with the support of my partner and sons to be away from them the majority of the year to be part of Nunavut.

I have only worked for Nunavut and Nunavummiut alone, more so in languages (Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun), Inuit knowledge within education for Inuktitut and access to education for high school, Nunavut Arctic College and in the communities. It was such a privilege to be taught the Inuinnaqtun language by Kuglukturmiut co-workers and elders through my work as a terminologist and language researcher for Government of Nunavut.

I moved back to my childhood community four years ago to be closer to my now 97 year old mother. I got elected as Hamlet of Arctic Bay councillor, chairperson for our DEA, and as a representative for Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women. I am also an Inuit cultural teacher on four cruise ship voyages that became a very important eye opener to hear how Inuit, Nunavut, animals and environment are viewed by people from all over the world. I am so ready to be part of the new government for the people of Nunavut!

 

Gary Kalluk

Reason for running:

I am running for MLA to be the voice of the people of Quttiktuq. Also the youth, they are our future! Future leaders, workforce, and caregivers/takers. But in order for the youth to strive in the future, they need an education, and the dropout rate in Nunavut is highest in the country. I would like to fix that.

A lot of the youth go to school hungry because of high food costs. Nutrition North has little to no effect in our Northern communities. It is very hard to learn and keep focus with empty stomachs.

 

 

 

 

Rachel A. Qitsualik-Tinsley  ᕇᑦᓱ ᐊ. ᕿᑦᓱᐊᓕᒃ−ᑎᓐᔅᓕ
Reason for running:

Land, sea, and sky – these are why I am running. My family roots are in the Quttiktuq riding and I have a duty to give back to the communities of that area. The Quttiktuq people (Arctic Bay, Resolute Bay, Grise Fiord) are the truest expression of the Arctic: proud, independent, with deep connections to their ancestors and traditions.

I have dedicated my life to fighting so that the dignity, beauty, and rights of Inuit are upheld: working with NGOs and government as far back as the 1980s; achieving in academics so that I can see where Inuit stand with the rest of the world; writing in defence of Inuit culture. So my platform is not one of leadership, but of representation – providing a strong, loud, reliable voice for the Quttiktuq people. For many centuries, the Quttiktuq people have thrived in pride and strength, despite colonial aggression.

Access to housing, health, sustainable development, jobs, education, shipping, construction, infrastructure, protection of language and culture, harvesting traditions: the Quttiktuq people already know what they need. They have thrived for so long in one of the roughest parts of the Arctic – they must be doing something right! With the world climate changing, with the potential for heavy traffic in the sensitive area of the Northwest Passage, they must be guaranteed a constant and reliable voice on territorial, even federal, levels. They have the right to more than just basic services. They have the right to defend their values; to have a voice in issues that will affect them; to the Quttiktuq vision of how to balance economic development with cultural and language protection.

The Quttiktuq people have ancestry, vision, knowledge of their own land, sea, and sky. How to protect them. How to prosper by them. I want to give Quttiktuq its strongest voice, ever.

ᓄᓇ, ᑕᕆᐅᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓯᓚ­—ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐱᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓂᕈᐊᒐᒃᓴᐅᔾᔪᑎᒋᕙᒃᑲ. ᓯᕗᓪᓕᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᒃᑲ ᐃᓚᒃᑯᑦ ᖁᑦᑎᒃᑐᕐᒥᐅᑕᐅᖕᒪᑕ ᓂᕈᐊᕐᕕᒃᓴᐅᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓂᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᕋ ᓯᕗᕚᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐅᑎᖅᓯᒪᒋᐊᖃᕋᒃᑯ. ᖁᑦᑎᒃᑐᒥᐅᑕᐃᑦ 1(ᐃᒃᐱᐊᕐᔪᒃ, ᖃᐅᓱᐃᑦᑐᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᐅᓱᐃᑦᑐᖅ1) ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᓯᒪᖕᒪᑕ ᐅᐱᒋᔭᐅᓂᖃᕐᓂᖏᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ. ᐅᐱᓐᓇᖅᖢᑎᒃ, ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᓇᖏᕈᓐᓇᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᕐᒥᓄᑦ ᖃᓂᓐᓂᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᓱᓕ. ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐃᓅᓯᓐᓂ ᓯᕗᒻᒧᐊᖅᓯᒪᒐᒃᑭᑦ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐅᐱᒋᔭᐅᑦᑎᐊᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖏᑦ ᐱᐅᓂᖏᑦ ᐅᐱᓐᓇᕐᓂᖏᓪᓗ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᑦᑎᐊᖅᒪᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊᓗ ᐃᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᒋᔭᐅᔪᒃᓴᐅᔪᑦ ᖁᑦᑎᒃᑐᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᓯᒪᓂᖃᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᐸᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᖓ 1980−ᓂ ᑲᓂᑐᔾᔨᕋᑎᒌᓂ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓂᓗ; ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖅᓯᒪᑎᓪᓗᖓᓗ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᖏᑦ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᓂᖅᓴᐅᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ; ᐃᓄᐃᓪᓗ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᖏᑦ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᑦᑎᐊᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᓂᕈᐊᒐᒃᓴᐅᓂᕋ ᑐᑭᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᑐᐃ11ᓐᓇᐅᙱᓗᓂ ᑭᓯᐊᓂᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᑎᑦᑎᔨᐅᓪᓗᓂ. ᖁᑦᑎᒃᑐᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᓂᐱᖏᑦ ᑐᓴᖅᑕᐅᑦᑎᐊᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᐊᑯᓂᑦ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᓂᒃ ᐊᒥᓲᔪᓂᒃ ᖁᑦᑎᒃᑐᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᐅᐱᓐᓇᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᐅᔪᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓅᑦᑎᐊᖅᓯᒪᓂᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᐳᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓇᓱᒃᑲᓗᐊᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᖅᑕᐅᓇᓱᖕᓂᕐᒧᑦ. ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊᑦ ᓱᓇᖃᕆᐊᓖᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᔭᕇᖅᑐᑦ ᖁᑦᑎᒃᑐᒥ, ᒪᑯᐊ ᐃᒡᓗᖃᖅᑎᑕᐅᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᖅ, ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᕆᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᖅᑕᐅᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᖅ, ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᑕᐅᔪᒃᓴᑦ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᑦᑎᐊᖅᑕᐅᓂᖏᑦ, ᓱᓇᒃᑯᑖᖃᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᖅ, ᐅᖃᐅᓯᓕᕆᓂᐅᑉ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᓕᕆᓂᐅᓪᓗ ᓴᐳᔾᔭᐅᓯᒪᓂᖓ, ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒍᓐᓇᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ. ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᕐᓂᖅᐹᒥ ᐃᓅᔪᓐᓇᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓂᖃᑦᑎᐊᖅᑑᓂᒃᑯᑦ. ᓯᓚᕐᔪᐊᒥ ᓯᓚᐅᑉ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᖓ ᐱᓪᓗᒍ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᕆᐅᖓᑦ ᐊᖅᑯᑎᒋᔭᐅᑐᐃᓐᓇᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖓ ᐱᓪᓗᒍ, ᐊᖏᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓂᖃᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᓂᐱᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᑎᑕᐅᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᑐᓴᖅᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐳᖅᑐᓂᖅᓴᒃᑯᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᕐᔪᐊᓂ. ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐅᓪᓗᑕᒫᖅᓯᐅᑎᑦ ᐅᖓᑖᒍᑦ ᓂᐱᖃᖅᑎᑕᐅᔭᐊᓖᑦ. ᐊᓐᓂᕆᔭᑎᒃ ᐃᓱᒪᔾᔪᓯᕐᒥᖕᓂᒃ ᓴᐳᑎᓇᓱᒍᓐᓇᕆᐊᖃᖅᐳᒍᑦ. ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇᓗ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᑎᑕᐅᓗᑕ. ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᖏᑦᑐᑦ ᓄᑖᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᒃᑕᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᖃᕐᓂᒃᑯᓪᓗ ᐊᑕᐅᑦᑎᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᒃᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᕐᒪᑕ. ᖁᑦᑎᒃᑐᒥᒃ ᐊᒥᒐᕐᓂᖃᙱᑦᑎᐊᕐᒪᑕ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᑦᑕ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᐊᐅᓚᒍᓐᓇᓚᐅᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ, ᓯᕗᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᐃᔨᒋᑦᑎᐊᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᑐᖃᕐᓂᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᕕᒋᓚᐅᖅᑕᒥᖕᓂᒃ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᒃᑯᑦ. ᐃᔨᒋᓂᖃᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓯᒪᑎᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖏᑦ ᓄᓇ, ᓯᓚ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᕆᐅᖅ. ᐅᔾᔨᕆᓯᒪᑦᐊᖅᖢᑎᒡᓗ ᓴᐳᑎᓯᒪᔭᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᖃᓄᕐᓗ ᐱᖁᓂᖅᐹᐅᔪᒃᑯᑦ ᓯᕗᒻᒧᐊᒍᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖏᑎᒍᑦ. ᖁᑦᑎᒃᑐᖅ ᑐᓴᖅᓴᐅᓂᖓ ᑐᓴᖅᑕᐅᑦᑎᐊᖑᖁᕙᕋ, ᑕᐃᒪᕐᖓᓗᒃᑖᓕᒫᑦᑎᐊᒃᑯᑦ.


Issac Shooyook

Incumbent MLA
Arctic Bay
Age: 78
Family status: Father

Reason for running:

I am running because I want the legislative assembly to recognize Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit – slowly we are losing our language and traditional life.

Andrew Kuunak Taqtu
Unemployed
Arctic Bay
Age: 64
Family status: Married

Reason for running:

First of all, the dock needs to be bigger for the community and be maintained. The shortages of teachers in the communities – elementary grades sometimes do not have any teachers. Teaching is so important to our children, and education will always continue. The shipping and handling during sealift – the work is too close to the community. An elders centre needs to be built for the community with care from nurses daily. Duplex houses need to be fixed because they are too much of a fire hazard with only one entrance. They need back doors as a fire exit.