Candidates sparse in Nunavut

Voters in Cape Dorset and Kimmirut will cast ballots in a Nov. 3 by-election after no candidates came forward to run in the South Baffin constituency during Nunavut's territorial election.

No one filed nomination papers by the deadline of 2 p.m. Sept. 26, forcing Nunavut cabinet ministers to hold a short-notice meeting in Iqaluit this past week to call the by-election.

The deadline for filing declarations of candidacy is today, Oct. 3, at 2:00 p.m.

Declarations of candidacy are available at returning offices in Cape Dorset and Kimmirut, by email at info@elections.nu.ca, or on the web at www.elections.nu.ca.

At dissolution of the legislative assembly, the seat was held by Olayuk Akesuk, the environment minister.

He'd planned not to run again, but told CBC this past week he was considering taking a shot at the seat if no one else would. Calls to his office weren't returned Tuesday.

The situation in South Baffin, however, may be a symptom of a wider problem in Nunavut.

Elections Nunavut released the list of candidates for Nunavut's third general election Sept. 26 – and it's a slim one, with only 46 candidates, down from 82 in 2004.

And two of those candidates, incumbents Tagak Curley of Rankin Inlet North and Keith Peterson of Cambridge Bay, won't have to run a campaign at all, because no one is running against them.

"I am humbled and honoured, and I sincerely thank the people of the Rankin Inlet North riding for the privilege to represent them," Curley said in a news release.

Sandy Kusugak, Nunavut's chief electoral officer said she doesn't think a lack of candidates means a lack of interest.

With such a small population, Nunavut is prone to "statistical anomalies" that lead to large differences in the number of candidates.

"I wouldn't say twice as many candidates means twice as much interest," she said. "It might mean that interest is more focused, or people have given more consideration to the job."

"Personally I wouldn't assume it means any kind of lack of interest in the job as MLA."

Kusugak also said she doesn't think the disqualification of 66 people, candidates from the 2004 election and their financial agents, for violations of the Elections Act, explains the low number of candidates this time around.

And despite fewer candidates there are still plenty of local races that will give political junkies something to chat about.

One of the most closely-watched races is in Iqaluit West, where Paul Okalik, the premier, is taking on Iqaluit's popular mayor, Elisapee Sheutiapik.

Signs for both candidates started popping up around the riding by this past weekend.

Iqaluit's two other seats should be hard-fought. In Iqaluit East, the seat vacated by outgoing education and energy minister Ed Picco, city councillor Glenn Williams takes on businesswoman and former languages commissioner Eva Aariak, as well as 26-year-old Kakki Peter.

Iqaluit Centre pits Hunter Tootoo, who's held the seat since its inception, against Madeline Redfern, executive director of the Qikiqtani Truth Commission; Okalik Eegeesiak, chair of the Inuit Broadcasting Corp., a former president of Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, and a candidate for the Progressive Conservatives in the 1997 federal election; and Joe Sageaktook, a newcomer to territorial politics.

And while there may be no contest in Rankin Inlet North, Rankin Inlet South-Whale Cove is shaping up to be a tight race.

Levinia Brown, who served as Community and Government Services minister in the last government, takes on Rankin Inlet's popular mayor Lorne Kusugak.

In Tununiq, Pond Inlet's riding, incumbent James Arvaluk will take on Simon Merkosak, who took a leave of absence as chairman of the board of Qulliq Energy Corporation this past Monday. Also in that race is Elizirie Peterloosie.