Peterson pushes for cabinet post

Keith Peterson, the newly elected MLA for Cambridge Bay hasn’t taken his seat in the legislative assembly, but he already has a clear idea of what he’d like to achieve and how and where he’ll do it.

Becoming either minister of finance, or community government and transportation would be just fine for Peterson, who has served as both mayor of Cambridge Bay and president of the Nunavut Association of Municipalities.

“Being the mayor for four years and with the NAM, I have strong relations with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, good connections across the North,” Peterson said.

Finding money for Nunavut’s needs is what the department of community government and transportation is all about, Peterson said. He has a hard time understanding why that portfolio hasn’t been considered a more high-profile appointment in Nunavut cabinet.

“CGT should get more interest. We all live in the communities of Nunavut and, as your community goes, that’s how your daily life goes,” he said.

Peterson said his municipal experience would also be an asset as minister of finance, as the minister needs to build strong relations with the federal government and know how to lobby.

Peterson said he’s tired of hearing Nunavut’s “unique” needs are being met through the present formula funding arrangement.

And he already has lots of arguments in his back pocket that he’s eager to deliver to Ottawa. The chance to do this was one of the biggest reasons he ran for territorial office.

“You have a larger venue to make your case with Ottawa,” Peterson said. “I’d say, ‘Look at Nunavut as an investment, and we’ll start contributing positively to the Canadian economy.'”

During his campaign, constituents also urged Peterson to pursue several specific issues, including housing, jobs and gun legislation.

“The elders are concerned about the firearms legislation. Most of them are hunters. To go through the paperwork and fill out the forms is difficult for them. And the people who hunt for them have to do the same thing. A lot of elders depend on the younger generation to supply them with country food. To fill out the paperwork is hard,” Peterson said.

As MLA, Peterson plans to balance his need to be in Iqaluit with his desire to remain close to his home town.

As MLA he intends to challenge the Iqaluit-centered tendency of Nunavut – something that was even apparent on Election Day.

“Everybody was waiting for the results and we got cut off. We didn’t find out until the next day who had won. Everybody in the east got all the news,” Peterson said. “I want to raise our profile in Iqaluit. I want the folks in the east to know we’re going to be the economic engine of Nunavut – we’re going to be contributing significantly to Nunavut from the economic point of view.”