Tapardjuk absence forces Nunavut cabinet to juggle jobs

There’s a temporary cabinet shuffle while minister Louis Tapardjuk is away on personal leave.

Emily Woods, the press secretary for Premier Eva Aariak, said Tapardjuk’s leave began April 5 and will run until May 17.

“I can’t really comment on the leave itself,” Woods said. “He’s on leave, it’s personal leave and it’s fairly normal practice for ministers to cover for other ministers when they’re on leave.”

Tapardjuk’s five portfolios have been doled out as follows:

• Health minister Tagak Curley takes over responsibility for Culture, Language, Elders and Youth and Languages;

• Housing and energy minister Hunter Tootoo will fill in as education minister;

• Finance and justice minister Keith Peterson will act as government house leader; and

• Premier Eva Aariak takes over as the minister responsible for aboriginal affairs.

Woods said Tapardjuk’s absence won’t cause any problems in the lead-up to the next sitting of the Legislative Assembly, which is scheduled to start June 1.

“I think the ministers will be able to handle their workload as it’s a temporary change,” she said.