Little challenges Sheutiapik for Iqaluit’s top job

Elisapee Sheutiapik will contest the Iqaluit mayor’s job for third time in next month’s municipal election, to be held Oct. 19. (FILE PHOTO

The controversial city councillor, Jim Little, will take on Mayor Elisapee Sheutiapik in the Oct. 19 municipal election. (FILE PHOTO)

(Updated Sept. 16.)

Iqaluit city councillor Jim Little will take on Mayor Elisapee Sheutiapik for the top job in Iqaluit’s municipal elections slated for Oct. 19.

The deadline for nominations passed at 3 p.m. Sept. 14. Any challenges to a candidate’s eligibility had to be filed by 5 p.m. Thursday, after Nunatsiaq News press-time.

There will also be 21 candidates for eight council seats. The top vote-getters win those seats.

Kirt Ejesiak, the city’s chief returning officer, said the flood of candidates is a sign Iqalummiut are turned on to city politics right now.

“It’ll be a completely different campaign than in the past, where you didn’t hear from the candidates at all,” Ejesiak said. “I think there’s a real buzz this time around.”

The mayoral race comes on the heels of a contentious city council meeting that saw councillors vote to bar Little from future in camera sessions after he went to the RCMP with allegations another councillors was offered a bribe.

The two have clashed in the past with the mayor accusing Little of not following proper procedure several times. Little, meanwhile, claims city staff wields too much power at city hall.

Sheutiapik is running for her third term as mayor, after being acclaimed during the 2006 election. In an interview, she said she wants to press on with the long-term planning agenda that’s dominated her second term, and push for the construction on a recreation centre.

The mayor said she’s looking forward to an all-candidates debate.

“Election time is to talk about issues, challenges and to try and find out how much the candidates know,” she said.

Little acknowledged he’s the underdog, but said he’s running to offer people a choice and to get the public more involved in city decision-making.

“There’s a lot of qualified people here in the community that are more than willing to volunteer and bring their skills to the community to help guide [council’s] decisions and we’ve turned our back on them many, many tmes,” Little said.

He added that his decision to run was not based on the controversy of last week.

There will be at least three new faces on council: Little’s running for mayor, Coun. Al Hayward didn’t re-offer and another seat has been vacant since Coun. Mark Boudreau died shortly after being elected in 2006.

Councillors David Alexander, Jimmy Kilabuk, Claude Martel, Simon Nattaq, and Glenn Williams are all running again. Former councillor Nancy Gillis, who sat out the 2006 campaign, is also vying for a seat.

The other candidates are: Mary Akpalialuk, Caroline Anawak, Betty Brewster, Brad Chambers, David Eddie DeVries, David Ell, Natsiq Alainga-Kango, Mat Knicklebein, Kathleen Marko, Boazie Ootoova, Eddie Rideout, Tony Rose, Romeyn Stevenson, Brian Willoughby, and Mary Ekho Wilman.

Ejesiak also reminded voters they may vote for fewer than eight candidates if they choose. Marking more than eight names results in a spoiled ballot.

Voters will also pick new boards for Iqaluit’s three district education authorities.

Five candidates offered for the Iqaluit District Education Authority: Jack Anawak, Janice Seto, Andrew Tagak Sr., Alan Weeks, and Alden Williams. Two other seats will be filled later.

Six candidates will seek five seats for the Commission scolaire francophone du Nunavut: Louis Arki, Jeffrey Barkley, Jacques Fortier, Carolyn Mallory, Seth Reinhart and Tineka Simmons.

No one stood for the five seats of the Apex DEA. Ejesiak said he’s extended the deadline for nominations to Sept. 21. If no one comes forward, the seats may have to be filled by appointments.

Ejesiak said his final report after the election is finished may contain a recommendation to do away with the Apex DEA.

To get on the voters list, visit www.iqaluitelections.ca or go to city hall.

(Correction made Sept. 18. This story originally stated that Ejesiak said he was considering a random ballot order because of the large number of candidates. Since this story was published, Ejesiak has contacted Nunatsiaq News to say he in fact doesn’t have the legal authority to do that, and candidates will appear on the ballot in alphabetical order.)