Curley displeased by possible split of his department: Aariak

Tagak Curley tendered his resignation from the Nunavut cabinet Nov. 16, a Nov. 21 Government of Nunavut press release said. Curley has most recently held the portfolios of Health and Social Services, minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation, minister responsible for Homelessness, and minister responsible for the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission. (PHOTO BY SARAH ROGERS)

Nunavut’s Health and Social Services Minister Tagak Curley resigned due to talk of dividing his department into two, says Nunavut Premier Eva Aariak.

In his resignation letter, Curley said he was against the idea of restructuring the health and social services department, to which he was appointed minister in 2008, Aariak said in a Nov. 22 interview.

“One of the reasons he included in his letter was his displeasure about discussion to separate the department,” said Aariak, who received Curley’s resignation Nov. 16, but didn’t announce it until Nov. 21.

“But there has been no decision made on that,” Aariak said.

During a cabinet retreat in Iqaluit last week, Aariak and her ministers went through the results of a structural review the Government of Nunavut had commissioned on ways to operate more efficiently.

One of the review’s proposals was to give put health care and social services into two separate departments and ministerial porfolios.

“Unfortunately, [Curley] left us before we had a chance to discuss the structural review, but cabinet hasn’t come to a decision,” said Aariak, who wouldn’t reveal any other restructuring plans that the GN may be considering.

Curley, the MLA for Rankin Inlet North, will stay on as minister until Nov. 30.

Curley’s office said Nov. 22 that the outgoing minister won’t comment publicly on his resignation until then.

The cabinet retreat allowed ministers to make headway on other issues such as housing, infrastructure and culture and language, Aariak said, including review of her government’s mandate laid out in the Tamapta plan.

“We only have a few more years to complete our mandate and we want to make sure we have a solid plan,” Aariak said. “As with any plan, we have to occasionally revisit it.”

And Aariak’s government will tackle the plan with new faces heading up many departments after the premier announced cabinet changes Nov. 22.

Following the shuffle, Cambridge Bay MLA and former justice minister Keith Peterson will take over responsibility for health and social services.

Peterson stays on as finance minister, but the justice portfolio will go to Arviat MLA Dan Shewchuk.

Shewchuk, in turn, will give up the environment portfolio to Uqqummiut MLA James Arreak.

Aariak said it has yet to be determined if and when a leadership forum will be held to replace Curley as minister.