Former Nunavut cabinet minister censured for drunk driving

Rankin Inlet North-Chesterfield Inlet MLA Tom Sammurtok is the third MLA in the current Nunavut legislature to face discipline from fellow MLAs for bad behaviour. (FILE PHOTO)

Nunavut MLAs censured Tom Sammurtok, the member for Rankin Inlet North-Chesterfield Inlet, Oct. 21, for being found guilty of impaired driving this past June.

The motion, introduced by Arviat South MLA Joe Savikataaq and seconded by Tununiq MLA Joe Enook, passed by a margin of 20 to 0, with Sammurtok — a former cabinet minster — abstaining from the vote.

“It is incumbent on all members of the Legislative Assembly to conduct themselves according to the highest standards of living,” Savikataaq read from his motion Oct. 21, the first day of the fall 2015 siting of the legislature.

“The Legislative Assembly wishes to assert its strong opposition to impaired driving.”

Sammurtok pleaded guilty in an Iqaluit courtroom June 4 to an incident of impaired driving that took place in Iqaluit April 13.

After finding him and his Ford Escape crashed into a water-booster station, police determined through a breathalyser that Sammurtok’s blood-alcohol level was nearly two-and-a-half times the legal limit.

“You’re very fortunate that nobody was hurt badly,” JP Nicole Sikma told the remorseful MLA June 4 in handing him $2,000 in fines and a one-year driving suspension.

“I feel relieved that it’s over now, that it’s done,” Sammurtok told Nunatsiaq News outside the courtroom that day.

Sammurtok also said he planned on talking to youth in his home riding about the dangers of alcoholism and of drinking and driving.

Premier Peter Taptuna stripped Sammurtok of his cabinet portfolio shortly after the Kivalliq MLA’s arrest.

Sammurtok is the third MLA in this current government to be disciplined publicly by fellow MLAs in the legislature.

In the 2014 fall sitting, MLAs expelled Uqqummiut MLA Samuel Nuqingaq for repeated attendance and behaviour problems.

Nuqingaq currently faces two criminal charges, including an assault charge. He is expected to go to trial in Qikiqtarjuaq later this month.

And in the same fall sitting, South Baffin MLA David Joanasie was censured by his colleagues for an impaired driving incident that took place in PEI earlier that same year.