Nunavut gets new senior official — with suicide prevention mandate

Premier Peter Taptuna has appointed Karen Kabloona to the position of associate deputy minister for quality of life in the Department of Health, effective Nov. 16, the premier’s office said in a release. (PHOTO COURTESY OF LEADERSHIPCANADA.CA)

Nunavut’s department of Health has a new senior manager, with the creation of an associate deputy minister of quality of life, whose job will be to oversee the territory’s suicide prevention strategy.

Premier Peter Taptuna announced Nov. 13 the appointment of Karen Kabloona to the new position, effective Nov. 16, the premier’s office said in a release.

As part of her new job, Kabloona will coordinate a government-wide approach to suicide prevention across all departments, the release said.

“Prevention and response to suicide does not lie with a single department, and must involve collaboration and action by our partners and our communities,” Taptuna said.

“The associate deputy minister will lead the greater effort that all stakeholders and our government are engaged in moving the Nunavut suicide prevention strategy forward, which is key to address change.”

Just last month, Taptuna declared suicide a crisis in Nunavut and put Health Minister Paul Okalik in charge of a special cabinet committee to implement recommendations from a recent coroner’s inquest into suicide in Nunavut.

The Government of Nunavut was criticized during that inquest for dropping the ball on a previous suicide prevention strategy that involved input from the RCMP, the Embrace Life Council and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., but which lacked decision-making leadership and money.

Kabloona has recently served as executive assistant to minister Okalik, as well as a senior manager with the Department of Economic Development and Transportation.