Nunavut MLA will do double duty to cover vacant Uqqummiut seat

Tununiq MLA Joe Enook, in the legislative assembly Oct. 22, said he has accepted a request from the people of Qikiqtarjuaq to represent them until a by-election for the riding of Uqqummiut brings a new member to the house. (FILE PHOTO)

Joe Enook, the MLA for Tununiq, is, for the time being, also the MLA for Uqqummiut, he told fellow members of the Nunavut Legislature Oct. 31.

Enook said in his member’s statement that the Hamlet of Qikiqtarjuaq recently passed a motion asking that he represent their community in the legislature following the expulsion of former Uqqummiut MLA Samuel Nuqingaq.

In a unanimous vote in the legislative assembly Oct. 24, MLAs voted to expel Nuqingaq for repeated absences and other behavioural issues.

The vacated Uqqummiut seat triggers a by-election within six months, but until then the people of Clyde River and Qikiqtarjuaq would be without official representation.

“I am honoured and humbled by the confidence that the municipal leadership of Qikiqtarjuaq has placed in me and I will do my best to raise urgent issues of concern with the government inside the house and outside of the house, on their behalf,” Enook said, rising in the legislature Oct. 31.

“I also extend an open invitation to the municipality of Clyde River to contact me at any time with concerns or questions and I will do my best to provide whatever assistance I can.”

In May, when Nuqingaq was still an MLA, Clyde River Mayor Jerry Natanine told Nunatsiaq News that he was frustrated with the lack of representation from Nuqingaq and that he too would seek informal representation from Enook.

“Joe Enook told me that if we have concerns that we want to put forward to the legislature, he was open to do that,” Natanine said in May.

“We’re going to talk about how we’re going to utilize that. Because we have to get someone to push for our community.”

Natanine said Oct. 31 that he will continue to raise Clyde River concerns, when they arise, with Enook.

Nuqingaq, who was absent during MLA orientation a year ago, was suspended from the legislature and was again absent from some days during the current fall sitting.

He was expected to be in court this week in Qikiqtarjuaq to face charges of assault and being unlawfully in a dwelling-house arising from a Feb. 24 incident in that community.