Three running in Hudson Bay riding, including incumbent, former MLA

Allan Rumbolt, incumbent MLA for Hudson Bay, will face two contenders on Oct. 30. (FILE PHOTO)

Peter Kattuk served two terms as MLA for Hudson Bay until 2008 when he was defeated by Allan Rumbolt. (FILE PHOTO)

In Nunavut’s most southern community of Sanikiluaq, two experienced legislators will vie for a single Hudson Bay seat in the territory’s fifth assembly, when voters head to the polls Oct. 30.

Allan Rumbolt, who was first elected to Nunavut’s legislature in 2008, is seeking his third straight term as Hudson Bay’s representative and believes that a newly approved health centre for Sanikiluaq was “a huge accomplishment” for his community during his last term.

As a former housing manager in Sanikiluaq, Rumbolt said he will continue to push for more public housing, energy and water infrastructure, but also staff housing—the absence of which, he believes, keeps several Government of Nunavut jobs unfilled on the Belcher Islands.

Nunavut’s next government should also put added focus into repairing older public housing units instead of simply building new ones, Rumbolt warned.

“Very soon,” he said, “or the government is going to have to replace all of these units.”

Rumbolt would also like to see Nunavut invest in a possible fishery in Sanikiluaq, if new studies prove that Hudson Bay can support commercial fishing.

Running against Rumbolt is his political predecessor, former Nunavut cabinet minister Peter Kattuk, who served as Hudson Bay’s MLA for nine years from establishment of the territory in 1999 until 2008.

Kattuk was recently named the new chair of the Qikiqtani Fisheries Alliance, a not-for-profit fisheries organization representing local hunting and trapping organizations in Sanikiluaq, Cape Dorset, Hall Beach and Igloolik.

The 67-year-old is pushing for added infrastructure in Sanikiluaq, such as a larger community hall, improving government services and “bettering the community.”

Kattuk said he would also like to see an elders home built for Sanikiluarmiut, as well as the rest of Nunavut.

Hudson Bay’s third candidate, Peter Qavvik did not respond to requests for an interview by Nunatsiaq News.