'He is one of our own.'

Hailed by colleagues as a formidable legal mind and teased by those same colleagues as a man of dubious fashion sense, Neil Sharkey was sworn in Feb. 6 as Nunavut's fourth judge.

Sharkey's appointment marks the first time a member of the Nunavut bar has taken the bench, a point of pride for the dozens of jurists, politicians and justice workers present at a ceremony at the Nunavut Court of Justice.

It's "an important milestone," said Justice Robert Kilpatrick. "He is one of our own."

Sharkey has practiced law in Iqaluit since 1986, when he came to work as the executive director of the Maliiganik Tukisiiniakvik legal aid clinic. Since 2005, he's run a private practice in the capital. He's also served as chair of the disciplinary committee of the Nunavut Law Society.

Justice Beverly Browne told ceremony that Sharkey "will join a colourful parade of Northern jurists." She quoted the words of Justice Jack Sissons, the North's first resident judge, that "justice shall be taken to every man's door."

Browne said the appointment may have come at a bad time for Sharkey, who had been travelling in France with his family when he got word he'd been appointed to the bench. His wife, Anne Crawford, and their three children did get to witness the ceremony thanks to a video link from Australia.

Eva Aariak, the premier, said Nunavut has long awaited its own judge and that Sharkey's appointment will improve the delivery of justice in the territory.

"People in our communities deserve to have their conflicts resolved by someone who understands their culture," she said.

Sharkey thanked his children for "diverting that stress" of being a trial lawyer. He said his appointment reflects the growing strength of the Nunavut legal community and thanked the lawyers, RCMP officers and justice staff he's worked with over the years.

"We have people performing roles that would have been unthinkable in 1986," he said.

Sharkey said his travels abroad have reminded him that Canada is fortunate to have a legal system free of the corruption and incompetence that riddles so many countries. And he pledged to accept criticism as a judge because that's how democracy works.

"I have a huge obligation to you in discharging this office and all I can promise is to do my best," he said.

Sharkey heard greetings from other Northern jurists, colleagues and friends. He also got some friendly ribbing from Bonnie Tulloch of the public prosecution service of Canada.

"He might try to get away with wearing his sweatpants under his robe," she said.

Sharkey also had little time to get used to his new chambers: he headed out for a circuit court in Pangnirtung this past Tuesday.