Arviat’s Kono Tattuinee wins the presidency of the Kivalliq Inuit Association

In an election delayed for two days by bad weather, eligible Inuit voters have chosen Kono Tattuinee of Arviat to serve as the new president of the Kivalliq Inuit Association.

Unofficial results posted late on Wednesday, Dec. 11, show Tattuinee took 900 votes to win the position.

Stanley Adjuk finished second with 503 votes.

The incumbent president, David Ningeongan, who has served as KivIA president since 2011, finished well back with 443 votes.

It appears as if economic and business issues, especially KivIA’s Inuit impact and benefit agreement with Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd., loomed large in this election, as did relationships with KivIA staff.

“One of our key goals should be to [be] making positive changes that will involve renewed commitment to the staff that help our people, who in turn frame the policy considerations that are central to managing the wealth of the region,” Tattuinee said in a campaign statement.

In the campaign statement, Tattuinee said the organization needs to “look closely at reaching out to Inuit about managing the relationship with Agnico Eagle Mines.”

He also said that Article 24, the section of the Nunavut land claims agreement that requires governments to give preferential treatment to Inuit businesses seeking contracts, “should not be defined by the president alone.”

That definition should be developed in partnership with Inuit business owners, Tattuinee said.

Also, Tattuinee said in his campaign statement that the association should do an assessment of KivIA’s business arm, the Sakku Investments Corp., with an open discussion.

“We need to empower the people and business owners regarding these issues,” Tattuinee said.

Tattuinee has served terms as president of the board of directors that oversees Arctic Co-ops Ltd., as well as having been secretary-treasurer of KivIA.

He has also served as chair of the Padlei Co-op, and on Arviat hamlet council and the Nunavut Water Board.

A big chunk of Tattuinee’s vote came from his home community of Arviat.

There, he won 414 of 534 votes cast in that community. Tattuinee also took about half the vote in Rankin Inlet, winning 268 of 529 votes cast there.

The election day had been set for Dec. 9, but bad weather in Rankin Inlet, Arviat and Naujaat caused polls in those communities to be closed for most of Dec. 9 and Dec. 10.

On Dec. 11, the polling station in Naujaat opened from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and in Arviat and Rankin Inlet, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Only 1,846 of 5,935 eligible Inuit voters managed to cast ballots, for a turnout of just 31 per cent.

Also, voters in three communities chose community directors. They are the following:

• Tony Uluadluak, Arviat

• James Taipanak, Baker Lake

• Paul Pudlat, Coral Harbour