Board in place to recommend new Nunavut senator

Dennis Patterson retired in December after 14 years; final decision on new senator lies with prime minister

The federal government has appointed two Nunavut members to the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments, which means work can start to replace retired senator Dennis Patterson. (File photo)

By Nunatsiaq News

The Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments now has two members for Nunavut.

Jeremiah Groves and David Omilgoitok are the board’s new members, Dominic LeBlanc, the federal minister responsible for democratic institutions, announced Wednesday.

Groves is executive director of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association and former director of operations with Qikiqtaaluk Corp.

Omilgoitok is president and chief executive officer of Kitikmeot Corp., and former board chair of Qulliq Energy Corp. He’s also a former deputy minister of executive and intergovernmental affairs with the Government of Nunavut.

The pair join four other new appointees on the advisory board: Sofia Mirza and Ash Modha for Manitoba and Jennifer Molloy and Dale Eisler for Saskatchewan.

The advisory board is an independent, non-partisan body mandated to provide the prime minister with merit-based, non-binding recommendations on Senate appointments.

It consists of a federal chair, two other federal members and two ad hoc members from each province or territory where a vacancy is being filled.

Filling the vacancies means the advisory board can now move forward with recommending a replacement for former Nunavut senator Dennis Patterson, who retired in December after turning 75.

The appointees will represent their respective provinces and territory on the advisory board for two years. Their appointments can be renewed at the end of their two-year tenure.

 

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(12) Comments:

  1. Posted by Good Luck on

    Hmmm, I wonder if it’ll have more luck than the past recommendations sent by Alberta et al?

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  2. Posted by John WP Murphy on

    So how will the search be performed?
    Public interest call?
    Private nominations?

    • Posted by Bert Rose on

      Any person can self nominate.
      There is a relatively simple application form to fill out.
      Google application for Senate appiintment

  3. Posted by Umingmak on

    It’ll just end up being another one of Trudeau’s friends – that’s how every Senate appointment has gone under this government.

    Expect someone like Hunter Tootoo or Megan Pizzo-Lyall.

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    • Posted by Hinterland Who’s Who on

      I generally agree with your analysis, but don’t think Hunter would qualify as a ‘friend’ to the Liberals. I can’t see Megan either given her lack of political experience.

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    • Posted by Maybe Someone on

      Redfern, Okalik, or Aariak.

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      • Posted by Redfern? on

        Municipal politics is far to removed from Ottawa. Renfern’s experience is not the same caliber as Okalik’s or Arriak’s.

    • Posted by John K on

      I mean … do you expect him to appoint someone opposed to his policies? Would you?

  4. Posted by Larry on

    As long as it is an Inuit, after that what do senators do, remember Willie Adam’s nice guy , don’t expect anything, other than language and culture.who cares

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  5. Posted by John WP Murphy on

    George Hickes. Young, qualified lots of political experience. And of course NO baggage in his background.

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    • Posted by Bluffy St. Marie on

      Not bad, you should consider recruiting him to the Conservative Party for the impending landslide in 2025.

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      • Posted by Red Thing on

        Paul Siqiniq Okalik all the way! Woohoo!
        I mean, I saw Redthing at the Rankin Inlet old airport and I donno, no can do that one. Something about that fishy ishy smile! Would be Paul Aarulaaq but he’s off the age limit! Atii Pauloosie, atii. He is the most ideal candidate to be the next senator! Speaks very well in his mother tongue, good english and some French words.

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