Canada’s federal election campaign kicks off

Voters across the country will go to the polls Oct. 21

Campaign signs are displayed in Iqaluit during the 2011 federal election. (File photo)

By Nunatsiaq News

(Updated 1:10 p.m., Sept. 11)

This morning Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked Gov. Gen. Julie Payette to dissolve Parliament, setting in motion the campaign for the Oct. 21 federal election.

The ruling Liberals hope that their candidate for Nunavut, Megan Pizzo-Lyall, will become the territory’s next MP.

The Rankin Inlet resident, whose nomination received the prime minister’s blessing when he visited the territory last month, currently works as manager of operations for the Inuit investment bank, Atuqtuarvik Corp.

She will face tough competition from the Conservatives’ Leona Aglukkaq, who served as the territory’s MP for two terms.

Aglukkaq was first elected as MP in 2008, and again in 2011. During that period, she served as a minister of health, environment, minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency and minister responsible for the Arctic Council.

Nunavut’s current MP, Hunter Tootoo, who ran as a Liberal and currently sits as an Independent, won’t be seeking re-election.

Nunavut’s New Democrats plan to nominate their candidate this Thursday, Sept 12 at a meeting at the Sylvia Grinnell Park Pavilion at 7 p.m.

The Green Party confirmed late this morning that Douglas William Roy is their Nunavut candidate.

And the People’s Party of Canada, led by Maxime Bernier, has Peter Scholz of Arviat listed on the Elections Canada nomination contest database as having won the PPC nomination by acclamation.

However, Scholz told us today that he is not the PPC candidate for Nunavut and that the information published by Elections Canada is false.

The PPC has yet to announce another candidate for Nunavut.

(An earlier version of this story contained different information about the Green and PPC candidates for Nunavut.)

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(8) Comments:

  1. Posted by Voter on

    Glad to see two right wing candidates, maybe they will split the votes too.

  2. Posted by Inuuqati on

    It would be great if the MP knows and speaks Inuktut. Experience is also what Nunavut needs in Ottawa.

    • Posted by Plato’s Republic on

      I would rather take an educated young person with loads of energy and a good work ethic over an experienced MP running under the banner of a party bereft of good ideas.

  3. Posted by Karen on

    People didn’t like ITK president because he couldn’t speak Inuktitut, but I think most know now he is doing a very good job and doing a lot more, these younger generation can think outside the box and not continue to do the same things over and over again.
    Fresh ideas and solutions, more energy and passion, time to move forward instead of backwards.

  4. Posted by Crystal Clarity on

    Ms Pizzo-Lyall is not a fluent speaker of Inuktut but she knows a lot more Inuktut than you suggest “Inuuqati” and she is not afraid to stick her neck out and use the words she does know and contiinues to expand her vocabulary-she works at it all the time. She is a bright, intelligent woman with a lot of energy and most important she will work very hard for Nunavummiut. She knows the issues which are important to Nunnavumiut and she will step up to the plate for us,

  5. Posted by Inuk Person on

    Looks like we have no choice to either vote for the Liberals or the Conservatives. I hope the voter turn out will be high, and that people will vote for the right party!

  6. Posted by Green Bot on

    It looks as if the Green Party of Canada nominated a bot for the Nunavut riding. Who is this Roy guy? An internet search doesn’t come up with anyone from Nunavut. Maybe they nominated someone from outside the riding?
    Don’t get me wrong. I am not in favour of any party. Just that it’s good to know who the candidates are.

    • Posted by Strange thing on

      It’s disappointing that there are no local people willing to throw their hat in with a party that has a strong environmental focus. The romantics would tell us Inuit are naturals at this.

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