Elders and housing top priorities in Uqqummiut
Gordon Kautuk takes on Mary Killiktee for seat in legislature
Mary Killiktee and Gordon Kautuk are the two candidates vying for the votes of Uqqummiut residents in Nunavut’s upcoming territorial elections on Oct. 27. (Photos courtesy of Mary Killiktee and Elections Nunavut)
Nunatsiaq News is publishing riding profiles ahead of the Oct. 27 territorial election. Keep your eye on our website to learn more about who is running in your area.
Two candidates are vying to become MLA for the constituency of Uqqummiut, which represents Nunavummiut living in Qikiqtarjuaq and Clyde River.
Incumbent Mary Killiktee is from Qikiqtarjuaq. She is being challenged for the seat by Gordon Kautuk, who hails from Clyde River.
Kautuk declined a request for an interview, stating he is currently attending to the needs of his wife who is recovering from surgery in Ottawa.
He is a councillor in Clyde River, acclaimed in 2023. No other information about his platform could be found.
Killiktee was first elected MLA in 2021.
She has had a long career in politics and community service. She was first elected mayor of Qikiqtarjuaq in 2012 and served for eight years. She has been a member of the housing association, worked with Qikiqtaaluk Business Development Corp. and served as president of Qikiqtaaluk Corp.
The housing crisis is a priority, she said, adding she feels she has the “voice to continue” advocating for housing needs in Nunavut.
She said homelessness is reaching crisis levels.
“It hurts to see [people] having no place to live except in a shelter,” Killiktee said, adding she feels there needs to be investment in infrastructure in smaller communities and the rest of Nunavut.
There is currently no shelter in Qikiqtarjuaq or Clyde River. Killiktee said she would like to see one built in each. A four-bedroom facility in each community would be enough, she said, especially in times of extreme need like the winter.
Killiktee said she would like to see a more collaborative approach between different levels of government and the Nunavut Housing Corp. on providing homes, noting there are many vacant houses in both hamlets that could be renovated and repurposed.
She also pointed to elder care as a priority, stating if she is elected she will continue to push to help elders age at home.
While she said she supports the GN’s recent move to be build elder care facilities in each of Nunavut’s three regions, she thinks more should be done to bring elders closer to their homes.
For example, she said, she is calling for a way to provide home support for elders who might be able to stay in their home communities if they had that level of care.
Those who are sent out are “hurting,” she said, and want to come back home.
“Our elders are longing to come back to their communities, their homes, their family, their grandkids, their great-grandkids,” she said.
Killiktee has been married for more than 40 years. She has two children and two granddaughters.
Please consider not re-electing MLAs that have done TWO terms already (excludes these two seeking your vote) and to give NEW and fresh ideas to start. Nunavut really needs change.
Why is it that numerous politicians who served in the last government keep bringing up housing. It is like they all have developed, “convient amnesia”.
So, to help with that, this is a reminder to them that they were actually in the Legislature for 4 years. 3 of which (since Oct 2022) are comprised of the NU 3000 failure. When you listen to them speak now, it’s as if they were not there. Had nothing to do with governing for the last 4 years. That they did not know for a prolonged period (even before the AG Report on NHC & NU 3000 came out, after all the media reports, social media postings, etc..) that something was seriously wrong at NHC and with the NU 3000. Yet when you go back and review the sittings of the Legislative Assembly from Oct 2024 up to Sept 2025 and watch the tapes, you don’t see any of them standing up and demanding answers. Just going along with the flow and propaganda that was being provided by the Premier, Minister and bureaucrats.
In Mrs. Killiktee’s case, not only was she an MLA but she also sat as a member of the Standing Committee On Oversight Of Government Operations and Public Accounts. Where were her tough questions during the Committee hearings on NHC & NU 3000 On Sept 4th & 5th? All you will see when you watch those hearings is simple questions that had no impact on exposing or discovering how NHC was in the situation it was. Why it was unable to deliver the services to Nunavummiut for which it is responsible. And how the NU 3000 has become such a disaster. Who was accountable and what was being done to correct it. You will see none of that. You will see inaction.
When you listen to them running now for election; it is really as if these politicians think no one is watching or cares. Perhaps they are not wrong. Perhaps they know that Nunavummiut are busy struggling with health care issues, food insecurity, education challenges and on and on. That they simply have no time to be paying attention to those who are supposed to improve their lives. Maybe some of Mrs. Killiktee’s constituents can ask her three very straight forward questions about housing seeing as she was a member of the committee holding hearings on the matter. 1) What steps will you take to ensure NHC applies its policies, procedures and regulations to all NHO’s to ensure they adhere and apply standards equally across the territory? 2) If we vote for you what “exactly” do you plan to do as an MLA regarding NHC and NU 3000? 3) How are you going to ensure desperately needed homes get built for Nunavummiut?”
Very unfortunate to hear of candidate Kautuk wife and wish her a successful and speedy recovery. Not a great time to try and manage a campaign. Not sure how the constituents are to decide what Mr. Kautuk can offer or proposes given the current circumstances and general lack of a platform. Perhaps he is well enough known as a Councillor and has a track record in dealing with issues. Perhaps voters will be able from his past performance as a Councillor to understand what issues he wants to try and address as an MLA and how he might try to get things done.
If you get the chance, ask those candidates tough questions and expect tangible answers. Then make the decision you feel is best. Remember, give a lift to and Elder, grab a friend or family member and GO VOTE!