Iqaluit elects some familiar faces, adds some news ones
Results for most Qikiqtaaluk constituencies arrive early Tuesday morning
David Akeeagok spends election night at his home in Apex, surrounded by family. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
This story was updated on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, at 10 a.m. ET.
Voters in Nunavut’s Qikiqtaaluk Region opted for new blood when they went to the polls in Monday’s territorial election but also kept some familiar faces around.
Abraham Qammaniq of Sanirajak took a strong lead in the Amittuq constituency, the first to report early results after polls closed across the region.
Qammaniq, a longtime board member of the Sanirajak Hunters and Trappers Association, defeated his nearest rival Reena Irqittuq by close to 70 votes. Paul Hauli and Roger Beaudry followed not far behind.
Voters were guaranteed a new MLA after two-term incumbent Joelie Kaernerk said he wouldn’t run again.
In Uqqummiut, Gordon Kautuk of Clyde River took an early lead in the Uqqummiut riding and never let go, defeating Mary Killiktee of Qikiqtarjuaq by 270 votes.
Kautuk received 402 votes while Killiktee got 132.
Clyde River has 1,200 residents, twice as many as Qikiqtarjuaq.
There was another upset — this one in Iqaluit-Manirajak, where Gwen Healey Akearok ousted two-term incumbent Adam Lightstone by just over 100 votes. She received 245 votes to Lightstone’s 142 votes.
“I’m just so grateful to everyone who shared their homes and their stories with me over the past month,” Akearok said.
Akearok is the scientific director and former executive director of the Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre.
A few blocks away, it was a close call in Iqaluit’s waterfront neighbourhood, as incumbent Janet Pitsiulaaq Brewster finished with175, a 25-vote lead over challenger Robin Anawak’s 150 in Iqaluit-Sinaa.
George Hickes won in Iqaluit-Tasiluk, finishing with 354 votes, more than 200 votes ahead of his only challenger Malaiya Lucassie’ 140.
It is Hickes’ fourth term in the legislative assembly. He held several cabinet portfolios over the years and served as deputy Speaker and chair of the committee of the whole.
Another vacant seat was filled by Brian Koonoo, a retired Parks Canada employee who said he was “quite overwhelmed” to win a three-way race in the Qikiqtaaluk riding of Tununiq.
With 194 votes, he edged out fellow Pond Inlet resident David Qamaniq, who had 78 votes, and Verna Strickland of Rankin Inlet who finished with 109 votes, according to unofficial results on Elections Nunavut’s website.
The constituency was guaranteed to have a new representative because incumbent Karen Nutarak did not run for re-election.
“I’m quite happy and I’m very thankful for the votes and all the support I have been given,” Koonoo said.
Meanwhile, David Akeeagok claimed victory for a third term in the seventh legislative assembly, but this time in a new riding.
He and his family watched election results crawl in, close to midnight, in his Apex home in the Iqaluit-Niaqunnguu riding.
He served his first two terms as an MLA for Quttiktuq, where he is originally from.
“I feel great,” he said. “It’s such a privilege and an honour to get elected and this was one election that was a very good campaign.”
The Apex riding was vacant after Akeeagok’s nephew, former premier P.J. Akeeagok, chose not to seek re-election.
He jumped ridings because he was having to be in “three places at one time,” he said, adding he also wanted to remain close to family.
A member of cabinet in the previous legislative session, Akeeagok said he might follow in his nephew’s footsteps.
The other candidates in the four-way race were Tatanniq Lucie Idlout, who got 124 votes; Walter Picco with 43 votes, and Jacopoosee Peter with 73.
Correction: This story has been updated with correct information about Abraham Qammaniq’s hometown.
Just a few left standing from the past government, so change should be the order of the day for the incoming MLAs. Let the elected lead and bureaucracy implement the decisions. No more consultant led decision making for the cabinet please.
“A member of cabinet in the previous legislative session, Akeeagok said he might follow in his nephew’s footsteps.”
If David thinks he’s Premier material, it shows how little he understands the job and his own shortcomings but also how low the bar is in Nunavut’s legislature after 25 years.
It’s no real surprise then that over half of all voters in the territory don’t think their vote can make a difference and can’t be bothered to cast a ballot once every 4 years.
This is going to be another government overseen by MLAs with totally inadequate education and skills being led around by the nose by their self-interested bureaucrats.
It’s time to pull-out EDO contracts between CGS and Municipalities based on flawed budgets and useless union mandates that is just another added waist with make-up policies going back early 90s with previous crooked seniors managements that up-to-date still controls EDO contract budgets. This adds to finance offices that often are crooks to mismanagements right under the nose of CGS contracts.
The GN executives directors have too much control over this flawed system that is abused and mismanaged once contract is administered under Municipal Governments where positions are tend to be filled with unqualified Senior Managements, or Finance office, to personal agenda of elected councilors to crooks administering EDO contracts. What do you think of this systems!?!