Iqaluit council refuses Doug Lem’s resignation

MICHAELA RODRIGUE

IQALUIT — Doug Lem will remain on Iqaluit town council after councillors this week rejected his recent letter of resignation and offered him three months of leave with cause.

Lem issued a letter of resignation last week, days after Iqaluit RCMP announced four charges of sexual interference laid against him had been dropped.

In a letter to Iqaluit town council that Lem released to the media, Lem described the charges and the publicity that followed as one of the roughest periods of his life. He wrote that he was resigning to take time to recover and concentrate on his catering business.

“It will take me, my family and staff members months to recover from this. I feel it will take more time than the time I have left on town council. I will have to direct my energies towards myself, my family, my staff, my business, and living for today,” Lem wrote in his letter.

This week, Iqaluit councillors passed a motion rejecting Lem’s resignation and granting him three months of absence with cause.

Earlier that day, Iqaluit Mayor Jimmy Kilabuk and acting town manager Paul Fraser met with Lem and received his agreement for the idea before the motion went before council, Fraser said.

“The mayor spoke with Doug and indicated he did not want Doug to resign. Council wanted to recognize Doug’s contribution and did what they did tonight,” Fraser said, adding that councillors did not want the motion to take Lem by surprise and put any undue stress on him or make him feel badly.

Lem did not attend this week’s council meeting. When contacted, he said he didn’t disagree with the mayor’s proposal. He said the three-month period gives him some breathing time to consider his options.

“They’re giving me recovery time of two to three months and we’ll see after that. They just want to give me some time to think about it,” Lem said, adding he needs time to concentrate on himself and his business right now.

Coun. John Matthews, who moved the motion and first suggested that Lem be granted an absence-with-cause, last week described Lem as a valued member of council.

“I think his initial reaction happened too quickly,” Matthews said. “He didn’t take the opportunity to weigh the pros and cons of resigning,” Matthews said.

With three months absence with cause, Matthews said he thinks Lem can reconsider his resignation in a more positive light.

“He’s a valued member. We’re hoping he’ll finish the term,” Matthews said.

Lem is in his first term on Iqaluit town council. The term will expire this fall.

Had council accepted Lem’s resignation his seat would have been vacant.

The Local Elections Act says council must appoint a person who is eligible as a candidate until the next election or hold a by-election, Fraser said.