Joe Kunuk quits as deputy minister of human resources

IQALUIT — Joe Kunuk, deputy minister of Nunavut’s Human Resources department, is quitting his job to take on a new position as executive director of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.

Kunuk has served as the administrative head of the Human Resources department since last summer, when he replaced Marius Tungilik.

David Omilgoitok of Cambridge Bay will replace Kunuk on July 1. Omilgoitok has been working as an assistant deputy minister in the education department.

On June 1, Nunavut will have a new deputy minister for the Health and Social Services department.

Andrew E. Johnston, a former deputy minister of finance for the government of Yukon and a senior official with the government of Alberta, will take over the department from Karen Hecks.

Hecks, who has been serving as acting deputy minister of the Health and Social Services since Ken MacRury was shuffled out of the job earlier this year, will go back to her old Ottawa-based job of assistant deputy minister for federal-Nunavut relations.

Meanwhile, Premier Paul Okalik’s executive assistant, Jimi Onalik, is leaving his job to start a new tourism-related business.

He will be replaced by Nicole Camphaug, formerly the executive assistant to the Speaker of the Nunavut Legislative Assembly.