Kangirsuk left without a new mayor after KRG elections

Kangirsuk does not yet have a new mayor after the Kativik Regional Government held municipal elections in three Nunavik communities on Wednesday.

The elections, which were initially meant to be held in November, were postponed in some communities, due to local COVID-19 outbreaks.

In Kangirsuk, nobody ran for mayor. Without a mayor-elect, another mayoral election is set to take place on Feb. 4, according to Joanne Fortin, the director of the KRG’s legal department. Nominations for mayoral candidates opened Friday afternoon and are set to close at 5 p.m.

Nine candidates ran for council in Kangirsuk. Six were elected —  Annapik Eetook, Minnie Annahatak, Marcussie Eetook, Edua Lucassie, Winifred Nungak and Lizzie Thomassie.

In Salluit, Maggie Q. Saviakjuk won the race for mayor, beating four other candidates. The entire council — consisting of Annie I. Alaku, Eva Sakiagak Audlaluk, Stephen Grasser, George Kakayuk, Amaamak Saviakjuk and Peta S. Tayara — was acclaimed.

As of Friday afternoon, Ivujivik’s election results had not been posted online. Fortin says Ivujivik and the KRG needed “a little more time” to finalize the results before making them public.

Kuujjuaq and Kangiqsualujjuaq are the last two communities that have not yet held elections. Fortin says that the COVID-19 outbreak in the region continues to delay elections in those communities, but the elections will occur at a later date.