Daniel Verreault was elected as Kangirsuk’s mayor after the local election was delayed for three months due to COVID-19. (Photo courtesy of Daniel Verreault/Facebook)
Kangirsuk mayor elected after second call for candidates
Daniel Verreault says local community hall should be turned into an emergency shelter
Kangirsuk’s new mayor says he was inspired to run for office by a power outage that left half of the community without electricity for over 16 hours in -30 C.
Mayor Daniel Verreault says he hopes to renovate the community hall and add backup generators so it can be used as a “safe haven” where people can warm up.
“In case of an emergency, people could have a place to seek shelter,” he said. “It would be a beautiful place for people to go while the crisis is being taken care of.”
Verreault, who has lived in Kangirsuk for more than 36 years, beat four other candidates for mayor on Feb. 4 with 58 votes. The community has a population of about 570.
The municipal election was initially scheduled for November, but it was delayed until Jan. 26 due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the region. Then, when Jan. 26 came around, nobody had put their name in the race to be mayor, prompting another call for nominations.
Verreault said he had thought about running for mayor when the vote was initially scheduled, but he was “misinformed” of the nomination deadline and forgot to put his name in. When nominations opened up again, he took the chance.
“I didn’t pay attention enough, so that’s why my name wasn’t on the list the first time,” he said. “When I heard there was no candidates and there was a second round, I thought, ‘This is my chance to go for it.’”
Kangirsuk was one of three Nunavik communities to hold elections in the past few weeks.
The other two communities, Salluit and Ivujivik, elected their mayors and councils on Jan. 26. In Ivujivik, where results were not posted until Feb. 4, Adamie Kalingo was elected as mayor. All of the candidates running for council were acclaimed. Salluit has a population of 1,075 and Ivujivik has a population of about 400.
Kangiqsualujjuaq and Kuujjuaq are the last two communities that have not held their postponed 2021 elections.
Days into an elected position that was supposed to be filled three months, Verreault says he’s been busy getting used to life in Nunavik’s municipal politics and he has had a lot of catching up to do.
“I have a lot to learn, it’s all new to me,” Verreault said. “The challenge is real, but I love a challenge.”
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