Kitikmeot Inuit head to polls in December to elect KIA executives
Three vice-presidents and a board member are up for election
The Kitikmeot Inuit Association, whose recent annual general meeting is seen here, is holding a vote next month to fill four positions on its executive. (Photo by Jane George)
Kitikmeot Inuit will vote next month to fill four executive positions in their birthright organization.
Eligible Kitikmeot Inuit beneficiaries can vote on Dec. 9 or on Dec. 2, in an advance poll, to choose new vice-presidents for social and cultural development, economic development, and wildlife and environment, as well as a new board member for Cambridge Bay.
The KIA’s chief returning officer, Martina Maniyogina, listed the candidates for the four-year term positions in a news release:
- vice-president of social and cultural development: Bob Aknavigak, Darlene Metuituk
- vice-president of economic development: Clara Evalik, Charlie Lyall (incumbent)
- vice-president of wildlife and environment: Joe Ashevak, Attima Hadlari (incumbent), George Sonny Porter
- board member for Cambridge Bay: Natasha Lear, André Otokiak (incumbent)
The advance poll will be held on Dec. 2, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., while election day is on Dec. 9, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Notices of the polling station locations will be posted in each of the region’s five communities, the KIA said.
Proxy forms for voters are also available from the offices of community liaison officers or at the KIA head office in Cambridge Bay.
About 3,500 Kitikmeot Inuit, who are Canadian citizens aged 16 years or older, and enrolled in the Nunavut Agreement, are eligible to vote in the upcoming election.
But in some past KIA elections the turnout has fallen below 30 per cent.
What do all these VPs do anyway and why don’t the other organizations have them. I feel for the wildlife and environment one as the KIA promotes mining at all costs so must be the worst job to have.
Mining does far less to the environment than any community in the north.
If you get the chance you should see their garbage disposal, waste disposal, and power efficiency.
CHARS is making Cambridge Bay the model community? I say we already have 3.. Mary River, Hope Bay, and Meadowbank.
I saw the ads for these and just like people who submit their names don’t read them. Some of these peoples don’t even have the qualifications to be running! And some will just say “i’ll get back to you” when we ask questions but they never get back with the information. Hope people remember that at the polls. we hope the right people are elected as we need board members who aren’t afraid to ask questions and can push the KIA in the right direction.