Many mourn death of Nunavut municipal leader Bob Leonard

When Arviat’s long-time mayor, Bob Leonard, died on March 4 at the age of 67, residents of the Nunavut community of about 3,000 grieved the sudden loss of their municipal leader and friend, the man they called “Bob, our dad,” “Uncle Bob,” and “Mayor Bob.”

To honour Leonard, municipal vehicles led a procession around the community after his March 10 funeral, and inside the Nunavut legislature’s chamber, ministers and MLAs stood to observe a moment of silence in Leonard’s honour.

Nunavut Premier Joe Savikataaq, who comes from Arviat, said in a statement that it was “hard to believe we lost Bob Leonard so suddenly.”

Leonard was “my first boss, my best man, long-term mayor of Arviat and a great friend,” Savikataaq said.

“Bob will be remembered for his dedication, love of community and his kindness,” Savikataaq said. “I miss you.”

Bob Leonard, the long-time mayor of Arviat, who died on March 4, stands with his deputy mayor, Joe Savikataaq Jr., shortly after Leonard’s October 2019 re-election. (Photo courtesy of the Hamlet of Arviat)

Leonard, who came north from Manitoba when he was 17, lived in Arviat for roughly 45 years.

He was re-elected for his fifth term as mayor last October.

Eric Anoee Jr. of Arviat, who had served three terms with Leonard on council, said via telephone that Leonard was well loved in his adopted community.

“Though he was a non-Inuk, he was just like our people,” Anoee said. “He was comfortable with everybody, whether going to a wedding or a funeral, and he would always go to the airport to see our miners leave for work.”

As mayor, Leonard also spearheaded a lot of important projects for Arviat, Anoee said, like its mine training centre—”which we developed on our own because our government couldn’t deliver.”

Thanks to Leonard’s efforts, Arviat sends at least 70 residents to work at the Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.’s nearby mines, Anoee said.

Leonard managed to get projects like the community’s outdoor sports park going with “next to no help” from the Government of Nunavut, Anoee said.

“That is unheard of,” he said. “Bob gathered a team of very good people who can find other resources. His mentality was that you can’t just wait for something to come to you, you have to go and get it.”

Leonard was also a local businessman and building contractor, and he brought that expertise to the Nunavut Housing Corp., which he chaired for the past seven years.

Bob Leonard, third from the left, stands with members of the Nunavut Housing Corp. senior staff, and its president and CEO,  Terry Audla, second from left, during a visit to Arctic Bay. In addition to his duties as mayor of Arviat, Leonard also chaired the NHC. (Photo courtesy of the NHC)

“He knew the ins-and-outs of what it took to put up a structure, all the prices and mechanisms to getting procurement, breaking ground and getting up a structure,” said the housing corp.’s president and CEO,, Terry Audla, from Iqaluit, where he used to look forward to his weekly chats with Leonard.

Leonard, who had been involved in the Northwest Territories’ home access programs before the creation of Nunavut in 1999, “had a vast resource of experience and knowledge that helped to steer the discussions,” Audla said.

Leonard also had a “calm demeanour and even keel,” Audla said.

And he was willing to listen and provide advice.

Leonard’s door was always open.

“Most homes in the North are not locked,” Audla said. “So people when they come to visit don’t announce themselves, which is the normal culture for up here.”

Audla said Leonard adapted to that.

“He put on some tea, and there was no expectation that he would host. On his part, he would be there to listen. Sometimes it would be an hour or two of silence and, ‘Thank you and see you later, Bob.'”

“And he was OK with that. He understand that, that he wasn’t being a bad host, but that it’s always good to have company, that a shared silence is always OK.”

Speaking from Arviat’s hamlet office, SAO Steve England said he’s missing the presence of his friend and boss.

“Bob worked seven days a week,” England said. “Rarely a moment when he wasn’t here: he was the first person in at work. He came at 5:30 a.m. He was super dedicated.”

England said Leonard had an amazing ability to bring out the best in people and worked with them so they could reach their goals.

“Our relationship went beyond employee and employer,” England said. “He was like a father to me.”

England said the hamlet council plans to look at ways to remember Leonard’s great impact on the community.

In Arviat, Leonard also left his partner, Sandy Ranahan.

Elections Nunavut said the hamlet of Arviat might choose to hold a by-election or appoint from the existing council to fill Leonard’s position.