MLAs suspend Joelie Kaernerk from legislative assembly again
Intoxication cited as members vote to discipline Amittuq MLA for 2nd time in less than 2 years
Amittuq MLA Joelie Kaernerk has been suspended from the legislative assembly for the remainder of the winter sitting and the spring sitting. In the motion to suspend him, Iqaluit Sinaa MLA Janet Pitsiulaaq Brewster cited a recent instance of him being intoxicated at the legislative assembly. (File photo)
Updated March 5 at 10:45 a.m.
For the second time, Amittuq MLA Joelie Kaernerk has been suspended from the legislative assembly over allegations he was intoxicated while in the assembly.
In a vote Monday, MLAs suspended Kaernerk until the end of the spring sitting, which is scheduled to run from May 23 to June 6.
The suspension followed a motion from Iqaluit-Sinaa MLA Janet Pitsiulaaq Brewster, who said she noticed Kaernerk appeared to be intoxicated at the legislative assembly before a committee of the whole meeting on Saturday.
Brewster said she spoke to Kaernerk and his responses confirmed to her that he was intoxicated.
“In this house, we are expected to be able to conduct ourselves in a manner that provides excellent governance for Nunavummiut,” Brewster said in introducing her motion.
“When someone is intoxicated, they cannot.”
Brewster’s motion was seconded by South Baffin MLA David Joanasie and approved by MLAs.
Kaernerk was not present at the legislative assembly Monday.
He was previously suspended for four days in June 2022, also for allegedly being intoxicated in the legislative assembly.
In September 2023, Kaernerk was voted into cabinet by MLAs, and assigned the roles of minister of culture and heritage, minister of languages, and minister responsible for Qulliq Energy Corp. by Premier P.J. Akeeagok.
In January, Kaernerk was stripped of his cabinet roles with Akeeagok citing code of conduct violations. No further explanation was given, and Kaernerk voluntarily resigned from cabinet.
His suspension Monday bars him from meetings of the legislative assembly, committees and caucuses.
It also authorizes the management and services board of the legislative assembly to impose restrictions on Kaernerk’s use of constituency and legislative assembly funds.
While Brewster put forward the motion to suspend Kaernerk, she offered him her “compassion and support.”
She also asked that his community offer him care and support, noting many Nunavummiut suffer with and try to come out of addictions, deal with their trauma “and be the best citizens they can be.”
Nunatsiaq News could not reach Kaernerk on Monday afternoon to comment on the suspension.
Note: This article was updated to provide correct dates of the legislative assembly’s spring sitting.
How many breaks is any one MLA allowed under these circumstances?
MrKaernerk., Your colleagues, and your constituents have given you three breaks Sir.l NOW is the time ti take advantage of that and get some help.
Good Luck!
Please support this individual, he has a heart too like everyone of us. He sure can fight for his constituents when he wants too, he has a great voice for the his riding.
He needs to step down, he is clearly incapable of serving his constituents or this territory.
Yes there should be programs to support him in GETTING BETTER. but we absolute should not be showing everyone that it is ok to be drunk and have no control. which when you are an MLA and got to the leg intoxicated that shows you have NO CONTROL. that then also bring up what else does he have no control over.
Do the right thing and step down.
I don’t have any confidence in his services, but maybe others do.
Alcohol abuse is a real problem, a lot of youth grow up watching how people abuse alcohol up here and think it’s ok to be that way too.
With little to no support for treatment up here, no real support for prevention and not a whole lot of programs we see this far too often.
Growing pains for our society up here where huge change has happened in one generation.
Nothing will really change here unless the priorities for Inuit are reviewed and implemented by our government and Inuit organizations.
I want a better Nunavut not just one MLA to feel better. We need real community leaders and role models. Making decisions that improve quality of living for Inuit.
the leg is just a sideshow for this guy. the main event is the navigator.
The navigator?
No one is helping him by repeatedly reinstating him, or by continuing to pay him while suspended (if that’s what is happening). Letting someone do that repeatedly and allowing them to come back to work over and over and over again is detrimental to getting well. The GN does it with its workers all the time, and it does more harm than good.
A hefty fine should be given to anyone in mla. We all know the consequences of someone working in mla that drinks. Just look at Mr jack anawak. How many years of drinking and how many charges against him for drinking and driving. His name stopped appearing on headlines when he quit counsel. They have to act fast
True, and yet Iqaluit voters still picked him for council! How did that turn out?
Please go to detox. It will show many people there is no shame in going to detox.
If I showed up to my job drunk numerous times, I’d be fired likely on my first offense.
Good grief. M.L.A.s should all desolve Nunavut as it is going nowhere. Just a total embarrassing debacle.
I agree with you Truestory !! Let’s make Northwest Territories great again ! My isn’t getting nowhere but more into poverty by this government! Outlandish behaviours stream along our political ambassadors that “promised “ change when voted into the Nunavut legislature ! What are we doing wrong picking our leaders ? We are just “guessing “ when we vote. ! Put time into learning what our leaders are potential of ! Not guess the true outcome after it’s too late ! Good luck Nunavut people with your people on this kind of stuff that shouldn’t even get in a news paper.
Nearly 10% of adults are alcoholic; that is, their bodies are biologically different when it comes to the reaction to alcohol. Those differences manifest in how alcoholics metabolize alcohol into its constituent metabolites and the rate at which that process occurs. Alcoholics also differ biologically in how and the rate of effect that alcohol and its metabolites affect their neurotransmitters.
All of this has been identified in scientific research, clinical studies, genome mapping and metadata analysis.
One’s nurturing, that is to say the circumstances around one’s life, has an effect on one’s existence as a member of our community. It does not, however, have any determination on the biogenic effect of alcohol on an individual and therefore, whether one is alcoholic. That is a genetic determination, just as much so as one’s eye color or one’s foot size
Though this might seem to be a nuance, it is the MOST fundamental aspect in addressing alcoholism and recovery. Complete abstinence is required in order to halt the effects of alcohol. Recovery (emotional growth through counselling and self-examination) helps us comes to terms with ourselves and our society.
Just like a mosquito to blood…
Addictions are such a mountain to conquer, with further mountain issues surrounding it. I think this reflects the issues that many people of Nunavut suffer with. I do have compassion for Joelie. I won’t speak on behalf of him, as I don’t truly know what he needs and wants, but I feel strongly he should consider stepping aside and letting someone else take the leadership of his constituents. It is the right thing to do at this time.
I think if he hasnt already removed himself from office… then it is time that it is understood he is not able to make that decision on his own and it needs to be made for him.
Articrick, your comment contains a logical paradox.
Like I said before and I’ll keep saying till we go back to NWT sick and tired of so called Nunavut joke 😂
A little alcohol doesn’t mean one cannot govern. Winston Churchill was always under the influence, while his main adversary never touched a drink. I know who I would rather be in charge.
This kind of thinking and acceptance is why we have some alcoholics in key government positions. Less of this would be so much better.
Let’s not forget the time David Joanassie was busted for drunk driving after a high speed car chase in PEI. He only gave up when his tires were almost off his rims. He suffered no real consequences and is now Minister of CGS.
Nunavut is where accountability goes to die and clowns are lauded as lions.
Anywhere else in canada, that would have marked the end of his political career and reputation, but well, yeah…
No completely true… there was a Mayor in Toronto that was on video doing crack… and that just went away. now his brother is the primer of Ontario
OCT 22, 2014 – 12:01 PM EDT
Nunavut MLAs censure South Baffin member for drunk driving conviction
Kunngait/Kimmirut – South Baffin run in the next election. Reason? Charge is in-dire need
Freed from DUI now in full control with Bff Minister A all the way to the Inuit Orgs.
Change is needed get a New MLA
ELECTION IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER
Dear elected persons please take this as an opportunity to become aware if there are programs for addictions in this territory is there money for it, how is it being used and all that jazz.
They get sent to some cities for 3 months at a rehab. They come back, acting rehabilitated, but you can see it in their face. They are not happy. They end up drinking again. They just look at the rehab as a free trip. Some kivilliqmiut get sent to Vancouver.
I know lets blame it on the beer and wine store….
It is a huge problem and adding fuel to the fire really doesn’t help. How should we go about this?
It is really difficult to come back to the same situation where it’s everywhere, the dysfunctional alcohol abuse that’s everywhere and if you want to socialize without alcohol it’s not the easiest thing as it’s everywhere and majority of people have to be drinking alcohol to have any sort of fun,
So many functioning alcoholics.
Alcoholism is an insidous disease.It is a disease of denial. This person needs to face his problem head on by giving him a choice to be sent to rehab or loose his job; doing anything else just enables him to continue drinking. You can lead a horse to water but cannot force it to drink. It has to be his choice or the consequences. Also the majority of people who have addictions is usually because of un dealt past trauma, PTSD in their lives or mental illness ; using not to feel the pain or discomfort. It is not just about drying out. It is by getting into a program that deals with trauma or PTSD, or treating mental illness. Anything else is a bandaid solution. And yes some people are more genetically prone to develop addictions than others. Lets not shame people. Lets make sure professional help is available for them and do interventions if necessary. This saves people’s lives.
He should have been given that choice after the first offence… even if the second issue wasnt drinking related its past the point of get sober OR get fired… time for him to go AND provide him help to get sober if he wants it.
Stop drinking when you will be at a meeting! Smarten UP! Nunavut deserves better leaders! YOU wanted this job, now show us you are respectable! ᓄᑕᕐᕋᐅᓐᒋᓕᑐᑎᑦ ᓯᕗᓕᐅᕐᑎᐅᔪᒪᓚᐅᕐᕋᕕᑦ ᐃᒥᖃᑕᕈᓂᓚᐅᕆᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᓂᐊᕐᑎᓗᒋᑦ, ᐊᔪᕈᕕᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᐅᒍᓂᕆᑦ!
There’s alot that aren’t functioning either.
This may be a tough time for you now Mr. Kaernerk but do not forget you have support and compassion from many of us in the territory!
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You are not perfect, but don’t lose sight of what makes people support you and made them trust you in the first place!
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I hope things work out for you going forward!
You have to wild guess here that many people are feeling good/superior in a way with their putting others down.
No more excuses. This individual. Was elected represent the people of his riding. He is abusing alcohol and abusing his position as a MLA.
As a sitting MLA. He should resign or his fellow members vote to expel him. He has a problem that only he can fix. The people of Nunavut
struggle daily to merely feed themselves. They deserve a much better example of leadership. Than the current government is providing.
What’s worse?
An MLA minister who showed up to work under the influence. Of what we don’t know for sure. But in a flash, removed.
Or an MLA minister who constantly lies, gaslights, accepts no discussion of facts or studies on issues. Demanding the people to believe them only, the almighty minister of truth. Even though their Act-of-Words is harming the people now or in the future.
Just get off that top seat now, just disrespecting your constituents what a disgraceful thing to do you think you can do that what a disgraceful MLA. Just go home you’re drunk or never drink again you’re making hundred k per year aren’t you? If ya wanna keep drinking get off that damn top seat.