NTI votes to extend terms, change timing of elections

The elected leaders of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. passed a motion during their annual general meeting in Gjoa Haven last week to extend their terms in office by three months.

The one-time extension was required to accomodate a separate motion to change in the timing of NTI elections from December to March.

Elections for members of the NTI executive are usually held in December. But members voted to hold elections in March instead, to avoid overlap with municipal elections that generally occur at the same time, to allow newly elected executive members to take office at the start of the fiscal year and to beat the Christmas rush.

The change takes effect immediately, which means that the election that would have been held in December 2003 will now be held in March 2004.

Elected members abstained from the vote, though the motion was passed unanimously by the rest of the 47 delegates present.