Inuk lawyer Lori Idlout wants to represent the NDP in the next federal election. (Photo courtesy of Lori Idlout/Facebook.)
Nunavut lawyer seeks NDP’s candidacy in federal election
Lori Idlout is the second to vie for the party’s nomination in Nunavut
Inuk lawyer Lori Idlout is in the running to represent the NDP as Nunavut’s MP in the next federal election, she announced Tuesday on social media.
Idlout said in a tweet that family-related circumstances prevented her from making a fuller announcement until Thursday, when she would make herself available to the media. She had initially planned to make an announcement Monday.
Idlout is the second person to announce plans to seek the NDP’s candidacy, after Aliqa Illauq launched her campaign last week.
Idlout is a lawyer who was called to the Nunavut bar in 2019 after graduating from the University of Ottawa.
She practises in English and Inuktitut and has represented the Nuluujaat Land Guardians, who protested a proposal to expand Baffinland’s Mary River mine earlier this year.
Idlout works at Qusagaq Law Office in Iqaluit and is also on the board of directors at NVision Insight Group, an Indigenous consulting firm.
No candidates have been announced for any political parties in Nunavut so far.
An election could be imminent, according to one election expert. Anna Esselment recently told Nunatsiaq News that the installation of a new Governor General — which happened yesterday when Inuk leader Mary Simon took on the role — could be a sign Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is planning to dissolve government.
What is needed and has come, is this person brave to throw hat in the ring, brining perspectives as has World “outside the box” Experience and Education with Policies and Legal Print and know and understand them is perfect candidate than the last two..
Good luck and put a more ch needed presence in representing.
Interesting, Lori should easily be the front runner for the NDP at this point. I probably won’t vote for her (nothing personal), but she stands a good chance. Are you paying attention, Liberals? Conservatives?
This definitely makes things tougher for the Liberals. I wonder if they are awake on this, or? The conservatives will probably run Leona again as no one else will want to offer themselves up as a sacrifice for the sake of the bumbling lot.
So happy Lori you are jumping in and taking on the battle to fight corruption .I can’t vote for you but I can pray you will have the strength and wisdom you need as you start down this challenging path
This could be the game changer the NDP needs to win a second term in Nunavut. It is great to see someone step up who is a strong independent Inuk woman. Great to see this intelligent lady take such an interest in her homeland.
This candidate will be powerful in Ottawa as she knows what it takes to work hard. I am sure with the mix of issues the territory has she will contribute with solutions.
We need someone who will take the lead and work with the governing party in Ottawa to help achieve Nunavut’s goals.
Good luck Lori you have set the bar for the Liberals and Conservatives.
I don’t know her personally but I knew her late sister, she was super smart.
Good luck Lori, hope the best for you.
We used to have MPs sitting around the Cabinet Table and bringing big things like Cannor head office and an airport. Now we’re excited by the NDP candidate. How times have changed
This sounds like conservative. Telling stories of yesteryear.
We also need you as a Lawyer. Don’t the Nuluujaat Land Guardians still need a Lawyer. I don’t remember the Baffinland issues being finalized one way or another. doesnt finishing what you start matter?
How about keep practicing law for a few more years learn more then you could make a good MP.
As I worker at B.I.M., I hope you lose. I don’t want to collect anymore welfare cheques. I can see that you will be negative towards B.I.M. expansion as you represented “Land Guardians” who likes to collect welfare cheques.
Gee…?? what about the other lady who put in her name? maybe she might consider green?
Great to see an educated Inuk stepping up.
Shame about her choice of Party though.
Nunavut can’t afford to be on the outside looking in for much longer.
The NDP may have been entertaining for Nunavut’s bourgeoisie, but they have hopelessly failed to bring in a single penny for the neediest among us.
Next time, vote anything but NDP.
In Nunavut ? Nothing happens as usual. Since the land became a territory , inuit have been brought to poverty by this government we know as none of it. Proper representation comes from only ones that try for the inuit. All the rest of us just criticize who wants to run and try help us poor northern people. I should have been smarter and attended class when I was growing up ! Now that is an issue here in none of it.
I will vote for conservatives but I will not if leona put her hat into the ring again, I am so tired of has beens, new blood please. Quassa; ilaujumaviit? liberals have been bringing in lot of bad policies and laws into this country and they have no family values in acts that become laws….please conservatives, speak up and name someone.
As a seasoned and long-term Iqaluit school teacher, I have experience of Ms. Idlout in her role on the IDEA and I do declare that I will not be voting for her or any party that chooses her as their rep.
Sounds like a great candidate but definitely the wrong party.
Good luck.
Lori is an experienced former high level public servant, well educated, a successful businesswoman and overall is an excellent candidate and she’ll have my vote.
Yes, all that you say is true, but look at the messes that have been left behind anywhere that she has had influence.
We don’t have a lot of choices, but I would have a very hard time choosing her to represent us.
Wouldn’t it be better to run and elect a strong liberal candidate? so the territory gets more attention as the liberals are likely going to win again this fall?
If you were a Liberal (or arguably a pragmatist, which your comment suggests you are), moderate or centrist that would make more sense. If you were a social democrat, or perhaps even a socialist, you’d more likely go with the NDP. All this assumes some kind of ideological integrity of course.
Our current (soon to be previous) MP has done so much to tarnish the NDP “brand” that no NDP candidate, no matter how qualified, will have any chance of winning this riding.
I truly hope you are correct on this. I believe this will hinge to some extent on who the Liberals run though. I don’t think the conservatives have much chance federally and this will affect their chances in Nunavut.
Nunavut doesn’t elect a party they elect the person. that is why since the creation of Nunavut we have had Con, Libs, and NDP. the only party that might not get elected no matter who they had is the Green.
That’s true, but I don’t think we can entirely separate what happens in Nunavut from what is happening nationally, there is an obvious interplay there, even when it does not yield predictable results.