Nunavut MLAs choose new cabinet minister on Friday

Leadership forum will be held at 3 p.m.

Nunavut’s MLAs will vote on Friday to choose a new cabinet minister, following the removal of Patterk Netser from cabinet. Netser is seen here speaking in the house last week to defend a controversial social media post he made. Netser was first stripped of his portfolios and later removed from cabinet because of the post, although he remains the MLA for Aivilik. (File photo)

By Nunatsiaq News

Nunavut’s MLAs will choose a new cabinet minister on Friday at 3 p.m. during a leadership forum, the legislative assembly’s caucus announced today in a news release.

Patterk Netser, MLA for Aivilik, was removed from cabinet by his colleagues on Friday, Oct. 23. This was after Joe Savikataaq, the premier of Nunavut, passed a motion to remove Netser from cabinet due to a social media post he made earlier in October.

The post referenced the Black Lives Matter movement and abortion. It was decried as racist and sexist, and Savikataaq immediately stripped Netser of his portfolios after the post circulated.

Netser was the minister representing the Nunavut Housing Corp and Nunavut Arctic College. Another MLA will be appointed to his vacant cabinet position during the forum on Friday.

The leadership forum will take place in the legislative assembly. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, visitors aren’t allowed to attend in person. However, the forum will be broadcast on community cable channels and satellite channel 513 for Bell networks and 289 or 489 for Shaw networks. In Iqaluit the proceedings will also be broadcast on the radio. The floor feed will be on channel 92.5 FM. Inuktitut translations will be on 94.7 FM and English translations on channel 102.1 FM. The forum will also be livestreamed.

The legislature sits until Nov. 5.

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(13) Comments:

  1. Posted by Obvious answer is… on

    John Main! It’s time…

    • Posted by Artie on

      I agree. J. Main is very sharp fellow. Should be future premier or mp. Make it happen JS. ?

    • Posted by maybe on

      He would be great to become minister but at the same time, I am also hoping he will stay on as a regular MLA to continue posing important questions to the cabinet to improve the government. Either way he wins.

      • Posted by Consistency on

        I agree he would be good as a minister but also he comes up with some very important questions to ask. but i bet this is why he becomes a minister so they can quite him.

  2. Posted by iWonder on

    Has anyone mentioned John Main yet? If not, I think they should

  3. Posted by Abraham on

    John main should not run, he is the only one that is keeping the ministers and legislative in it order, he has more voice to raised but if he became Ministers he will lose his voice.

  4. Posted by Piitaqanngi on

    Since when did the Premier get the power to pass motions all by himself?

    • Posted by Anomak on

      Since he was elected, he portrays the Kablunak’s Capitalistic thinking, acting, and beliefs instead of our Inuit Traditional ways of talking with kindness, take each person / case by individual instead of painting everyone with the same brush, taking the time to listen to all sides before making an informed decision instead of going by what is the fad now, by giving everyone a chance and by talking, visiting to find out what makes a person make a certain choice, talking and figuring out what is going on and what is good for the whole society of Nunavvutmiut instead of only what is popular. A few things to consider. Slow down. Take your time, learning how to listen before talking, keep your word that shows your integrity. Learn to say that you need time to consider and will get back to that person by a certain date.

      • Posted by exactly on

        that what patik should have done. think before posting. you should be the coach for patik i engourage you to contact him

  5. Posted by Raven on

    Adam Lightstone.

  6. Posted by Strange Place we’re in on

    It’s an odd thing that John Main is seen to be so effective in his roll as an MLA, specifcially in asking the right questions, that people worry about his absence should he be promoted to Cabinet. It seems to suggest that what we really we need more good MLA’s.

  7. Posted by Name withheld on

    I personally don’t think that John Main should be elected as a minister, he is outspoken and we need that as someone commented he will lose his voice if he does get appointed.

    Although I think he would do great if he was appointed Minister of CGS and keep those in tact

    • Posted by Artie on

      C’mon… J. Main could probably assume 1/2 of all the ministerial portfolios & not miss a beat. There are some REALLY weak ministers. Which explains why NU is in a constant state of crisis. Add Adam L. to the mix as a minister to help him out.?

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