Nutarak is Nunavut’s new justice minister after cabinet shuffle
Tununiq MLA recently elected to cabinet
Recently sworn-in cabinet member Karen Nutarak has been appointed minister of justice. Other portfolio changes include David Akeeagok becoming minister of human resources and Daniel Qavvik adding minister of culture and heritage to his portfolio. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Newly elected cabinet member Tununiq MLA Karen Nutarak has been appointed to the role of justice minister.
Premier P.J. Akeeagok announced the appointment, along with a small cabinet shuffle, Thursday evening in a news release.
“We are at a critical point in our mandate, with less than two years to accomplish our ambitious goals,” he said.
“I want to ensure that our collective energy as a cabinet is focused on our mandate priorities and the work that remains to be done.”
Akeeagok said the new roles were effective immediately.
Nutarak was elected to cabinet on March 4 and sworn-in March 6.
Along with Justice, Nutarak is also the minister responsible for Nunavut Arctic College, minister responsible for labour and minister responsible for the Human Rights Tribunal.
Nutarak told Nunatsiaq News in an email she is excited about the assigned roles.
“I am just getting briefed by my new departments, and I look forward to meeting my officials and getting a better understanding of their priorities and issues they are facing,” she said.
Nutarak specifically mentioned a focus on improving and updating the Family Abuse Intervention Act. She also mentioned working with RCMP to improve community safety and rolling out the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program.
She also said she wants to expand Nunavut Arctic College programming that will help give Inuit more career opportunities in health care, mental health care, and addiction treatment.
David Akeeagok, the previous justice minister, is now minister of human resources.
Daniel Qavvik is taking on the role of minister of culture and heritage.
Premier Akeeagok announced as well that he has added minister responsible for seniors to his own portfolio.
That is a humungous role for a new MLA. What is her background that qualifies her to be Minister of Justice? Anyone with any knowledge they are willing to share?
Who was the last Minister of Justice that fulfilled your criteria for ‘qualified’?
Five years ago there was a female Justice minister with no qualifications and she followed blindly what the DM told to do and sign where approvals needed. Including Premier was running to ask when they received a email and how to respond. That’s their qualification and depending on DM to rule .
Hope Karen will do justice to her appointment and do not join old boys club to say YES,NO and Approved. Best of luck Karen.
The ADM and Associate DM are female
New minister of Justice now joins the Boys Club. They will get what they all deserve. Next!
This is a very special Minister to the Premier, it shows on the Nunavut Premier PJ Akeeagok’s Facebook page. Not one photo but a whole album welcoming her to cabinet. In other words one less 🕵️ 2 years less 7 months left to go.
Minister of Justice a “humongous” role? Give me a break… Overseeing the prisons and cutting cheques to the RCMP and legal aid is not exactly an awesome responsibility…. Minister of Justice a humongous role. That’s funny!!!!
You’re telling us a lot about yourself with this comment.
Let’s be honest here. The Justice portfolio in Nunavut has historically been handled by Ministers who had other bigger portfolios assigned to them which reflects that Justice is one of the easier ones to oversee. Paul Okalik was the Justice Minister for a number of years while also being Premier, Minister of intergovernmental affairs and other things. Keith Peterson was Justice Minister for a number of years while also being Minister of Finance, which most people can agree is a much bigger responsibility. So the Justice portfolio is simply one of the easier ones to have and people just need to get over it.
And that is why he/she/it remains anonymous.
Please tell us who is responsible for Suicide Prevention and show us what is being done to prevent suicide. Let’s go back to the Leadership Forum on November 21, 2021, where we read a statement from the New Premier of Nunavut and his exact words are “WE HEARD YOU LOUD AND CLEAR” Page 5-97
That was the response to the student’s protest for more mental health walking into the house. Since then, what has been done? It came up again from MLA Brewster not long ago with nothing to show what’s been done to date.. Has it even been taken seriously like how it was “heard loud and clear”. It’s frustrated as all we see are photo ops after photo ops! Nunavumiut deserve more than pictures! We are tired of pictures, suicide is real! It just happened again all the mean while we are scrolling through news to find answers but all you see are more photo ops. Stop the photos and focus on stopping suicide instead. Nunavumiu are in real crisis!
Thanks for your note, Shuffleboard; generally, I agree with your sentiments.
Regarding your comment: “show us what is being done to prevent suicide” what do you think are the CAUSES of suicide in Nunavut and elsewhere?
What does a suicide in Nunavut have in common with one in Ontario? One in a rural or urban area? Wealthy versus impoverished person? Male versus female? Younger versus older person? University grad versus middle school dropout? One in a remote area versus more central? One in a high crime versus a peaceful area? One involving alcohol or other drugs versus one in sobriety?
We all know suicide is a world wide epidemic and all with their own reasons. Nunavut has the highest suicide rate in Canada but, what is our Government doing? All talk, no action. Nothing to show for other than these popular photo opportunity spread out on social media. There is enough photo proofs that it is even an eyesore. Their posing will certainly not help change to even lower suicide is the point here.
Thanks for your comment, Shufflevoars. It’s good that you write.
50,000 people commit suicide annually in the USA, a country with a population of 350 million. Why does any one of those humans commit suicide? How were those individuals’ thoughts similar to my friend’s thoughts when she committed suicide? What are the differences?
The important question is “why does one commit suicide?” Another is “why does one consider suicide?” Undoubtedly mental disorders are a factor. Not to be confused with emotional duress. Possibly emotional disorders are a more material factor.
Think, think, think – IF you want to be useful.
💯 I can’t disagree with you
Let me reword my comment that came from the leadership campaign on November 21, 2021
When the Inuksuk High School Students walked into the lobby at the Legislative Assembly protesting for more suicide prevention, PJ Akeeagok who was running for the Premier’s seat at the time, said in his campaign statement “We heard you Loud and Clear” That was over 2 years ago. Since then, it has been brought up in their meeting with no answers as to what was done since it was heard loud and clear meant. Time is running.
Not only do Nunavumiut see our current Nunavut Premier’s nice photos, but we hear his excellent Inuktitut speaking sounding like the 1st and 2nd Nunavut Premier. Follows very closely with our Prime Minister of 🇨🇦
Doing an excellent, monumental, historical incredible job at both. Thank you Uqaqti.
Who are these people who don’t care how much our leaders trash the dream just as long as they speak Inuktut?
These people are so narrow minded and stupid, they have no idea how they undermine Inuit advancement.
I am all for Inuktitut speaking. If I mention names, my comment won’t be published we have to play around with how we word to send message out. In this particular case,, we hear how the leader speaks, he shouldn’t have to imitate and copy his idol, former Nunavut premier. He speaks perfect inuktut but should feel free to be himself. Then all of a sudden you see and hear him imitating Canadas PM – Trudeau. God dislikes idols and this is no different.. Each of us all have gifts and talents so just be ourselves, don’t need to act and speak like someone you are not. Imitators do not believe in themselves to start their wannabes act. Simple.