Okalik dumps justice DM

Nunavut premier Paul Okalik accepted the resignation of Deputy Minister of Justice Nora Sanders “over the handling of information concerning an RCMP investigation of former Speaker of the Legislature Kevin O’Brien,” says a press release from the premier’s office.

O’Brien was charged with possessing alcohol in a dry community in July of 2003, when he was still the MLA for Arviat. He paid a $215 fine in January of 2004, but failed to report the incident.

MLAs are angry about not knowing about it until after the February election, even though O’Brien lost his seat. Okalik did not learn about the fine until April.

Sanders had served with the Government of Nunavut from the beginning. She joined the Office of the Interim Commissioner for Nunavut in 1998 and took up the post of DM on April 1, 1999.