Say what? Nunavut’s most talkative MLAs and least-discussed communities
John Main was the most active speaker in the sixth legislative assembly
Premier John Main, who served as health minister in the last government, was the sixth assembly’s chattiest MLA. (File photo by Mélanie Ritchot)
This story is the first in a series about Nunavut’s sixth legislative assembly through an analysis of Hansard, the official record of debate in the legislature. Stay tuned for more stories covering the previous government’s most-discussed issues.
Nunavummiut outside regional centres often feel they are forgotten by their territorial government.
Resolute Bay was mentioned fewer than 100 times in four years of the Nunavut legislative assembly. (Created by Arty Sarkisian)
“Out of sight, out of mind,” Kugluktuk resident Paul Murphy recently said, describing his community’s relationship with the Nunavut government.
“We have always been black sheep,” said Sanikiluaq teacher Johnassie Kudluarok.
“They even cut us out of different maps of Nunavut.”
Some MLAs agree.
“The smaller communities are neglected,” Joanna Quassa, former Igloolik MLA, told the assembly in March 2024.
One reason is that some MLAs — whose job it is to raise local issues at the territorial level — represent several communities at the same time, former Uqqummiut MLA Mary Killiktee told Nunatsiaq News in October.
Her riding encompassed both her home community of Qikiqtarjuaq and Clyde River, a community Killiktee said she was a “stranger” to.
“They have felt that they’ve been neglected,” she said of the people of Clyde River.
However, during the four years of the sixth legislative assembly, Clyde River was brought up — mostly by Killiktee — at least 572 times while Qikiqtarjuaq got 520 mentions, according to transcripts, commonly referred to as Hansard.
As a new crop of MLAs prepare to gather in Iqaluit for the first sitting of the seventh legislative assembly, scheduled to start March 5, Nunatsiaq News looked through 145 Hansard documents covering the four years of the previous group of Nunavut legislators to find the least-mentioned hamlets and the most-talkative MLAs.
The territory’s 25 communities are represented by 22 MLAs. Four of them are responsible for different parts of Iqaluit, making the capital the most talked-about community in the sixth legislative assembly with at least 4,565 mentions.
That’s twice as much as the second-largest hamlet, Rankin Inlet, which is represented by two MLAs.
By contrast, Resolute Bay was brought up just 96 times in four years, making it the least-mentioned community.
David Akeeagok, who is still an MLA but now represents Iqaluit-Niaqunnguu, represented Resolute Bay in the sixth assembly. His former riding, Quttiktuq, encompasses Resolute Bay and two other communities — Grise Fiord and Arctic Bay.
Nunavut’s consensus government structure plays into how much airtime each community gets.
In consensus government, as many as eight MLAs form the cabinet. They’re responsible for a range of portfolios including health, infrastructure, human resources and the environment.
Regular MLAs are given time to make statements and question ministers. The ministers generally provide updates on their departments and are on deck to answer questions.
The premier, meanwhile, is an MLA representing a riding in the assembly like everybody else and is also responsible for advocating for the entire territory at national and international levels. The job took former premier (and Iqaluit-Niaqunnguu MLA) P.J. Akeeagok on trips outside of the territory to places as far off as Washington D.C.
“The smaller communities [are] normally neglected in Nunavut compared to the larger centres,” Solomon Malliki, a former MLA for Coral Harbour and Naujaat, told the assembly in October 2024.
According to Hansard, Malliki was one of the more talkative regular MLAs — only behind former Arviat South MLA Joe Savikataaq and MLA Janet Pitsiulaaq Brewster, who still represents Iqaluit-Sinaa but is now also health minister.
Savikataaq made statements, asked questions and follow-ups, and brought motions to the floor 4,700 times over four years.
That’s two and a half times more than former premier P.J. Akeeagok, who spoke 1,568 times. He was the assembly’s most silent member in those four years, according to Hansard.
His successor as premier, Arviat-North MLA John Main, was the most active speaker.
Main served in the previous government as health minister and minister responsible for Qulliq Energy Corp.
His name was mentioned on average 60 times each day the assembly was sitting, likely because MLAs’ most common concerns tended to involve access to health care and reliable power.
“I apologize to my colleagues if you’re tired of hearing me talk,” Main told his colleagues in November 2023 after being questioned by five different MLAs in one day.
Nunavut Premier and former health minister John Main was the most active speaker among the MLAs of the sixth assembly. (Created by Arty Sarkisian)
I’m really glad about our utilities, we’re not on water and sewer tanks. Most people are working. I think we are called the module community.
Model*
Yes, I stand corrected model community. Thank you
It’s all about Iqaluit should just call it Govt of Iqaluit
Southern bureaucrats who have only ever experienced Iqaluit in the comfort of their cliques making decisions for the whole Territory.
“This story is the first in a series about Nunavut’s sixth legislative assembly through an analysis of Hansard, the official record of debate in the legislature. Stay tuned for more stories covering the previous government’s most-discussed issues.
Nunavummiut outside regional centres often feel they are forgotten by their territorial government.”
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This is an article about the elected representatives of Nunavut, not southern bureaucrats,
Yes we know what this article says but we also know what is wrong with our GN., the process in place at the GN has control over the MLAs and this is where arcticrick has it right, the bureaucrats have control of the agenda, the process, how things at the GN will be discus and done. MLAs are just puppets that have to follow the GN process and it’s pretty much scripted.
It’s probably safe to say most Nunavummiut are tired of the talk regardless of who it came from. Here is an idea for the next 4 years. Try action and results for a change!
Agreed!
No more aspirational mandates that get us nowhere. They are worse than useless.
Instead, Nunavut needs goals and plans that will get us to the achievement of those goals.
Anything less is a waste of time, money and effort.
How have conditions improved in Nunavut during the past 25 years?
Is the rate of TB any less?
Is the rate of high school completion any higher?
Are the housing wait-lists shorter?
Is the suicide rate lower?
Is the crime rate lower?
Has the proportion of Inuktitut speaking teachers increased?
Has the availability of building lots increased?
Are the caribou herds more numerous?
Has the percentage of Inuit doctors, nurses and engineers increased in Nunavut?
Has the incidence of smoking, drinking, drug use, crime, or gambling deminished?
Has the use of Inuktitut increased in Nunavut?
Are fewer Nunavummiut homeless now?
“Don’t worry, ATCO will fix it”
Yes, you work for me.
Isn’t this the 7th Assembly?
I agree, smaller communities are neglected by the government of Nunavut.
Our needs are ignored, far worst is that our own former MLA Manitok Bruce Thompson acted like which community is part of which region. This clearly shows that our own leader have always wanted to exclude smaller and further communities.
I know for sure this will to be posted because our voice don’t matter.
AI counting at its finest from the NNA, Interesting article about nothing…….
John Main don’t even help the community. If you go to Arviat and do a public inquiry and you will hear people are being ask about problems with the health professionals they treated Inuit. There is really need investigation with MLAs in Arviat. And John Main is just making Government of Nunavut corruption to Inuit. Look at the last two Premiers and the legislation in iqaluit. And legal aid in Arviat there is got to be investigation with them. That’s why I’m Nunavut community justice are going down because Arviat has nothing. And there is three people have been lost their lives because of RCMP. Two of them white people were found right away but the Inuit is still missing and Police are not doing anything. Hope justice will come soon to every Government workplaces to review how they have been working. Pretenders.
What people are being asked? What specifically is corrupt? seems like a whole lot of key board hero here and no facts. Why dont you run for MLA?
John Main is the MLA for Arviat North and Whale Cove, and I understand why people are frustrated. He seems most visible during election time, which is disappointing for someone who knows firsthand what each community needs.
Yes, it’s good that a facility is opening to build homes in Arviat, progress is always welcome. But what has truly been done for infrastructure and job creation in Whale Cove?
The water plant was already part of a five-year plan before he ran. Arctic College was already established. The feasibility study for the new terminal was also in place before he became MLA. These weren’t new initiatives started under his leadership.
The one thing the community has had for many years is the fish plant, and that’s been around long before him too.
John Main has now been Premier for a while, but Whale Cove still doesn’t have a proper constituent assistant. That makes it harder for people here to get help, ask questions, or have someone local they can turn to.
So the question many of us are asking is: what has actually changed? What new investments or long-term developments has he brought forward specifically for Whale Cove?
Leadership isn’t just about being present during elections or community BBQs, it’s about consistent visibility, advocacy, and measurable results for the people you represent.
At least he’s not only about travelling internationally and into into photo ops! Imagine if the opponent took seat instead, what a disaster it would be as the former premier would be behind nonofit!
Its not about “All Iqaluit”.
In Iqaluit, our MLAs are all Ministers: Gwen, David, Janet and Hicks. They dont communicate with us because of thier position.
We dont have even have a Community Hall like other communities. We may have the infrastruce, but it a big NIL with our MLAs and thier help. I think our MLAs are also not allowed to have faccebook, or most MLAs.
I was hoping that the new MLAas would think “Inuktitut”, and make decisions based on the IQ principles but I think the DMs dont know how. Is even an Inuk DM?
I wish we had the same dialogue with our MLAs like the other comunnities do.
Sigh!
Wrong, because your mla’s are all Ministers they have more control and decisions for all of Nunavut but that tents to be for Iqaluit, these Ministers will not travel and hold consultations in the communities, your ministers will work with GN bureaucrats while our MLAs are alone trying to voice our concerns that fall on deaf ears.