Victorious Okalik issues call for unity

After fending off a powerful challenge from Tagak Curley, Paul Okalik began his second term as Nunavut premier last Friday with a traditional call for unity and co-operation.

“I’d like to thank Tagak for making me sweat,” Okalik told his fellow MLAs moments after Jobie Nutarak, the assembly’s new speaker, announced their choice at around 3:15 p.m. March 5.

As in the past, members voted by secret ballot and did not release final vote numbers. After a moment of confusion, when an interpreter mistakenly said, in English, “it’s a tie,” it was clear that Okalik had won.

After a round of bear-hugs and handshakes with MLAs, Okalik praised Curley several times in a brief scrum with reporters.

“We represent people in all of Nunavut and we have to find ways of working together and I look forward to working with Mr. Curley. He has done great work for the territory in the past and he can do a lot more work for us,” Okalik said.

Curley, 60, will not sit in Okalik’s cabinet. After Amittuq MLA Louis Tarpardjuk nominated him for a cabinet job, Curley declined.

He said in a brief interview with Nunatsiaq News afterwards that he will act as a “watchdog” within the regular members’ caucus.

“Inuit language and culture will no longer be taken for granted,” he said. “We will be the watchdog from the other side, those of us who advocate for strong culture and identity, in terms of this government.”

Though he said that the battle for premier won’t affect the unity of the government, Curley promised he would introduce a motion to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

“That will be the debate,” he said. “That will come.”

For his part, Okalik said his position on the human rights law remains unchanged.

“I ran on my record and my record included the Human Rights Act. The majority of our members support that, and I will continue to support all human beings in our territory,” Okalik told reporters.

Nunavut’s 19 MLAs gathered in the assembly chambers March 5 to pick a speaker, premier and cabinet, in a “leadership forum” broadcast live across Nunavut on CBC radio and APTN’s north-of-60 television feed.

Okalik, who was nominated for premier by his old friend, Kugluktuk MLA Joe Allen Evyagotailak, becomes the first person in territorial history to serve two terms as premier.

Evyagotailak, who represents Nunavut’s westernmost constituency, said in an interview afterwards that he and Okalik have known each other for nearly 20 years.

“I worked with Paul when they were setting the boundaries for Nunavut,” Evyagotailak said.

Keith Peterson, the new MLA for Cambridge Bay, said MLAs did not vote in regional blocs, but as representatives for all of Nunavut.

When MLAs gathered at 10 a.m. Friday, Iqaluit Centre MLA Hunter Tootoo nominated Jobie Nutarak as speaker. After no other names were put forward, he was quickly acclaimed. Nutarak put on a traditional display of reluctance as Tootoo dragged him up to the speakers’ throne.

Nutarak then presided over a grueling, four-hour bearpit session broken only by a 60-minute lunch break. Each premiership candidate spoke for 20 minutes, fielding three questions from each of the 16 remaining MLAs.

Though their questions ranged through every imaginable political and social issue, no MLA asked any questions about Nunavut’s Human Rights Act and its protection of gays and lesbians against discrimination.

Peterson, who took extensive notes, said the experience “was like serving on a jury.”

Lavinia Brown, the new MLA for Rankin Inlet South-Whale Cove, said she was impressed by both candidates and their depth of knowledge.

“It was hard work… But I think we’re going to be united,” Brown said.

That desire for unity was echoed by most other MLAs, who played down the importance of regionalism.

“All the government has to work together,” said South Baffin MLA Olayuk Akesuk. “Either way I would have been happy. They’re both good leaders.”

Saying that Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit was a “major theme,” Okalik suggested that the government will do more to put an Inuit face on the government.

“I look forward to working with Mr. Curley along with all members to find the best solutions with our challenges in terms of making sure that our government is more responsive to Inuit and Inuktitut. I think he made some good points and I look forward to working with him.”

He also said Nunavut’s economy will be a big priority for the next assembly, along with curriculum development for the school system, a new education act, and housing.

With files from Greg Younger-Lewis and Jane George.