Western Nunavut hub re-elects its mayor

Pamela Hakongak Gross is the newly re-elected mayor of Cambridge Bay, Elections Nunavut announced early on Tuesday, Oct. 29.

“Quana to our beautiful community and your faith in me to serve as mayor. I’d like to thank you all for your support,” Gross said in a message posted at about 2:30 a.m. mountain time.

Gross won with 299 votes, or roughly 53 per cent of the 569 votes cast. Wayne Gregory received 249 votes, or about 47 per cent of the votes cast. Seven ballots were destroyed, Elections Nunavut said.

“I’d like to thank Wayne Gregory for putting his name in and giving us this democratic right of choice. It was a close election. Wayne, may you continue to serve our community in the various roles you hold,” Gross said.

Early voting in the western Nunavut hub had drawn more than 427 voters of the 1,034 on the voters’ list.

On election day, Oct. 28, the vote was close, with 70 casting votes for Gross, and 71 voting for Gregory.

“We have some key things to look forward to such as a new arena-multiplex, nine-bay garage, incinerator, greenhouse, improved roads and walking trails and mental health and wellness programs,” Gross said in a statement posted on social media shortly before the municipal election.

At an Oct. 16 forum for the candidates in the municipal election, Gross, who is also the executive director of the Pitquhirnikkut Ilihautiniq/Kitikmeot Heritage Society, spoke her opening words in Inuinnaqtun.

Gross said she had arrived back in Cambridge Bay six years ago, after spending her childhood mainly in the Northwest Territories and then in Ottawa for post-secondary studies at Nunavut Sivuniksavut and Carleton University.

Before the election, Gross had urged everyone in the community of about 1,800 to vote.

Gross, who lost the last territorial election to Jeannie Ehaloak in November 2017, was elected mayor of Cambridge Bay on Dec. 11, 2017.

Among the 11 municipal councillor hopefuls who contended for eight council seats, the following were elected, according to Elections Nunavut:

• Derek Elias: 426 votes
• Angulalik Pedersen: 412 votes
• Jenna Kamingoak: 377 votes
• Savanna Moore: 375 votes
• Candice Pedersen: 375 votes
• Sandi Gillis: 375 votes
• Susie Kemukton: 361 votes
• Wilfred Wilcox: 337 votes

All candidates for the local district education authority won by acclamation:

• Alan Sim
• Angela Gerbrandt
• Athlyne Etienne
• Brenda Sitatak
• Christopher Crooks
• Jeannie Evalik
• Pam Langan