Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

IQALUIT (Mar 08/99) - After being forced to go to a tense second round of voting to determine the final two winners in the race for their first Cabinet, the 19 Nunavut MLAs managed to select their seven-member executive council late Friday afternoon.

When the Legislature sits for the first time on April 1 at 3:30 p.m., Jack Anawak (Rankin Inlet North), James Arvaluk (Nanulik), Donald Havioyak (Kugluktuk), Peter Kilabuk (Pangnirtung), Kelvin Ng (Cambridge Bay), Edward Picco (Iqaluit East) and Manitok Thompson (Rankin Inlet South-Whale Cove) will be sworn in as the members of Nunavut's historic first cabinet.

As part of the political process that was decided last week before the leadership forum kicked off, the government-elect decided that while they would play a role in choosing their Cabinet, Premier-elect Paul Okalik would have final say on who gets what. He is expected to make that announcement early this week.

And while the members of the public spent the weekend guessing which ministers would preside over the 10 available portfolios (the premier assumes the eleventh portfolio by presiding over the department of executive), Okalik had plans to talk to the group of seven behind closed doors.

"We'll have to identify which areas their strengths lie and which areas they're interested in. I want them to be happy in their portfolios," said Okalik.

Anawak declined to comment on which portfolio he was seeking until he spoke with Okalik, but he did comment on the role of the new cabinet.

"The cabinet and the government will have to be very fiscally responsible while, at the same time, being much more of a people-oriented government than in the past. I will ensure that," said Anawak.

Acting interim commissioner Joe Kunuk said all 19 MLAs planned to spend the weekend listening to presentations given by the deputy ministers on the various government departments.