Rankin Inlet (Dec 08/04) - The mayor of Rankin Inlet will guide the community for a second term.

Lorne Kusugak says he was taken completely by surprise when informed he had been acclaimed to carry on as mayor.

Kusugak says he views the acclamation as a sign the community was pleased with hamlet council's effort during his first term.

"The only other way you could look at it is that people are thinking there's no use in running for mayor, so I'd much rather look at the bottle being half full than half empty," says Kusugak.

"I have to look at it that way in order to continue doing my best as the mayor."

Kusugak says creating more employment opportunities for Rankin remains at the top of his priority list -- a message he conveys to Premier Paul Okalik every chance he gets.

"We're still working very hard with the Nunavut government to see a parks office, a heritage centre and/or a correctional facility open here in Rankin.

"In fact, there's been positive discussions around a correctional facility coming to Rankin."

Kusugak says another issue he wants to move forward on is convincing the government to begin construction on the housing units it deemed too expensive this past year.

He says council will continue to push the issue in the new year because homelessness is becoming a real problem in the community.

"It doesn't make sense to have apartments sitting in boxes when we have people sleeping in crates.

"Even if they would just empty the crates, at least some people could use them to build sheds."

Kusugak says while employment and housing are his main areas of concern, he was disappointed to hear Okalik say regional health boards would not be revived in Nunavut.

"It was disheartening, especially after our health minister said there were a lot of positive aspects about the former health boards during a public meeting here.

"But it would be hard to change the minds of the politicians when their leader is saying it is a dead issue."