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KINNGAIT/CAPE DORSET
South Baffin MLA Fred Schell has been stripped of all his ministerial portfolios, the premier announced on Sunday.

Fred Schell: accused of conflict of interest, has lost his cabinet post. - NNSL file photo

Premier Eva Aariak made the move after she said territorial government officials informed her that Schell had acted in a "conflict of interest and abused his authority as minister."

"To hold ministerial portfolios in the executive council is a position of utmost trust and privilege, and it is my responsibility to ensure the executive council is held to the highest standard," stated Aariak in a press release. "At the discretion of full caucus, Schell will continue to sit on the executive council. His portfolios have been reassigned."

Schell, who joined cabinet on Sept. 28, 2011, was the minister of human resources and minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation, homelessness and the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission.

Kugluktuk MLA Peter Taptuna will now be responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation and homelessness while Arviat MLA Daniel Shewchuk is the new human resources minister. Lorne Kusugak, the MLA for Rankin Inlet South-Whale Cove, is the new minister responsible for the Workers' Safety and Compensation Board.

Last fall, integrity commissioner Norman Pickell found Schell guilty of violating Nunavut's Integrity Act, saying Schell wrote an "intimidating e-mail" to "influence" a government employee in June 2009 regarding a contract between Polar Supplies, his company, and the Hamlet of Cape Dorset. Polar Supplies was later put into blind trust in January 2010. Schell was accused of four breaches of the act but was found not guilty of three of the counts. The legislative assembly fined Schell $1,000 for the violation.

Schell could not be reached for comment.

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