Richard Bargen received his termination notice Friday.
"I don't know what triggered it," said Bargen from his Iqaluit home on Saturday. "It was kind of a strange letter."
The dismissal notice, signed by David Ramsden, deputy minister of Health, indicated he was not fired because of his actions to introduce a smoking ban but for his inability to get along with Baffin Health Board officials, Bargen said.
The Baffin board suspended Bargen for nearly two weeks after he took it upon himself in August to ban smoking in all public places by Jan. 1.
The board said he acted beyond his powers and didn't consult the board about the resolution.
"Leave it to say he is no longer working for us effective yesterday," Pat Kermeen, chief executive officer of the Baffin Health Board, said Saturday.
She would not give details on why Bargen was let go. "I think he can share all that with you," Kermeen said.
Meanwhile, the Baffin and Keewatin health boards have agreed to an alternative plan for a smoke-free Eastern Arctic.
The regions will now consult with the residents of the Eastern Arctic about smoke-free issues.
Both regions will introduce smoking education and cessation programs, creating smoke-free public areas and eventually having smoke-free hamlets.
Despite losing his job, Bargen figures he did a good job during his two-year tenure.
"We've done more programs in the last two years than they've probably done in the last decade."