Liberal all the way

Incumbent takes the election in Nunavut

Nunavut results
Nancy Karetak-Lindell  (Lib)	5,119 (68.5%)
Palluq Enuaraq (NDP)	1,391 (18.6%)
Mike Sherman (PC)	625 (8.4%)
Brian Jones (Green)	338(4.5%)
Total Number of Votes	7,473
Registered Voters	13,058
Voter Turnout	57.23%
Number of Polls reporting	44 of 59

Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 27/00) - Nunavummiut shouted yes loud and clear to Nancy Karetak-Lindell Monday night by resoundingly re-electing the incumbent Nunavut MP.

Nancy Karetak-Lindell

Capturing a whopping 68.5 per cent of the vote (5,119 votes), the Liberal incumbent said even she was surprised by the level of support she received from Canada's most northerly electorate.

"It gives me a feeling of being endorsed by the people and it makes my voice feel a lot stronger," said an exhausted Karetak-Lindell, early Tuesday morning. She hopes to parlay that support and her experience of one term in government into more concrete results for the people of Nunavut.

Her success was on par with the Liberal Party across the country. Prime Minister Jean Chretien and his MPs took 173 of the 301 ridings.

NDP candidate Palluq Susan Enuaraq came in second with 1,391 votes (18.61 per cent). While she admitted to being disappointed by the results, she said she was proud of herself.

"I talked to my father and he said you have tried something new. With the amount of votes (I) received, he said he was proud of me," said Enuaraq.

Progressive Conservative candidate Mike Sherman took 625 votes (8.36 per cent) and said the Liberal presence was just too strong to overcome in Nunavut and across the country.

"There was no way we could compete with (Nancy Karetak-Lindell)," said Sherman.

Green Party candidate Brian Jones said he was pleased with the 338 votes (4.52 per cent) he received.

"I didn't think I'd get over 200 votes, so I was surprised," he said.

A total of 13,046 Nunavut voters were registered to mark ballots in Canada's 37th federal election, but many more turned up at the polls and registered on-site.

Final figures were unavailable by Kivalliq News press time, although unofficial numbers showed voter turn-out at 57.23 per cent.

Results from the territory's 48 polls trickled in until 3 a.m. on Nov. 28, although figures from Kingaok (Bathurst Inlet), Umingmaktuuq (Bay Chimo), Coral Harbour and advance polls from Cambridge Bay had not been received by Tuesday morning.

Numbers remain unofficial until all ballot boxes have been sent to chief electoral officer Sandy Kusugak. Validation should be completed by Dec. 4.