Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (July 31/02) - The promise of Nunavut's second territorial-wide election means a minimum of three new jobs will be created in the community of Rankin Inlet.

Even though ballots won't be scratched until at least the fall of 2003, Sandy Kusugak, the territory's chief electoral officer, will be looking to hire three assistants to work with her in the Elections Nunavut office.

That office will be located in Rankin Inlet.

Kusugak will also focus on locating the office space and getting the necessary equipment set up in the months to come.

All personnel, rental and equipment costs will be covered by Elections Nunavut's recently increased budget.

As tabled by Finance Minister Kelvin Ng in the 2002-2003 fiscal plan this spring, Kusugak's office was allotted a budget of $500,000.

That's up from the $72,000 budgeted in the previous fiscal year.

Ng said Kusugak will use the money to prepare for an election no later than March 31, 2004.

"It's for getting the chief electoral officer's office up and established -- basically prepared for an election and any ongoing duties she undertakes," said Ng.

As well as paying for the three additional staff, John Quirke, the clerk of the legislative assembly, said Kusugak will also use the budgeted dollars to complete the office's logo and to pay for the completion and translation of the Nunavut Elections Act.

As for when Nunavummiut can expect to head to the polls, all 19 MLAs are in the process of deciding if they should follow conventions established by the NWT.

If they do, voters will head to the polls next fall.

For more information about the election or the three employment positions, contact Kusugak in Rankin Inlet.