Iqaluit (Oct 27/04) - Former Rankin Inlet resident and MLA candidate Jerry Ell is facing six charges after a prolonged armed stand-off in the early morning hours of Oct. 19 in Iqaluit.

Police say they found Ell alone in a house with either a rifle or shotgun after responding to a 4 a.m. call regarding an assault in the capital's White Row district.

The area surrounding the house was cordoned off and a number of surrounding units were evacuated, police say.

Police entered the house and removed Ell after a six-hour negotiation session.

"At a certain point we saw an opportunity to enter the residence and end the incident without serious harm to anybody and we took that opportunity," said RCMP Const. Chris Coles.

Ell has been charged with resisting arrest, as well as one count of disarming a police officer and unsafe storage of a firearm. He also faces two charges of assault and one charge of sexual assault.

Police say Ell was alone in the house, but did not know whether he lives there.

Ell was appointed executive director of the Nunavut Economic Forum this past summer.

Forum vice-president George Bohlender said Ell is currently on leave and a decision as to whether he will remain as the forum's director will be made this week.

In 1999, Ell ran for MLA in Rankin Inlet South-Whale Cove and lost to Manitok Thompson.

Ell sued Thompson in 2001, alleging she cost him a $100,000 development contract for work on the Rankin Inlet Health Centre. The suit was eventually dropped.

Ell ran again in the 2003 territorial election, but lost by 33 votes to Levinia Brown.

Released from custody

Ell has been released from police custody until a Dec. 5 court date in Iqaluit.

A search of court documents in Iqaluit revealed no prior criminal charges against Ell, who could not be reached for comment.