Chris Windeyer
Northern News Services
Friday, February 19, 2007

IQALUIT - Iqaluit city councillor Mark Boudreau has died.

Boudreau, elected to council in October, died earlier this month, but acting chief administrative officer John Hussey said city hall didn't know much until late Tuesday.

Mark Boudreau

Nothing was said about Boudreau at that night's council meeting.

"We didn't want to base anything on rumour," Hussey said. Boudreau had been undergoing medical treatment for an undisclosed illness, and the cause of death wasn't known Thursday.

Hussey said Boudreau, while enthusiastic about his council work, was typically quiet about his private life.

The city usually sends flowers to the family when a councillor or employee dies, but Hussey said the city hadn't been able to make contact with anyone in Boudreau's case.

Boudreau had only attended a handful of city council meetings since his election in the fall. He worked during the day at the Government of Nunavut's finance department as director of fiscal policy.His listed Iqaluit phone number is out of service.

Co-worker Grant Hipfner, who finished ninth in October's race for eight council seats, said Boudreau was in his mid-50s. Boudreau was quiet about his illness, but continued to work until Feb. 9, Hipfner said.

"He was a good guy to have around and people will miss him," he said.

Hussey said no decision has been made about how to fill Boudreau's council seat.

The city can opt to hold a byelection, keep the seat vacant or appoint Hipfner, who said it was too early to say whether he would seek the seat.