IQALUIT - The CEO of the Nunavut Association of Municipalities (NAM) said there will be "no easy fix" after Premier Paul Okalik was overheard making abusive comments about her at a conference in Goose Bay.

Premier Okalik: "I made a mistake and will not do that again."

"I'm really deeply upset. He censured me professionally and personally," said Lynda Gunn. "And what better message to send about the dysfunction in our territory? He made us look awful."

Okalik apologized to Gunn in writing and on the phone after she and NAM president and Iqaluit mayor Elisapee Sheutiapik circulated letters admonishing him for referring to Gunn as an "f---ing bitch" at Expo Labrador 2007 Conference and Trade Exhibition on June 25.

"I apologized clearly that I made a mistake and will not do that again," he told Nunavut News/North on June 29.

According to Sheutiapik, Okalik made the comments at a dinner hosted by the Government of Nunavut (GN), within earshot of a number of delegates from Newfoundland and Labrador.

"Now if I heard it in the beginning, I'm sure others heard it too," said Sheutiapik.

In her letter to Okalik, Sheutiapik wrote that she believed that Okalik's "irrational behaviour" is due to his frustration with NAM's efforts to ensure that "municipalities will receive a fair share of resource royalty revenues through devolution."

As respective representatives of the municipalities and territory, Sheutiapik and Okalik have previously been at odds over the issue of resource royalties.

"I assured Her Worship in my apology letter to her that I do not view this as an obstacle for our working relations," Okalik said. "I have enjoyed working with Her Worship, and we have too many challenges ahead of us to have this affect us."

In his defense, Okalik said that it had been a "difficult week."

In letters to both Gunn and Sheutiapik, Okalik wrote that his "frustrations with the week came out that evening."

Sheutiapik said they will not be satisfied with his apology until it is made through "all mediums of public information" and before all Nunavut's MLAs.

"How is this fellow going to be able to accurately represent the women of Nunavut if he finds it so easy to disparage women? He shattered my confidence," Sheutiapik said.

Gunn said she will not proceed with any legal action against the premier.

"I just want to ensure he's really sorry," she said.

"I am always held accountable to a higher standard, and I accept that challenge," Okalik said. "From time to time we do make mistakes, and I cannot justify my actions, and do apologize and wish that we can move forward together."