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KUGLUKTUK/COPPERMINE - Kugluktuk's MLA Joe Allen Evyagotailak has resigned his seat with the hopes of continuing public life at the regional level.

Evyagotailak stepped down last Thursday in order to pursue the presidency of the Kitikmeot Inuit Association - a role which he served before being elected to office in 2004.

"I still want to continue helping out our other communities in the region," Evyagotailak said on Friday afternoon. "I've known a lot of people and I've always liked to work with other regions too. (This is) the best way to do it."

The former MLA considered running for the KIA presidency back in March, but decided to stay on as MLA at the time. With the election for a new president coming up on Sept. 22, Evyagotailak was asked if he would consider running again.

"A couple of board of directors of KIA had approached me if I was still interested in running and one of them mentioned that they need an Inuktitut speaking person as a leader," he said.

"I would like to see my old friends from other communities and the old board members, and also, I wanted to work a little closer to home."

Evyagotailak apologized to his constituents for stepping down, but remains proud of his accomplishments as their representative these past four years.

"My father mentioned before he passed away to help my people out, to help the communities out, and to help the Inuit and whoever is in the community, and that's what I've been doing all my life - that's my profession," he said. "I have learned a lot since I've been with the Nunavut government. It's a good learning thing because once you do something like that, you'll never stop educating yourself."

Legislative assembly clerk John Quirke announced on Friday that there will not be a byelection for the Kugluktuk seat as the territorial general election has been called for Oct. 27.