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NUNAVUT - Three Nunavut candidates launched their campaigns in Iqaluit last week following Prime Minister Stephen Harper's call for a federal election on October 14.

Running in the Nunavut riding is Kirt Ejesiak, who will succeed incumbent MLA Nancy Karetak-Lindell as the Liberal Party candidate. The Conservative candidate is Leona Aglukkaq, the former minister of Health and Social Services and MLA for Nattilik. Paul Irngaut, who works for Nunavut Tunngavik's wildlife department, will represent the NDP.

The federal Conservatives were elected as a minority government in 2006. Prior to the dissolution of Parliament on Sept. 7, the party held 127 of 308 seats, while the Liberals held 95 seats and the NDP had 30 seats.

The Conservatives will need another 28 seats in the upcoming election to form a majority government.

Ejesiak, who was the first of the three to be named as a federal candidate, has been travelling around Nunavut, reaching out to voters during the past year and a half.

A graduate of Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, he holds a masters degree in public administration and has experience working with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.

Ejesiak has previously served as chief of staff and principal secretary to Premier Paul Okalik as well as deputy mayor for the City of Iqaluit.

"I feel that this is a natural step," he said following last week's election call. "I've waited all my life to run as an MP. It's something that has always been in the back of my mind and I think it's time we had a strong voice in Ottawa."

Born and raised in Iqaluit, Ejesiak has made housing and poverty the central issues of his campaign.

"We have so many issues that need to be addressed immediately," he said. "I think everyone knows the cost of living is increasing every year and that's something I want to work hard to ensure we address."

Housing and basic needs were also on Paul Irngaut's agenda last Thursday afternoon. A candidate since February, he has long been a supporter of the NDP.

"We have to have more emphasis on the working people because your family comes first," he said. "What motivated me (to run) is that we're not getting any representation in Ottawa ... I realize that the people that we elect always seem to tow the party line when they're in office.

"We can take the example of housing. When the Liberals were in, they cut out funding for housing in Nunavut and we're still seeing the effects today."

Born in Iglulik, Irngaut has been living in Iqaluit for nearly 19 years. He served as an executive liaison for Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. in 2000 before moving to NTI's wildlife department. Most recently, his work has involved the protection of Inuit rights and values as reflected in the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. Earlier in his career, he spent 10 years as a journalist with CBC.

"I think my strong point is communications," said Irngaut. "I've been in communications a long time and you have to talk to your people, even if it means just making regular phone calls to each community."

The last of the three candidates to be named, Aglukkaq made the announcement that she was running in the federal election last Wednesday at the legislature. By 5 p.m. that afternoon, she had stepped down as an executive council member.

She was elected as MLA for Nattilik in 2004. In addition to her role as minister of Heath and Social Services, she has been the deputy minister for Culture, Language, Elders and Youth and has served as a councillor for Cambridge Bay.

"It's an area I have been thinking about for some time," said Aglukkaq, explaining her reasons for running. "This next step is a progressive step for me ... and when I was asked, I seriously considered it."

Economic development, particularly within the mining sector, was at the top of the agenda for the Conservative candidate.

"(The) agenda that we face here after ... creating a government was to then develop Nunavut territory to its full potential," said Aglukkaq," and the full potential of the territory revolves around that whole area of mining sector development, devolution agreement, resources and sharing.

"We've all seen the Inuit organizations over the last few years. They have been pushing, pushing development, you know, through their discussions with mining sectors ... and the Conservative Party agenda meets that agenda."

With news of the election, Nunavummiut talked about the issues that they would like the candidates to focus on leading up to the election. Samantha Eecheak of Arctic Bay, has been on the waiting list for housing for almost three years. She and her baby have been sharing a house with eight other family members.

"Housing," she said. "It feels like they need to get more housing because most of us have been on the waiting list for housing so many years."

George Angohiatok Sr. of Cambridge Bay agrees. While the housing situation seems to be improving in the community, there are people who have been on the waiting list for several years.

But for Angohiatok, health care is his main concern.

"Health and social services, I guess, is number one," he said. "I'd like to see them improve our health standards. It's frustrating when a family member or oneself gets sick. We can't get into the health centre immediately for a check up. We have to make an appointment and wait in line for a few days."

Likewise, Karen Angalik of Arviat would like to see improvements to health care given the community is without a resident doctor.

"We don't have resident doctors here, family doctors," she said. "We go down to Manitoba."