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KIVALLIQ - The winds of change swept across the Kivalliq region this past week as four new MLAs were elected.

Among the new faces are Lorne Kusugak in Rankin Inlet South/Whale Cove, Daniel Shewchuk in Arviat, Johnny Ningeongan in Nanulik and Moses Aupaluktaq in Baker Lake.

A steady stream of people was on hand at a special salon set up in the Siniktarvik Hotel by Elections Nunavut to post results as soon as they came in during the Nunavut territorial election this past week. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

Tagak Curley will be the only Kivalliq MLA to return to Iqaluit after being acclaimed in Rankin North.

Shewchuk, 48, said while there were a number of reasons why he decided to seek the MLA position, the most prominent was the solid backing he had from the local business community.

He said he cares deeply for Arviat and jumped at the opportunity to try and make a difference.

"Education and health care are huge issues in Arviat and I'm interested in getting a full-time doctor here to support our nurses," said Shewchuk.

"I'm going to Iqaluit with an open mind and I'm talking to my constituents as to how they want me to proceed with things."

Another priority for Arviat is to improve its airport by lengthening the runway and offering fuel services.

Shewchuk said such improvement may lead to attracting more competition for airline services in Arviat.

He said with improved infrastructure, the community may also be able to entice more companies into using Arviat as their base of operations.

"Improving our airport facility would open doors for a whole lot of people.

"I visited every house in Arviat to promote my ideas with a hunter friend of mine who helped me with translations.

"The support I had from my campaign team was phenomenal during the election.

"Jonathan Pameolik was my campaign manager and Ryan St. John was my financial officer, and they both did outstanding jobs."

Johnny Ningeongan, 58, defeated incumbent Patterk Netser to take the Nunaulik riding of Coral Harbour and Chesterfield inlet.

A former 10-year mayor of Coral over two terms, he said he felt the time was right to take a run at being MLA.

Ningeongan said he had enough knowledge of what's been going on in Nanulik and across the Kivalliq to be effective, so he put his name forward.

He said Coral and Chester haven't been successful when it comes to having their past MLAs stay at home.

"They've always ended up living in Yellowknife, back in the days of the NWT, or Iqaluit, so I felt it was time for a Naunulk MLA to actually live in one of our communities so the little guys can be heard," said Ningeongan.

"When I visited Chester and spoke in my community, I stated publicly that it's time we had an MLA who's actually going to be living amongst us.

"That's the only way to understand the hardships we go through on a daily basis in Nanulik, and then you can go to Iqaluit to relay the small community viewpoint on issues that are so important these days, like the price of gas and power.

"So, I owe it to the people who elected me to do that and not walk away from what I was saying while I was campaigning."

Moses Aupaluktuq, 39, toppled incumbent David Simailak to capture the Baker Lake riding.

He said he decided to enter the race because people in his community wanted a different approach to accessing government services.

He said there have been a lot of social changes in Baker with the way the community has been expanding.

"People want to see bigger and better things here such as a health centre and a day care," said Aupaluktuq.

"I really felt the people of Baker Lake were ready to vote for someone who offered a different approach to getting things done."

Aupaluktuq said many people were taking the time to speak with each candidate leading up to this election.

He said a number who spoke with him indicated they wanted to see an increase in programs to help preserve Inuit culture and language as well as enhancing things like health-care service.

"The one thing I am going to do during my first term is to be very informative with the community and make sure I provide the people with frequent updates as to whatever happenings are going on.

"We're all heading in the same direction as far as our concern for social and economic development as well as the need for bigger and better services.

"As Canadian citizens we should have quality services, not just basic essential services, and that's what many people are looking for, especially in a community that's expanding as quickly as Baker.

"This MLA position belongs to the people of Baker Lake, so, essentially, whoever is in this position has to be accountable to the people of this community."