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NUNAVUT
Land claims beneficiaries go to the polls to elect a leader of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated on Dec. 10.

Eleven candidates are in the running for the position of president. Nunavut News/North published interviews with the first eight available contenders in the Nov. 18 edition of the newspaper. Platforms from the remaining three candidates are found below.

Jerry Komaksiutiksak

Komaksiutiksak said he believes, through collaboration and partnerships with interested parties, NTI could implement the land claims agreement a little bit better.

"I would like to be one of the individuals to make a difference on behalf of my fellow beneficiaries," he said.

Originally from Chesterfield Inlet, Komaksiutiksak attended high school in Rankin Inlet then completed the teacher education program in Iqaluit. He taught for seven years - two years in Whale Cove, three years in Rankin Inlet and two years at the Nunavut Sivuniksavut college-preparation program in Ottawa. Komaksiutiksak also worked for First Air's reservation call centre in Ottawa where he still lives. He is currently unemployed.

Various social problems affect the implementation of the agreement, he said, so he wants to ensure those social problems, such as suicide, are dealt with so they can move forward.

Komaksiutiksak said he also wants to create partnerships with government and establish mentorship programs.

Human resources will be an obstacle he'll have to deal with, he added.

Savikataaq Ford

Ford was raised in Rankin Inlet and previously worked at the Ekati Diamond mine near Yellowknife. Still a resident of the western Hudson Bay community, he works as a heavy equipment operator on the 24-km road to Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd's Meliadine gold project.

"I'd like to make a difference," said Ford. "That's what I'm hoping for is more jobs for the Inuit that was promised in the agreement. We haven't really seen that yet so I'm hoping to achieve that."

The father of two, to be married on Dec. 12, said he does not foresee any obvious obstacles to achieve his goals.

Cathy Towtongie

Towtongie, the incumbent, said she's seeking re-election because she has done the work and NTI, under her leadership, has won a court case against the federal government and has managed to get a narwhal tusk export ban withdrawn across a number of communities.

"I was accountable. I cut back the salary of the president and restructured NTI. As a result, NTI has a surplus of $7 million," she said.

Towtongie assumed the NTI presidency in a December 2010 by-election. She also served as the organization's president in 2001 to 2003.

Originally from Coral Harbour and now living in Rankin Inlet, Towtongie has been married for more than 30 years and is the mother to three children and four grandchildren.

She said she has two goals: education and search-and-rescue across the territory.

"We need to prepare Inuit for work when mining industry comes," she said. "Nunavut is not able to adequately carry out search-and-rescues right across."

But the biggest obstacle to achieve her goals, she said, will be to partner with the federal and provincial governments, as well as the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, to improve infrastructure across the territory.

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