Three candidates for Repulse mayor
Residents to vote in byelection May 12
Miranda Scotland
Northern News Services
Published Monday, May 5, 2014
NAUJAAT/REPULSE BAY
Repulse Bay residents head to the polls next week to determine who will sit in mayor Hugh Haqpi's place.
Three candidates are running in the byelection - Solomon Malliki, Johnny Tongilik and Marcel Mapsalak.
If Tongilik gets elected, it will be his first time serving as mayor or on hamlet council. But he says he's ready for the challenge.
"I want to learn about how to be a mayor," said Tongilik. "It's a new experience for me."
The 36-year-old said one of the main projects he wants tackled is the road that leads out on the land, which residents use to go fishing in the springtime and caribou hunting in the fall.
"It hasn't been completed for years now. I would do that. I would let them work on that road again."
He would also focus on fixing the community's dusty road problem. Perhaps the hamlet could direct workers to cover the roads with water on a regular basis, he suggested.
Mapsalak said he wants to see more heavy duty trucks on the roads, smoothing the potholes out. Another priority, he said, is to get Repulse Bay a new airport terminal.
"The one we have is too small and it gets full of people when they are going out to another settlement," he said.
Mapsalak's brother, MLA Steve Mapsalak, brought up the issue in the legislative assembly last March.
Sometimes the facility gets so full that residents have to wait outside for their flight, Steve told the assembly.
"We are in danger. If something happens in the terminal, people will not be able to rush outside if a problem occurs."
Both Tongilik and Mapsalak said they are concerned about the lack of jobs in the community. The unemployment rate in Repulse Bay was 25 per cent in 2011, according to Statistics Canada.
The candidates said they would try to do what they can to improve job opportunities, but didn't have any specifics yet on how they would go about it.
"I would like to see more young people get their Class 3 driving licence to operate heavy duty trucks for fixing new roads," said Mapsalak. "I'm running for mayor because I want to help people from this community get more of what they need and what they want."
Mapsalak, who was born and raised in Repulse, sat on council a few years ago. He was previously involved with the local hunters and trappers organization.
Tongilik was also born in the community but spent about 15 years living in Kugaaruk. He is a father of two daughters, 12 and eight, and a son, who is 16.
"As mayor, I would let the community know what's going on with hamlet or what they are going to do in the future," he said. "I don't like the radio but if I was elected I would go on (to inform people)."
Nunavut News/North attempted to contact Solomon Malliki, the third candidate, but was unsuccessful.
However, Malliki posted on Facebook a laundry list of items he wants to tackle if elected.
His first order of business, he stated, would be to look at the hamlet's finances and "take action(s) as accordingly."
He also plans to push for smoother trails to hunting grounds, a safe shooting range near the community, safer playgrounds for children, a bigger airport and a boat dock, among other items.
"I have been a resident of Repulse Bay my whole life, and have been actively involved with different companies and organizations that helped me gain some knowledge of how the local government runs," he stated, adding he sat on council for four years. "During this term, if elected, I would be working closely with the hamlet councillors to continue what is already in progress and try to make some progress in the areas (I have outlined)."
Advance polls are May 5 and the byelection is set for May 12.
