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Papatsie focuses on 'working together'
Councillor sheds light on intoxicated airplane incident

Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Monday, October 12, 2015

IQALUIT
One thing city council is clear about the direction Noah Papatsie wants to take Iqaluit should he become mayor. He wants everyone to work together for the betterment of the city.

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Noah Papatsie stands with his seeing eye dog Xeno. Papatsie is running for mayor of Iqaluit in the Oct. 19 municipal election and is focused on bringing people together. - Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

"I've lived here all my life," said Papatsie, who was unavailable for an interview about his mayoral run against incumbent Mayor Mary Wilman and former mayor Madeleine Redfern, both profiled in Nunavut News/North Sept. 21.

"I think I have a chance to give back. I want to help fellow Inuit and people all around."

A lot of issues get left behind because people aren't focused on collaborating to solve them, he said. The words "working together" figured into almost all of his answers.

"We're a capital here and we need to move forward," he said. "We need to set a good example (to the other communities) and lead in this more. Iqaluit is growing and there are a lot of homes that need to be built."

He wants the city to focus on hiring local businesses to do work, tackling homelessness and improving the state of the environment.

A common issue candidates are taking this election is the city's debt and deficit.

"We can privatize some things," said Papatsie. "There are a lot of people living here who don't pay any taxes. I think we need to raise that more. People who are living here need to help more with taxes."

He also suggested taxing people who come to Iqaluit

for meetings.

As a councillor, Papatsie said he contributed a lot to the dump fire issue and worked on a number of committees.

Earlier this year, Papatsie was denied attendance to a Federation of Canadian Municipalities meeting in Edmonton after appearing intoxicated on a plane ride to Ottawa.

Before the flight to Ottawa left, he took anti-nausea medication, he said.

Papatsie said he was overwhelmed at the time with the number of meetings and wanted to meet with fMayor Mary Wilman and Coun. Joanasie Akumalik about what their plans were for the FCM before they got there. They didn't seem responsive to that suggestion, he said.

"I was not feeling great about it and without thinking I just, 'OK, it's past lunch, I'm going to have a drink or two.' Then during my flight the captain explained we were at 37,000 feet, not 34,000 feet. That sort of kicked me off guard."

He said he had "a few drinks" and when the group had supper in Ottawa before the Edmonton flight, he was informed he would not be joining them the rest of the way.

"I wanted to talk and discuss what we were doing," he said. "I got more uncomfortable because I guess they believe I was, I guess you could say intoxicated, but to me I was under medication. I wasn't feeling well, so they decided I should not be going. They were telling me I'm not doing great."

He stayed the night in Ottawa then returned home.

Papatsie has reimbursed the city for his return flight.

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