IQALUIT
With four fresh faces, the city's new council members appear optimistic about the future.

Megan Pizzo-Lyall, 27, is the youngest member on Iqaluit's new city council and also garnered the second-most votes in the election, lower only than incumbent Coun. Romeyn Stevenson. Pizzo-Lyall said she feels there are huge expectations on her to perform in her new role. - Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo Iqaluit Election results Councilor results: Candidate/ Votes Elected: Romeyn Stevenson* 1,372 Megan Pizzo-Lyall* 1,333 Joanasie Akumalik* 1,250 Terry Dobbin* 1,209 Kuthula Matshazi* 1,189 Jason Rochon* 1,187 Gideonie Joamie* 1,155 Simon Nattaq* 969 Not elected: Lynda Gunn 951 Education authority results Elected: Lana Dawiskiba* 996 Douglas Workman* 986 Sherene Gissing* 977 Andrea Witzaney-Chown* 955 Pascal MacLellan* 951 Alden Williams* 942 Not elected: Randy Pittman 764 Bryan Drachenberg 501 Source: Returning officer

Incumbent Coun. Romeyn Stevenson led vote getters in Oct. 19's election, while Coun. Joanasie Akumalik, Coun. Terry Dobbin and Coun. Simon Nattaq are back for another term.

New to council are Megan Pizzo-Lyall, Jason Rochon, Kuthula Matshazi and Gideonie Joamie.

"I was stunned by the amount of support the voters showed me," said Pizzo-Lyall, 27, who garnered the second-most votes in the election last week. "It's overwhelming."

She said people showed trust in her to handle the issues she raised in the campaign.

"It's important to have more communication and that's going to be one of my stronger pushes," said Pizzo-Lyall. "We have to make sure we hold our council, our mayor and our administration accountable. I think people really believed in that."

Speculating on why she received so many votes, Pizzo-Lyall said a lot of people can relate to her since she's Inuk.

"I'm going to experience the learning curve," she said. "I'm going to have to educate myself further."

She looks forward to the first strategic planning session and said she feels huge expectations put on her by voters.

"I don't want to let them down," she said. "I want to make sure that they're heard. I'm really looking forward to doing that. I have faith in myself and I'm grateful to those people who have faith in me too."

Dobbin, back for a second term, congratulated past and present councillors and said the city has a strong team.

"We've got a competent mayor, a very intelligent, outspoken mayor, and I think going forward I'm very optimistic about it," he said.

He sees himself as the aquatic centre watchdog.

"With regards to the aquatic centre, it's basically a done deal, but we need somebody on council to watch the spending to make sure it doesn't balloon out of control," said Dobbin.

He said he feels in sync with a lot of people in Iqaluit with regard to making infrastructure a main priority and not cutting back on essential services.

"I found previously we were just putting out one fire after another," said Dobbin about the last three years.

"We just had no time to make policies. We were coming up against hurdle after hurdle. There was a lot of bickering. Hopefully that'll be resolved."

Past councillor Lynda Gunn was the only candidate not to make the cut. She received 18 fewer votes than Nattaq.

"I'm very happy to see Madeleine Redfern in as our new mayor," stated Gunn in an e-mail.

She thanked the 951 people who voted for her, but said she felt she let them down by not running a formal campaign.

"For the most part, we have good, strong candidates in place and it is exciting to see new young persons in there such as Megan and Jason," stated Gunn.

"I wish them well as I know they've got a very challenging journey ahead of them."

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