Taptuna will not seek re-election
Election race kicks off as Taptuna, Peterson retire from office;
72 candidates aim for legislative assembly
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Monday, October 2, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Premier Peter Taptuna is not seeking re-election Oct. 30. In a phone interview with Nunavut News/North in August, Taptuna was uncertain whether he would run again.
Peter Taptuna led Nunavut's Fourth Legislative Assembly as premier from November 15, 2013 to September 24, 2017. - |
"My boss hasn't decided yet," he said, referring to his wife Joanne. "Our 40th anniversary is coming up in January and I do have to take full consideration of her wishes at this point. We have to see what we're going to be doing."
In a statement released after the close of the declaration period Sept. 29, Taptuna said he was not seeking re-election and that it had been a difficult family decision.
"It has been a great honour to serve Nunavummiut for the last nine years as minister and then as premier," he said.
"I encourage the next government to continue to step forward together with strong resolve, and to provide Nunavummiut with a clear long-term vision for our vibrant, resilient territory."
Keith Peterson, MLA for Cambridge Bay since 2004 and finance minister since 2008, also declined to run again.
The remaining MLAs, except Aivilik's Steve Mapsalak, are now election hopefuls.
Of 72 candidates, 17 are women.
In 1997, Nunavummiut voted "no" in a gender-parity plebiscite. Had Nunavummiut voted in favour, the Government of Nunavut would have been the first legislated gender-equal government in the world, with voters casting ballots for one male and one female for each constituency.
