Joe Savikataaq sets sights on return as Nunavut premier as election day approaches

Nunavut residents go to the polls Oct. 25 to elect new members to their legislative assembly.

But there will be no election in the constituency of South Arviat. That's because Joe Savikataaq, the outgoing premier, was acclaimed to his seat Sept. 20 when the deadline for declarations of candidacy closed. Savikataaq said he was "pleasantly"surprised about the acclamation.

He said he considers this to be a vote of confidence for his being a "good MLA."

"It shows people are happy with my performance,"Savikataaq said. His acclamation as MLA for Arviat South is moreover "the first hurdle"passed on the way to leading Nunavut again as premier.

Savikataaq said he's going to run again for premier and that he's the only one among the 58 candidates with experience in the role.

There are no parties in Nunavut's consensus government. Instead, all MLAs run as Independent candidates. After the election, the premier and cabinet are selected from among the MLAs in a secret ballot during a special leadership forum.

Savikataaq was elected to serve on the executive council during the 2017 Nunavut Leadership Forum.After the territory's premier Paul Quassa was ousted in June 2018, Savikataaq was elected Nunavut's fifth premier and continued on as Minister of the Environment.

Savikataaqdescribes himself asconsistent, hardworking and a Nunavummiut. Due to the acclamation, Savikataaq has not been campaigning. There are no posters, no buttons or pamphlets being distributed in the community of about 3,000 where Arviat's other MLA John Main was also acclaimed, Savikataaq said.

That's not to say Arviat voters don't like to cast ballots: the voter turnout in the 2017 election was 81.2 per cent in Savikataaq's riding the highest percentage in Nunavut.

Still out and about

But this year, the lack of an election comes as a bit of a relief to residents, Savikataaq said. The community suffered Nunavut's largest outbreak of COVID-19 of the pandemic to date,with 339 cases, including one death, over a six month period.

Despite his acclamation, Savikataaq said he's still out and about talking and listening to people.

"That's what I have been doing for the past eight years. I listen to them,"he said. The main issue locally is housing, with the list for public housing at about 200. After that the main issue is the lack of jobs.

"It's just that the population is growing. That's because there are few jobs in Arviat for people who want to get into the workforce," he said. "We're not in a good situation."

Arviat is known for its high birth rates and young population with an average age of 25 (50 per cent of people are under 15 years old).Housing is also a big priority throughout the territory, he said, and would be one of his focuses if re-elected premier.