2017 Nunavut general election explained
| Election Name: | 2017 Nunavut general election |
| Country: | Nunavut |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2013 Nunavut general election |
| Previous Year: | 2013 |
| Election Date: | October 30, 2017 |
| Next Election: | 2021 Nunavut general election |
| Next Year: | 2021 |
| Seats For Election: | 22 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut |
| Turnout: | 63.3%[1] (7.0pp) |
| Premier |
| Before Election: | Peter Taptuna |
| Posttitle: | Premier after election |
| After Election: | Paul Quassa |
The 2017 Nunavut general election was held on October 30, 2017 to return the members of the 5th Nunavut Legislature.[2] The fifth general election held since the creation of the territory in 1999, it was the first election held under Nunavut's new fixed election dates law, which requires elections to be held no more than four years after the prior election.[3]
Unlike most federal or provincial elections in Canada, elections to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut are conducted on a non-partisan consensus government model, in which all candidates run as independents rather than being nominated by political parties. The premier and executive council are then selected internally by the MLAs at the first special sitting of the legislature.
Candidates
As of the close of nominations on September 29, 2017, three MLAs, Steve Mapsalak, Keith Peterson and Premier Peter Taptuna were the only incumbents not running again.[4] One district, Kugluktuk, saw only one candidate register by the close of nominations; that candidate, Mila Adjukak Kamingoak, was immediately declared as acclaimed to office.[5]
In one district, Cambridge Bay, formal declaration of the winner was not made until November 5, with the initial results undergoing an automatic recount due to a margin of less than two per cent between the top two finishers.[6] The recount confirmed that the original count was correct.[7]
Followup
A record number of women were elected to the legislature;[8] in addition to Kamingoak's acclamation, four more women were declared elected on election night, and a woman won the recount in Cambridge Bay.[8] These six women, representing 27 per cent of the legislature, represent the first time in the territory's history that it has ranked higher than last or second-last among Canada's provinces and territories for female membership in the legislature.
Following the election, only three of the eight incumbent cabinet ministers had been reelected: three were defeated and two, including Premier Peter Taptuna, chose not to run again. Overall, half of the legislature's 22 incumbents were reelected.
On November 17, 2017, the Nunavut Leadership Forum convened in Iqaluit to choose the next premier. MLAs Joe Savikataaq, Cathy Towtongie, Patterk Netser, and Paul Quassa put their names forward; ultimately, Quassa was elected premier, and Joe Enook was chosen as Speaker. The Executive Council was to consist of David Akeeagok, Pat Angnakak, Jeannie Ehaloak, David Joanasie, Lorne Kusugak, Savikataaq, and Elisapee Sheutiapik.[9]
In 2018, however, Quassa lost a confidence vote in the legislature, and was succeeded as premier by Savikataaq.[10]
Results
The Legislative Assembly is run on a consensus government system, in which all MLAs sit as independents and are not organized into political parties. Note, accordingly, that colours in the following charts are used solely to indicate candidate status, not political party affiliations.
Statistics
| Reelection statistics |
|---|
| Seats | Did not run again | Defeated | Reelected |
|---|
| All MLAs | 22 | 3 (13.6%) | 8 (36.3%) | 11 (50.0%) |
| Cabinet ministers | 8 | 2 (25.0%) | 3 (37.5%) | 3 (37.5%) | |
Candidates
As of November 1, all results are unofficial.
[33] Notes and References
- Web site: 63.3 per cent of Nunavut voters cast ballots in 2017 election. 8 November 2017.
- http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674nunavut_mlas_approve_money_to_be_spent_by_next_legislature/ "Nunavut MLAs approve money to be spent by next legislature"
- http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674nunavut_mlas_opt_for_fixed_election_dates_code_of_conduct/ "Nunavut MLAs opt for fixed election dates, code of conduct"
- Web site: Elections Nunavut Declared candidates . 2017-09-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170929232243/http://www.elections.nu.ca/en/declared-candidates . 2017-09-29 . dead .
- http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674nunavuts_first_new_mla_eager_to_engage_with_her_constituents/ "The fifth Nunavut assembly’s first MLA: ready to engage with constituents"
- http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674close_race_in_western_nunavut_hub_triggers_recount_for_cambay_riding/ "Close race in western Nunavut hub triggers recount"
- http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/jeannie-ehaloak-election-recount-cambridge-bay-1.4388346 "'I'm finally feeling rested': Recount confirms Jeannie Ehaloak's election in Cambridge Bay"
- http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nunavut-election-2017-1.4379183 "New faces, and a record number of women, will make up Nunavut's next legislature"
- News: Paul Quassa will be Nunavut's next premier. 17 November 2017. CBC News. 17 November 2017.
- Web site: After Paul Quassa ejected, Nunavut chooses deputy as new premier. CTV News. June 14, 2018. August 2, 2019.
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/962 Results for Aggu
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/992 Results for Aivilik
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/974 Results for Amittuq
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/995 Results for Arviat North-Whale Cove
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/998 Results for Arviat South
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/986 Results for Baker Lake
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/980 Results for Cambridge Bay
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/1001 Results for Gjoa Haven
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/1004 Results for Hudson Bay
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/1007 Results for Iqaluit-Manirajak
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/1010 Results for Iqaluit-Niaqunnguu
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/1013 Results for Iqaluit-Sinaa
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/1016 Results for Iqaluit-Tasiluk
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/983 Results for Kugluktuk
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/977 Results for Netsilik
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/971 Results for Pangnirtung
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/965 Results for Quttiktuq
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/1019 Results for Rankin Inlet North-Chesterfield Inlet
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/1022 Results for Rankin Inlet South
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/989 Results for South Baffin
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/968 Results for Tununiq
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/1421/constituency/1025 Results for Uqqummiut
- https://www.elections.nu.ca/en/election/2017-general-election 2017 General Election
