Incumbents shut out of Kivalliq region

No incumbent MLAs were left standing in Nunavut's Kivalliq region after Monday's territorial election, asthree former cabinet ministers were voted out and a new MLA was elected to fill a void left by an outgoing member.

The Kivalliq region of central Nunavutincludes Arviat, Baker Lake, Chesterfield Inlet, Coral Harbour, Repulse Bay and Whale Cove, with Rankin Inlet as the central hub.

Inthe Rankin Inlet South constituency, which includes Whale Cove, incumbent and cabinet minister Levinia Brown lost her seat to Rankin Inlet Mayor Lorne Kusugak.

In Baker Lake, incumbent and former finance minister David Simailak lost his seat tosecurity guard Moses Aupaluktuq, 37,who won only 30 more votes than Simailak.

Simailak's defeat cameafter a first term that led to him being reprimanded twice for violating the territory's Integrity Act when he was minister of finance and economic development.

And in the Nanulik constituency, which includes Coral Harbour and Chesterfield Inlet, former economic development and transportation minister Patterk Netserlost toformer Coral Harbour mayor Johnny Ningeongan.

Ningeongan earned 47 per cent of the vote over Netser's 40 per cent.

Daniel Shewchuk, a political rookie originally from Manitoba, was elected in the Arviat constituency to succeed David Alagalak, who did not seek another term in office.

Shewchuk, a 48-year-old Arviat wildlife manager who was born and raised in Sandy Lake, Man., defeated rivals Sheila Napayok and Peter Kritaqliluk with 48 per cent of the vote, according to unofficial results from Elections Nunavut.

Shewchuk campaigned on several issues, including health care, housing, and the need to improve infrastructure in Arviat, a hamlet of 2,060 located just north of the Nunavut-Manitoba border.

The Akulliq constituency, which includes Repulse Bay,had its election race cut short by a court challenge by Jack Anawak. The former Nunavut politician is challenging Elections Nunavut's decision to disqualify him as a candidate because he had not lived in Nunavut for 12 consecutive months before Monday's election.

A byelection will be scheduled there after the Nunavut Court of Justice delivers its decision on the case.