Former mayor and long time staffer face-off in Pangnirtung mayoral race
One wants to prioritize infrastructure, the other; support for youth.
The community of Pangnirtung will see some familiar faces head off in a two-way race for the role of mayor.
Elections Nunavut has a municipal by-election for the job scheduled for Aug. 24, after the former mayor Hezakiah Oshutapik died of a heart attack in April.
One candidate is Stevie Komoartuk, who served previously as mayor from 2017 to 2019 but had to step down for health reasons at the time. He is now well enough to run again.
In the past, he has also served as a city councillor.
Komoartuk says he'd prioritize financial support for community infrastructure, specifically the airstrip in Pangnirtung.
"Back in 2013 or 2014, the consultation of the possible new airstrip was done, but there was never a funding for the project and we are just waiting for funds so it can go ahead," he said.
Komoartuk is a hunter and is spending the summer at a camp eight miles outside of Pangnirtung where he was born. He has three children.
Meanwhile, Eric Lawlor, who spent the last decade working for the municipality, is running for mayor for the first time.
Lawlor is 38 and has lived in Pangnirtung for 18 years.
He's currently the hamlet's economic development officer and he has worked on community boards and with non-profit organizations in Pangnirtung.
He has three children and two foster children. He says his hobbies include skiing and working with electronics.
Lawlor says he wants to see a youth centre re-opened in Pangnirtung, and says a new business arm for the community could help the hamlet address its economic and infrastructure based concern.
"There is a lot of stuff in town I want to deal with but I think the best way to do it would be the creation of either a community develop corporation or community interest corporation," he said.
"We could help with economic development and tackle a lot of environmental issues or social issues through a community development corporation," he said.
Voting will be from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the community centre. There will also be advanced polls and a mobile poll on Aug. 17.
