Government of Nunavut announces senior management shuffle
Several high-profile changes are coming to senior management in the Government of Nunavut, according to an announcement made Friday by Premier Peter Taptuna.
The announcement included the shuffling of portfolios among several deputy ministers, who will be taking new positions in December and January.
Terry Audla, the former president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, will become president of the Nunavut Housing Corporation as a result of the changes. Audla was defeated in a September election by Natan Obed, who became the new president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. Audla will assume his new position on January 11, 2016.
Elizabeth Sanderson, the current deputy minister of Justice, will be replaced on January 25, 2016, by current assistant deputy minister William MacKay. In March of 2015, a memo written by Sanderson, which raised "serious constitutional and legal concerns associated with the ongoing use of the Baffin Correctional Centre" was leaked to the Canadian Press.
In the memo, Sanderson wrote that the Government of Nunavut "is likely in significant breach of constitutional obligations towards remanded accused and inmates housed at the BCC facility, and faces a high risk of civil liability towards inmates, staff and members of the public in tort law."
MacKay will serve as deputy minister of Justice for a six-month term while the government begins a nationwide search for a permanent replacement.
Other changes announced in the release include:
- Sherri Rowe will move from chief executive officer of the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation to deputy minister of Economic Development and Transportation, effective December 7;
- Pauloosie Suvega will move from deputy minister of Economic Development and Transportation to deputy minister of Culture and Heritage; effective December 7;
- Joe Adla Kunuk will move from Deputy Minister of Culture and Heritage to President of Nunavut Arctic College, effective December 7;
- Peter Ma will move from President of Nunavut Arctic College to Chief Executive Officer of the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation, effective December 7; and
- Lori Kimball will move from President of the Nunavut Housing Corporation to deputy minister of Community and Government Services, effective January 18, 2016. Roy Green, the current deputy minister, is retiring on January 30, 2016.
In the release, Taptuna said that "with the recent changes in executive council, now is the time to strategically realign senior management within our government departments."
