Nunavut MLA Samuel Nuqingaq expelled from legislative assembly

Uqqummiut MLA Samuel Nuqingaq, who represents Clyde River and Qikiqtarjuaq, has been expelled from the Nunavut Legislative Assembly.

The vote happened Friday morning in Iqaluit, when Justice Minister Paul Okalik tabled a motion that said he wanted Nuqingaq immediately expelled from the legislature and his seat declared vacant.

"Over the past year, far too much of the legislature's time has been spent on the conduct of the member of Uqqummiut," Okalik said. 

​In the motion, Okalik said Nuqingaq had been disciplined by the legislative assembly "on a number of occasions for this unacceptable conduct, including persistent absences from sittings of the House and meetings of its committees and caucuses without reasonable explanation."

​In April, the 42-year-old faced two charges, one count of being unlawfully in a dwelling house and one count of assault. 

MLAs voted to suspend Nuqingaq from the legislature following those charges. During that time, he sought treatment for alcohol addiction in Nova Scotia.​

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Nuqingaq was also suspended in March.

That suspension had ended and the MLA was in the legislature for the first sitting of the fall session earlier this week, when he was appointed to three standing committees, but was absent for most of the rest of the week. 

Nunavut Premier Peter Taptuna says he's not sure if Nuqingaq's absences this week were alcohol-related.

Okalik says it's in the public's interest to expel Nuqingaq.

The motion was seconded by the MLA for Arviat South, Joe Savikataaq.

'Sort of expected'

Niore Iqalukjuaq came in second to Nuqingaq in last year's election for the Uqqummiut MLA.

He says he's shocked by today's event, but thinks some people in the communities saw it coming.

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"In a way, I think some of us sort of expected it to come to this," Iqalukjuaq said.

He says he's friends with Nuqingaq and hoped he would "represent the people who elected him in the way that they expected from him." 

"In my view anyhow, he was given a chance to make things right and was even sent out for treatment and I was hoping that that would be the turn around for him," Iqalukjuaq said. 

Joe Enook, MLA ​for the Tununiq ​region, says constituents trust their MLAs to represent them. 

"Unfortunately a combination of a variety of different issues have prevented the previous member from attending," Enook said. "That was just enough cause for us to be very concerned and to take action."

Byelection to be called by April 

Nuqingaq's seat is now vacant, and under territorial legislation, a byelection must be called within six months. 

"Our goal is to get the newly elected member into the house by the time our winter sitting begins, which is normally towards the end of February," said John Quirke, the legislative assembly's clerk. "So we're looking at dates in early January." 

Quirke says they hope to announce the byelection before the end of this sitting. 

Meanwhile, Nuqingaq's will be in court Wednesday facing criminal charges, including assault.