'It seems as though I'm dreaming': David Qamaniq elected as MLA in Pond Inlet

Voters in Pond Inlet, Nunavut, elected David Qamaniq as their new MLA in a byelection Monday.

"It seems as though I'm dreaming right now. I've been running for MLA ever since Nunavut was created," Qamaniq told CBC on Tuesday.

Qamaniq defeated Charlie Inuaraq by 11 votes on Monday, according to Elections Nunavut. Both are former mayors of the community.

Qamaniq garnered 182 votes, while Inuaraq had 171.

Qamaniq said a top priority for him is a jet strip for Pond Inlet. He said the community should be a hub station for the High Arctic and north Baffin.

He'd also like to see more community infrastructure including an indoor swimming pool, playground, and a community hall for elders and youth that could also serve as a homeless shelter and a soup kitchen. 

"I want to help people of Pond Inlet," he said, of why he continued to run for MLA. "I'm looking forward to representing the people of Pond Inlet and I will do my best ability to represent Nunavummiut for at least a couple [of] years."

The Tununiq riding byelection followed the death of MLA Joe Enook. Enook was Speaker of the Legislative Assembly when he died on March 29 in an Ottawa hospital at the age of 61.

"The late Joe Enook was my cousin and he worked really hard to help the people of Pond Inlet," Qamaniq said.

About 48 per cent of eligible voters cast ballots in Monday's byelection.

Pond Inlet is the only community in this northern Baffin Island riding. It has a population of just over 1,600, according to the 2016 census.

The next territorial election in Nunavut will be in the fall of 2021. The last Nunavut election was in 2017.