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Elisapee Sheutiapik

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Elisapee Sheutiapik
Mayor of Iqaluit, Nunavut
In office
2003 – December 13, 2010
Preceded byJohn Matthews
Succeeded byMadeleine Redfern
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut
In office
October 30, 2017 – September 20, 2021
Preceded byPaul Okalik
Succeeded byJanet Brewster
ConstituencyIqaluit-Sinaa
Personal details
Occupationentrepreneur

Elisapee Sheutiapik is a Canadian politician, who served as mayor of Iqaluit, Nunavut, from 2003 to 2010,[1] and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut in the 2017 general election.[2]

Mayoralty

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She won the mayoral election in 2003, defeating the incumbent mayor John Matthews by 40 votes, and was acclaimed to a second term in 2006.

On 10 September 2008, CBC North reported that Sheutiapik would be taking a leave of absence to run in the Nunavut election.[3][4] She ran in Iqaluit West, which had the highest voter turnout at 90.2 per cent, but was defeated by incumbent MLA Paul Okalik by 44 votes.[5][6][7] She subsequently returned to the mayor's chair.

On 19 October 2009, Sheutiapik won a third term as mayor of Iqaluit. Her opponent was former city councillor Jim Little, who took 42.3% of the vote as opposed to 57.7% for Sheutiapik.[8] On November 9, 2010, she announced her resignation as mayor effective December 13.[9] She was succeeded by Madeleine Redfern.[10]

In the 2017 Nunavut territorial election, Sheutiapik again faced off against Okalik in the riding of Iqaluit-Sinaa. This time, she won with 44.8% of the vote, defeating him with 237 votes to 150, as well as two other candidates.[2]

Activism

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Sheutiapik, whose sister Mary Ann was murdered by an abusive relative in 1997, has collaborated with Iqaluit-based rock singer Lucie Idlout on a national project to have cities across Canada name a city street "Angel" as a memorial to Canadian victims of domestic violence.[11] As of 2014, cities that have named Angel Streets as part of the campaign included St. John's, Edmonton, Regina, Fredericton, Yellowknife and Kamloops.[12]

Electoral record

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2008 Nunavut general election
[7] Name Vote %
  Paul Okalik 340 53.5%
  Elisapee Sheutiapik 296 46.5%
Total Valid Ballots 636 100%
Voter Turnout % Rejected Ballots

References

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  1. ^ "Iqaluit's number one woman: Elisapee Sheutiapik". Nunatsiaq News. March 4, 2005. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017.
  2. ^ a b "New faces, and a record number of women, will make up Nunavut's next legislature". CBC North. October 30, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  3. ^ "Iqaluit mayor sets sights on premier's seat". CBC News. September 10, 2008. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  4. ^ "Iqaluit mayor takes on Okalik". Northern News Services. September 15, 2008. Archived from the original on January 20, 2016. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  5. ^ "Okalik squeaks past mayor in Iqaluit West race". CBC News. October 27, 2008. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  6. ^ "Nunavut Premier wins seat in heated election race". The Globe and Mail. October 28, 2008. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  7. ^ a b "2008 General Election Official Results" (PDF). Elections Nunavut. p. 3. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  8. ^ "Sheutiapik re-elected Iqaluit mayor". CBC News. October 19, 2009. Retrieved 2015-10-15.
  9. ^ "Iqaluit mayor Sheutiapik resigns". CBC News. November 10, 2010. Retrieved 2015-10-15.
  10. ^ "Madeleine Redfern elected Iqaluit mayor". CBC News. December 14, 2010. Retrieved 2015-10-15.
  11. ^ "City names street in honour of domestic violence victims". The Daily Gleaner. November 14, 2008. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011.
  12. ^ Varga, Peter (October 17, 2014). "Former Iqaluit mayor promises to revive Angel Street anti-violence campaign". Nunatsiaq News.