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Conservatives, Liberals name Nunavut federal election candidates

Rankin Inlet’s Laura MacKenzie running for Conservatives
Pat-Angnakak-front

The Liberal Party candidate for the 2021 federal election is Pat Angnakak. 
Photo courtesy of the legislative assembly

The race is on as the Conservatives and Liberals now have Nunavut candidates in the 2021 federal election.

Iqaluit-Niaqunnguu MLA Pat Angnakak is running as the Liberal candidate while Rankin Inlet’s Laura MacKenzie will represent the Conservatives.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called a federal election on Aug. 15 and subsequently dissolved Parliament.

First elected as MLA in 2013 and again in 2017, Angnakak previously served as Nunavut’s health minister, and minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation and Qulliq Energy Corporation. She speaks Inuktitut and English.

In 2018, Nunavut Premier Joe Savikataaq stripped Angnakak of her cabinet portfolios for a “serious breach of cabinet confidentiality,” according to Savikataaq.

MacKenzie has worked in government for more than 15 years, mainly as a director of economic development and transportation programming. She’s also bilingual and has worked with various federal working committees that focus on infrastructure strategies.

“I’m thrilled to launch our hub to connect with voters in the riding,” MacKenzie wrote on her campaign website. “I know how important it is to reach voters where they are — and increasingly, voters are online.”

Lori Idlout, whose candidacy was announced the previous week, will run for the NDP in place of Mumilaaq Qaqqaq, who announced that she wouldn’t seek a second term.

The nomination process for the NDP was contested with Clyde-River born Aliqa Illauq also hoping to garner the candidacy.

READ MORE: NDP first to name candidate in next federal election

Nunavummiut will go to the polls on Sept. 20 to vote for one of these three women.

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Elections Nunavut is also offering special mail-in ballots in addition to traditional methods of voting if one does not prefer to vote in-person or is currently in isolation.

READ MORE: Ways to vote in Nunavut