Megan Pizzo-Lyall of Rankin Inlet will be Nunavut's Liberal candidate in the Oct. 21 federal election.
Being introduced to Nunavummiut by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Iqaluit on Aug. 1, Pizzo-Lyall, 31, is a former Iqaluit city councillor.
Originally from Taloyoak, she has been living in Rankin Inlet for almost three years while working for the Atuqtuarvik Corp. as its manager of operations.
Pizzo-Lyall said she's always been passionate about helping people, and has always been involved with the political scene on one level or another, including the National Inuit Council in her youth and her own “small town youth council stuff.”
She moved to Rankin to accept her current job with Atuqtuarvik Corp. and now regards Kivalliq as her second home.
“I always said if I could be in politics full-time, I would love it, because I really enjoy helping people and I enjoy working at the political level to help make life better for all Nunavummiut,” she said.
“I'm really passionate about bringing more badly-needed housing to Nunavut, and, to do that, we have to work hard to increase the amount of money that comes to Nunavut.
“I also want to work to address the level of poverty in Nunavut, so housing, increased federal funding and attacking poverty in Nunavut is my agenda.”
Pizzo-Lyall said she has an idea of what a territorial campaign and election will be like, but it's one of those things you will never truly understand until you go through it.
She said she knows she has lots of support from the Liberal Party, which she describes as having been really good to work with.
“I really enjoy living in Rankin Inlet. I found my second home there, so to speak," she said. “I have a cabin in Rankin and my feet are grounded in the community. The people there are truly amazing and so supportive of so many different initiatives.
“Rankin Inlet is a really good community to be a part of and I'm really proud to say that.”
Pizzo-Lyall also loves the outdoors and is an accomplished hunter. She said she's always loved being out on the land and hunting is a normal way of life in Nunavut.
“I was also really well-known for having high standards and expectations of our team during my time on city council in Iqaluit.
“And, by that, I don't just mean the council itself, but the whole team, which includes all your on-the-ground workers and having the proper systems in place and followed correctly for their support.
“I certainly plan to bring those same characteristics along with me in my quest to serve Nunavummiut as best I can as their elected representative in Ottawa.
“With election day already fast approaching, I plan to work hard at increasing (elector) turnout with a definite eye towards the younger voters in our territory. It's going to be a really great run.”