Premier Joe Savikataaq has taken away Patterk Netser’s cabinet portfolios due to an “unacceptable social media post,” the premier announced on Thursday morning.

Patterk Netser is no longer the minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation and Nunavut Arctic College as Premier Joe Savikataaq removed his cabinet posts on Thursday morning.
photo courtesy Legislative Assembly

“I have made Minister Patterk Netser a minister without portfolio, effective immediately,” Savikataaq stated in a news release. “The Government of Nunavut values diversity, equality and fairness for all. We will not stop listening or acting to make this a reality for all Nunavummiut. There can be no tolerance for disrespectful, hurtful remarks or actions, and we must uphold our government’s principles and values. We stand united in this work, together.”

Minister David Joanasie will assume Netser’s responsibilities for Nunavut Arctic College and Savikataaq will act as minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation.

The premier said he will consider the cabinet posts further when the Nunavut Legislative Assembly reconvenes for its fall sitting on Oct. 21.

Nunavut News has requested comment from Netser, who is the MLA for Aivilik, the communities of Naujaat and Coral Harbour.

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3 Comments

  1. Biggest losers are Inuit and the biggest winners are qallunaat…let that sink in. Savikataaq turning his back on Inuit…again.

  2. So no tolerance for freedom of expression but GN tolerates its full of discrimination and full of hate policies for Inuit…go figure

  3. I totally agree with big drama, Inuit are still treated unfairly, nothing changed from when they were told not to speak Inuktitut in school, I still need to translate for my elders at government office’s for another Inuk worker, who is not able to speak Inuktitut, disrespecting our Inuit culture and our elders who struggle to better understand qallunaat culture and their ways of doing this and that, within our Nunavut territory and government, when are we going to be able to speak our mother tongue freely to Nunavut government workers, without interpreting for them?

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