Ejesiak given federal Liberal nod in Nunavut

Kirt Ejesiak of Iqaluit will represent Nunavut for the federal Liberals in the next election, after winning the party's nomination vote Wednesday evening.

Ejesiak beat out Rankin Inlet mayor Lorne Kusugak in a two-way race, since an anticipated third candidate, former Nunatsiaq Liberal MP Jack Anawak, failed to file his nomination papers before the March 12 deadline.

In a release issued Wednesday, Nunavut Liberal campaign chair Chris Lalande said 365 Liberal members from across the territory cast ballots. The number of votes cast for each candidate was not disclosed, but Lalande said it was a close race.

Ejesiak, a Fulbright Scholar,has a masters of public administration degree from Harvard, making him the first Inuk to hold a post-secondary degree from the American university.

Before going to Harvard, he had served as an Iqaluit city councillor and deputy mayor, and was Premier Paul Okalik's principal secretary.

He is currently CEO and creative director of Uqsiq Communications, an Iqaluit-based multimedia communicationsfirm, as well asmanaging partnerof the Gallery by the Red Boat, an art gallery in Apex.

Current Liberal MP Nancy Karetak-Lindell, who has served as a member of Parliament for Nunavut since 1997, announced in December that she will not seek re-election.