Former MP Anawak misses Liberal nomination deadline

Former Nunavut Liberal MP Jack Anawak says he's unhappy with how his party's riding association handled the recent nomination process to replace outgoing MP Nancy Karetak-Lindell — a process that he says led to himmissing the deadline to file his papers.

Anawak, who represented the Nunatsiaq riding for two terms from 1988 to 1997, announced in January that he would seek another Liberal nod after Karetak-Lindell announced she would not seek re-election.

But he failed to file his nomination papers by the March 12 deadline, believing that nominations did not close until March 28.

"I was waiting for a nomination call to come from the Nunavut Liberal Association," Anawak said Monday. "I understand there was one on the web, but there was no public call for nominations. And by the time I asked for nomination papers, I was told that the nominations are closed."

Two other candidates, Kirt Ejesiak of Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet mayor Lorne Kusugak, have already filed their papers.

Anawak said he's unhappy with the way the party's riding association handled the nomination process, and will write a letter to the Liberal party and the riding association to express his concerns.

"I think they should have been more public about when their nominations were open," he said. "It seems to me there were some mistakes made or omissions made in trying to get the best candidate for the Liberal party."

Nunavut Liberal campaign chair Chris Lalande said it was clear that whenKaretak-Lindell announced she would not run again, the nomination race would be open.

"It wasn't public, per se, but certainly the Liberal Party of Canada did have the rules on its website effective, I believe, the beginning of February, that Canadians from coast to coast to coast had a chance to take a look at," he said.

"In Nunavut we did have two candidates that did read those rules and submit their paperwork to me."