Nunavut Legislative Assembly returns today for winter sitting

MLAs return to Nunavut's Legislative Assembly Wednesday for the winter sitting, with the 2016/17 operations and maintenance budget set to be tabled Thursday by Finance Minister Keith Peterson. 

The winter sitting is the legislature's longest of the year and is expected to finish around March 17.

Paul Quassa, Nunavut's Government House Leader and Minister of Education, said a number of bills will be introduced over the coming weeks, looking to update some key territorial acts.

"We're trying to modernize all these acts because as you probably know, a lot of these acts are carried over from the previous N.W.T. days," he said.

The Public Health Act and the Travel and Tourism Act are slated for an update following reviews, said Quassa. An amendment to the Land Titles Act could also change, pending the results of a May 9 referendum.

New ministers

The legislature will feature some old faces in new roles and a new member set to be sworn in.

Emiliano Qirngnuq of Kugaaruk is the new MLA for the Netsilik constituency after winning a byelection earlier in February.

Iqaluit-Tasiluk MLA George Hickes will take his seat as the minister responsible for the Qulliq Energy Corporation and the Nunavut Housing Corporation and Arviat South MLA Joe Savikataaq will serve as the minister responsible for Community and Government Services following a leadership review last fall.  

The shake up in the legislature will also affect seating arrangements.

"With the appointment of two new ministers to the cabinet, the premier has the right to place the ministers," said John Quirke, clerk for the Nunavut Legislative Assembly.

"So there has to be some changes on where ministers are going to be sitting in this sitting."