Nunavut NDP throw support behind Irngaut

New Democrats in Nunavut are showing support for Paul Irngaut, who will be their candidate in the next federal election.

Party members chose Irngaut at a nomination meeting Tuesday in Iqaluit. Irngaut said he would not be making any public statements until an election is called.

At that point, he said he will take a leave of absence from his job at Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., the territory's land-claims organization.

NDP riding association president Paul Quassa said Irngaut will make an excellent MP for the territory, as he is a talented communicator in both English and Inuktitut and also knows the Nunavut land claim very well.

The meeting was attended by Ottawa Centre MP Paul Dewar, the NDP's foreign affairs critic, who said he expects Irngaut to attract new voters.

Irngaut will be running against Kirt Ejesiak, who was named the Liberal's Nunavut candidate in March 2007. Nunavut's Conservatives have yet to name a candidate.

Nunavut trip put northern issues in perspective

Dewar said he had never travelled north of 60 before, adding that the trip helped put northern issues in perspective.

What impressed him most, he said, was a comment from Iqaluit Centre MLA Hunter Tootoo on how the federal government spends money in the North.

"He said, 'You know, people say that we take all this money from the south,' but he said, 'Look at every single investment or money that is invested in the North, and look where the money ends up. It's back to the south,'" Dewar told CBC News in an interview.

"It's obvious to the people of the North, but I'm going to carry that back with me."

Dewar said the NDP would put less emphasis on military solutions to sovereignty issues in the North, and focus more on economic and social development.