Qulliq Energy chair, 5 board members resign

The chair and most of the directors of the Qulliq Energy Corporation have resigned.

They say they’re protesting against recent actions by the Nunavut government.

QEC chair Simon Merkosak sent a letter of resignation to Premier Peter Taptuna and the minister responsible for the power utility, Paul Okalik.

In it, he says the Board had members with a lot of experience, training and understanding of public utilities.

Yet, he says the cabinet is making unilateral decisions.

For example, Mersosak says QEC President and CEO Peter Mackey was recently fired without any prior discussion with the Board of Directors.

Merkosak also says budget items related to the Iqaluit hydro project, approved by the Board, were removed.

He says most public utilities in Canada operate at arm's length to the government, but recently in Nunavut, there's been an effort to make QEC more like a government department.

Merkosak says the newly elected politicians are taking a different course from the Board's recommended strategy.

He and five of the six directors on the Board handed in their resignations, effective immediately.