Mayor-elect Georgina Jolibois looks to strengthen Indigenous voices in La Loche, Sask.
Jolibois previously served as mayor of La Loche for 12 years, and as a federal MP with the NDP
Former member of Parliament Georgina Jolibois has a number of issues on her mind as the new mayor-elect of La Loche, Sask. — a position she previously held for 12 years before entering federal politics.
Jolibois won the village's civic election on Monday, replacing Robert St. Pierre, who was elected in 2016 but announced he was stepping down before the election.
Jolibois said she decided to run for mayor again after elders, residents and young people in La Loche asked her to consider running.
"They spoke about my ability to organize and the ability to put things together, especially during the pandemic," she said.
Jolibois said La Loche was able to successfully contain COVID-19 when a large outbreak was declared earlier this year — at one point accounting for 138 of the province's 196 active cases.
Jolibois said the community seems to be better prepared if another outbreak happens. La Loche is in the Far North West region, which had 72 active cases on Thursday.
"This time around, I am finding that we are beginning to organize. We are beginning to come together," she said.
However, Jolibois said she's also "concerned about the overworked health care staff ... who [are] responsible for contact tracing and ensuring that they do the proper testing," she said.
There are other issues Jolibois plans to address as well, like keeping government services in the community, strengthening employment opportunities and finding ways to improve healthcare and social services.
She also wants to strengthen northern Indigenous voices using the experience she gained as the NDP's MP for the Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River riding.
"My ability to communicate, my ability to ask for certain things, my ability to work with the government and other leadership is quite essential."
New mayors in La Ronge, Air Ronge
La Ronge and Air Ronge have elected new mayors as well.
Colin Ratushniak won the election after former mayor Ron Woytowich announced he wasn't running for re-election, according to La Ronge Now.
Colin Ratushniak defeated four other candidates with 406 votes. The closest to him was Matthew Klassen with 145 votes, says the town's website.
The elected councillors are Abby Besharah, Joe Hordyski, Jordan McPhail, Viviana Ruiz, Ryan Veteri and Hugh Watt.
In Air Ronge, Julie Baschuk defeated incumbent Gordon Stomp by five votes — 192 for Baschuk and 187 for Stomp.
Stomp was first elected as mayor in 1983, but previously served as the overseer of the local community authority from 1978 through 1982.
"In essence, he served as mayor of Air Ronge for 42 years," said Gavin Willins, returning officer for Air Ronge.
Incumbent councillors Corey Hardcastle and Terry Desroches were also re-elected to village council, while Tabitha Burr and Kristy McDougall will be new faces at council table.
With files from CBC Radio's The Morning Edition