Hunter Tootoo
Encyclopedia
Hunter Tootoo is a politician in Nunavut
, Canada
. He is a current member of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut
, and has also sought election to the Canadian House of Commons
.
Tootoo was born to an Inuit
family at Rankin Inlet, in what was then a part of the Northwest Territories
(NWT). He is a businessman in northern Canada, and was the co-founder of the Iqaluit branch of Arctic Insurance Brokers Ltd. Tootoo is a former member of the Northwest Territories Co-op Business Development Board, the Sport North Board of Directors, and Arctic Co-operatives Ltd.
Tootoo also has extensive experience in government administration. He served as regional coordinator for the town of Arviat in 1993. He became the administration officer for the NWT Department of Recreation and Tourism in 1995, and was named as the corporate control officer of the NWT Department of Finance later in the same year. In 1997, he became assistant director of the NWT Housing Corporation in Iqaluit. Tootoo was a member of the Public Service Alliance of Canada
in this period.
He began his political career as a member of the Hamlet Council of Rankin Inlet. In the federal election of 1997
, he ran for the Canadian House of Commons as a candidate of the New Democratic Party
in the riding of Nunavut
. He finished third, behind Liberal
Nancy Karetak-Lindell
. Tootoo spoke out against the Liberal government's gun registration program during this campaign.
Nunavut became a separate jurisdiction in 1999, and Tootoo declared himself a candidate for the territory's first general election
. He was easily elected in Iqaluit Centre
, defeating three opponents. He was returned again in the 2004 election
, although by a narrower margin, and again in the 2008 election
. As of 2010, he is Minister Responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation, Minister Responsible for Homelessness, Minister Responsible for the Qulliq Energy Corporation
The government of Nunavut is structured along non-partisan lines, and all members are elected and serve as independents. Tootoo remains a member of the New Democratic Party, and has often been described as the unofficial leader of the legislative opposition. In 2003, he successfully tabled a motion to remove Jack Anawak
from the Nunavut cabinet.
Tootoo is the cousin of hockey player Jordin Tootoo
and the nephew of Manitoba
politician George Hickes
.
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He is a current member of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut
Legislative Assembly of Nunavut
The Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, Canada, is located in Iqaluit, and is the territory's parliament.The Legislative Assembly of Nunavut was opened by Queen Elizabeth II, as Queen of Canada, on 7 October 2002, during her Golden Jubilee tour of Canada...
, and has also sought election to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
.
Tootoo was born to an Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
family at Rankin Inlet, in what was then a part of the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
(NWT). He is a businessman in northern Canada, and was the co-founder of the Iqaluit branch of Arctic Insurance Brokers Ltd. Tootoo is a former member of the Northwest Territories Co-op Business Development Board, the Sport North Board of Directors, and Arctic Co-operatives Ltd.
Tootoo also has extensive experience in government administration. He served as regional coordinator for the town of Arviat in 1993. He became the administration officer for the NWT Department of Recreation and Tourism in 1995, and was named as the corporate control officer of the NWT Department of Finance later in the same year. In 1997, he became assistant director of the NWT Housing Corporation in Iqaluit. Tootoo was a member of the Public Service Alliance of Canada
Public Service Alliance of Canada
The Public Service Alliance of Canada is one of Canada’s largest national labour unions, with members in every province and territory. In fact, it is the biggest union in the Canadian Federal Public Sector...
in this period.
He began his political career as a member of the Hamlet Council of Rankin Inlet. In the federal election of 1997
Canadian federal election, 1997
The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 36th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Liberal Party of Canada won a second majority government...
, he ran for the Canadian House of Commons as a candidate of the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
in the riding of Nunavut
Nunavut (electoral district)
Nunavut is a federal electoral district in Nunavut, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997. Nunatsiaq, its predecessor that covered the same area, was a federal electoral district in Northwest Territories, that was represented in the House of Commons from 1979...
. He finished third, behind Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
Nancy Karetak-Lindell
Nancy Karetak-Lindell
Nancy Karetak-Lindell is a former Canadian politician. Previously she was a financial comptroller and municipal councillor in Arviat, Karetak-Lindell ran for a seat in the Canadian House of Commons as a Liberal candidate in the 1997 federal election in the riding of Nunavut...
. Tootoo spoke out against the Liberal government's gun registration program during this campaign.
Nunavut became a separate jurisdiction in 1999, and Tootoo declared himself a candidate for the territory's first general election
Nunavut general election, 1999
Nunavut, Canada conducted its first general election on 15 February 1999, to elect the members of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut.Although Nunavut did not become a territory until 1 April 1999 the election was held early to enable the members to assume their duties on that date.The territory...
. He was easily elected in Iqaluit Centre
Iqaluit Centre
Iqaluit Centre is a territorial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, Canada.The riding consists of the community of Iqaluit.The current Member of the Legislative Assembly is Hunter Tootoo.-1999 election:-2004 election:...
, defeating three opponents. He was returned again in the 2004 election
Nunavut general election, 2004
The Canadian territory of Nunavut conducted its second general election on February 16, 2004, to elect the 19 members of the Legislative Assembly.Premier Paul Okalik asked for the five-year-old territory's first parliament to be dissolved on January 16....
, although by a narrower margin, and again in the 2008 election
Nunavut general election, 2008
The Third Nunavut General Election took place on October 27, 2008 to return members to the 3rd Legislative Assembly of Nunavut. The election was contested across 15 of Nunavut's 19 electoral districts under the first past the post system of voting...
. As of 2010, he is Minister Responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation, Minister Responsible for Homelessness, Minister Responsible for the Qulliq Energy Corporation
The government of Nunavut is structured along non-partisan lines, and all members are elected and serve as independents. Tootoo remains a member of the New Democratic Party, and has often been described as the unofficial leader of the legislative opposition. In 2003, he successfully tabled a motion to remove Jack Anawak
Jack Anawak
Jack Iyerak Anawak is a Canadian politician. He represented the electoral district of Nunatsiaq in the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 to 1997. He sat in the house as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada...
from the Nunavut cabinet.
Tootoo is the cousin of hockey player Jordin Tootoo
Jordin Tootoo
Jordin John Kudluk Tootoo is a Canadian professional ice hockey player with the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League . He is both the first Inuk player and the first player who grew up in Nunavut to participate in an NHL game....
and the nephew of Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
politician George Hickes
George Hickes (politician)
George Hickes, MLA is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He has served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba since 1990, and has been the Speaker of the Assembly since 1999...
.