Nunavut justice minister resigns from cabinet after less than 3 months

Tununiq MLA Karen Nutarak resigned from cabinet ‘due to personal and family reasons,’ premier says

There’s been another shake-up in Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok’s government, after the territory’s justice minister resigned from cabinet less than three months after her appointment.

In a news release on Tuesday, Akeeagok said Tununiq MLA Karen Nutarak resigned from cabinet “due to personal and family reasons.”

Nutarak was sworn into cabinet in March, and named justice minister as well as minister of labour, and minister responsible for Nunavut Arctic College and the Nunavut Human Rights Tribunal. She said at the time that she was excited to take on the role, and that she saw it as “a good opportunity to learn the operations of the government.”

She filled the cabinet spot vacated by Joelie Kaernerk, who was stripped of his cabinet portfolios in January over a code of conduct violation.

In a statement on Tuesday, the premier thanked Nutarak for her service, saying she “brought new energy and dynamism to our team.”

Nutarak is the fifth cabinet minister to resign since the 2021 territorial election.

David Akeeagok, the minister of economic development and transportation, has now been named justice minister, as well as labour minister and minister responsible for the Human Rights Tribunal.

Pamela Hakongak Gross, the deputy premier and education minister, is now also the minister of human resources and minister responsible for the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission.

Margaret Nakashuk, the minister for family services and several other portfolios, is now also the minister responsible for Nunavut Arctic College.

Related stories from around the North: 

Canada: Nunavut MLA suspended again after being intoxicated in legislature, CBC News