Three mayoral candidates look to lead Cambridge Bay, Nunavut

Municipal elections take place across Nunavut on Oct. 23.

In Cambridge Bay, three people are vying to be the hamlet's mayor, with another 11 running for eight hamlet councillor positions.

Cambridge Bay residents can vote at the Luke Novoligak Community Hall on election day from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. They can also contact returning officer Angela Gerbrandt to arrange a mobile poll.

In preparation for the election, CBC News reached out to candidates with a list of questions. Read their answers below, which have been edited for length and clarity.

Derek Elias

Have you run for mayor before? If you were elected, how long have you been elected for and in what position? 

I was elected to council in October 2019 and appointed deputy mayor in 2021. I was appointed mayor in November 2022.

Why do you want to run for mayor this time around? 

Community members wanted me to run. Plus, I want to serve our community for the future generations to come, to make our community the best it can be.

What do you see as your community's greatest challenge for council (mayor and councillors) to overcome? 

The greatest challenge to overcome is getting funding to start any community project or program for the betterment of the community, and the high cost of living.

If you are elected, what are your top three priorities? 

My top three priorities would be infrastructure growth, housing issues, and community health and wellness.

What traits do you have that you think make you a good leader for your community? 

I am currently the mayor, meaning I have experience. I am also honest, trustworthy, hard working and fair. I know the ins and outs of the political landscape and also I love learning.

What's a fun fact that people might not know about you?

My middle nickname is Oscar, after Sesame Street's Oscar The Grouch.

Charles Zikalala

Have you run for mayor before? If you were elected, how long have you been elected for and in what position?

I have not run for the office of mayor before. This is my first mayoral campaign.

Why do you want to run for mayor this time around?

The community of Cambridge Bay is in a pinnacle state where tested leadership is required to help advance the quality of life for the people in the areas of economic development, mental and social health programming, and improved services with our water and sewer issues. 

I have a natural collaborative leadership ability that not only seeks to complete community projects, but also enrich the lives of people by building capacity and bringing various voices together with an aim to build rapport, trust and consensus.

What do you see as your community's greatest challenge for council (mayor and councillors) to overcome?

Our council has made the best decisions with the tools and resources provided to them. 

Having said that, we still have many complex barriers and challenges to pivot around. Council members often do not have adequate time to structurally and fundamentally place the hamlet in a position ready for success. 

Adequate time to review and modify our outdated by-laws has not been a priority. Adequate time to make informed decisions on larger community projects such as our failed arena construction has not been present. Adequate time to communicate council's decisions on various community issues has not been a priority, such as the youth centre being burned down. 

I have a strategy to help mitigate these community issues.

If you are elected, what are your top three priorities?

As an elected mayor, I intend to place my focus on the following subjects:

• Improving our water, sewer and garbage services.

• Improving the conditions of our roads.

• Completion of the recreational complex and the youth centre.

• Being proactive and researching evidence-based, wise practices to mitigate broader community issues when the beer and wine store is built in Cambridge Bay.

What traits do you have that you think make you a good leader for your community?

My core engagement principles are fundamentally rooted in collaborative leadership, peace and harmony. I am an intentional person who is innovative, focused and sees challenges as an opportunity to develop sustainable solutions that will help to maximize people's potential.

What's a fun fact that people might not know about you?

I played professional rugby, and I love cooking for people.

Wayne Gregory

Have you run for mayor before? If you were elected, how long have you been elected for and in what position?

I ran for mayor four years ago against Pamela Gross, who is currently the deputy premier of Nunavut. I lost by a small margin.

Why do you want to run for mayor this time around?

The community of Cambridge Bay has become my home. I volunteer for numerous committees, and I thrive from helping the community. I feel I can do more in a higher capacity. I am looking to strive everyday to make a difference and I feel an opportunity to become our mayor will put me in a position to help make Cambridge Bay even better.

I would like to bring unity to the community by being a visible, honest and committed leader that will listen to the people.

What do you see as your community's greatest challenge for council (mayor and councillors) to overcome?

A few of the community issues that are not being adequately addressed are:

• Homelessness — we have community members that are literally couch-surfing from house to house. The general view is, "If we do not see people sleeping out on the street, we are OK."

• Food insecurity — a lot of people are not eating properly and children are going to bed hungry.

• Suicide prevention and mental health — support is needed not only for the family but the community as a whole, everyone is affected one way or another.

If you are elected, what are your top three priorities?

A few of the community issues that are not being adequately addressed are:

• Support for those who have struggled through tough times, including suicide prevention, mental health, housing and food insecurity.

• Bringing the community to a united front, increasing community involvement on many different levels.

• Creating an open line of communication to increase our chances of improving as a collective group.

• Increasing public awareness of community issues, activities and events that will stem across all sectors including youth, families and elders.

• Implementing a strategy that will allow all community members to come forward with their input to help make Cambridge Bay a better place. I will be available with arms wide open, thus creating an open door policy for the community with office hours.

What traits do you have that you think make you a good leader for your community?

I will bring transparency and accountability to the hamlet. I have been active and giving 100 per cent of my all to the community for almost 10 years, I am here for the people. I will listen and work to move the community forward.

I am currently the regional information technology service operations manager for the Government of Nunavut.

To be a successful regional manager, you need strong leadership skills — along with human compassion — to make important decisions on a daily basis.

I was raised to always have a strong work ethic, to consider the needs of others first, to be open minded, and come to aid when needed.

Dealing with every sector of government, I encounter issues that need to be resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible. I rarely will receive a call that everything is OK, it is more along the line of a mission critical or complete catastrophe — incidents that will need attention immediately.  I am constantly thinking on my feet for solutions.

What's a fun fact that people might not know about you?

I have held the chief information technologist position for a country.

I have traveled the world and have been to every inhabited continent, but the Arctic is my most enjoyable experience.

I used my vacation time to escort students from the high school for media training in Toronto.

I love our community. Every day I am focused on giving my all to the community.