Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok survives confidence vote after effort to oust him

By Nick Murray, The Canadian Press on November 6, 2024.

Nunavut premier P.J. Akeeagok, centre, walks past a member of the security detail upon arriving at a meeting between Canada's premiers and Indigenous leaders at the Council of the Federation meetings in Halifax on Monday, July 15, 2024. Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok is expected to face a confidence vote today in the territorial Legislature. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

OTTAWA – P.J. Akeeagok is still the premier of Nunavut, after he survived a tight confidence vote in the legislature today.

In Nunavut’s non-party political system, MLAs elect the territorial cabinet and also have the power to remove them.

The motion to strip Akeeagok of his premiership and remove him from cabinet was defeated 10-8.

Three MLAs who are generally supportive of his leadership were absent from the legislature and unable to vote.

Akeeagok’s cabinet voted for him to stay on as premier.

His supporters said it was poor timing to make such a move, with less than a year before Nunavummiut head to the polls.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published November 6, 2024