ΊΪΑΟ³ΤΉΟΝψ

Skip to content
  1. Home
  2. Editorial

Clear differences in Rankin Inlet’s mayoral race

Though political aspirations were low on the council side, at least Rankin Inlet will have an actual race for mayor between incumbent Harry Towtongie and Coun. Megan Pizzo-Lyall.
Stewart Burnett

Though political aspirations were low on the council side, at least Rankin Inlet will have an actual race for mayor between incumbent Harry Towtongie and Coun. Megan Pizzo-Lyall.

Pizzo-Lyall, for those who were watching the candidates roll in over the declaration period, originally submitted to run for council but changed to the mayor role halfway through the eligibility period.

The unfortunate thing about two people running for mayor is it means the loser won’t sit on council, and Rankin will be one council member short of the full allotment of eight seats – and no bragging rights for the councillors, who earned their seat merely by submitting a form.

As Coun. Chris Eccles, who will return to the new council, said at the Sept. 25 council meeting: that’s disappointing. Moments like these always call into question how much people care about local politics. It’s a shame, because municipal council can be the best TV.

But we do have an interesting mayoral race ahead of us that offers meaningful differences for Rankin Inlet in the upcoming term.

Towtongie has admittedly felt burnt out at times during his term as mayor – like so many who were in politics during the pandemic. He’s a calm, humble soul, not the type to rock the boat, very agreeable and even-keeled. He’s the voice of reason who pipes up to weigh both sides at the end of a debate. He represents Rankin Inlet respectfully with the demeanour of a wise, gentle intellectual.

Pizzo-Lyall, on the other hand, is almost the inverse: though accomplished and intellectual too, she is passionate, energetic and wants things done yesterday. As mayor, Pizzo-Lyall would not let emails or letters to ministers sit in purgatory, hoping for a reply one day. If she becomes mayor, I would bet on her rocking the boat more than once, and that may do Rankin well, or at least bring more news articles about it.

The decision for mayor has ramifications throughout council. The council, as it stands, hasn’t been clearly defined by political stripes, but one can note a separation in energy, which might be split along Pizzo-Lyall with Eccles and Coun. Michael Shouldice as the energetic, eager side, whereas Coun. Daniel Kowmuk and Coun. Martha Hickes fall more on the Towtongie spectrum. One would guess a newcomer like David Kakuktinniq Jr., who has been visible on social media about Rankin issues, would join that energetic wing; it remains to be seen where Levi Curley and Art Sateana will fall.

The departures of councillors Kelly Lindell, Patrick Tagoona and Lynn Rudd means the loss of quality input, but the new councillors will have a great chance to prove themselves. We hope they use their influence and power of their voice.

The council as a whole has had great shakeups in its term: both Pizzo-Lyall and Eccles were appointed councillors partway through, alongside the outgoing Tagoona.

So if Towtongie returns as mayor, one could envision more of the same as the last term, which is a reliable, respectable, steady-as-she-goes Rankin.

With Pizzo-Lyall, there’s a lot of power in the air for someone just like her to scoop up for the benefit of the community. She would raise the political volume on Rankin issues and likely bring a higher profile to the mayor’s seat. She may also a ruffle a feather along the way, something Shouldice in the past has advocated the council might need to do.

Ultimately, Rankin won’t lose in this election. Neither candidate is a bad choice. But they are different, and it may come down to whether voters want to stay in cruise control or step on it.

α‘²α‘Žα’ͺα”¨α–‘α•ˆα’ͺᓂᕐᒧᑦ α–ƒα“„αƒα“•α…α•ˆα‘Žα’‹α’α’ͺᔭᐅα”ͺᑦ αŠα”Ύα”¨α’Œα–α’ƒα‘²α“—αŠα–…α–’α‘Žα’ƒ, ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐα’₯ α’ͺαƒα”­α–‘α•‹α“±αŠα•α“‚α–… αŠα’ƒα“±α“ͺα“˜α“α“ƒα‘¦ αŠα’ƒα“±α•ˆα•ˆα‘•α…α•—α–… α‘–α’ƒα‘―αŠ ᕼᐃᐅᕆ ᑕᐅᑐᖏ αŠα’»α’ͺ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨ ᒦᒐᓐ ᐱα”ͺβˆ’α“šαƒα”ͺ.

ᐱα”ͺβˆ’α“šαƒα”ͺ, α‘–α’ƒα‘―α“„α–“ α‘•α…α‘α“šα…α–…α‘α“„α‘¦ α“‚α•ˆαŠα’α’ƒα“΄α…α“‚αŠα–…α‘α“‚α’ƒ α“‚α•ˆαŠα’α’ƒα“΄α–‘α–…α‘Žα‘•α…α“‡α“±αŠα•α“‡α…α‘Žα“ͺᓗᒍ, α“―α•—α“ͺᓕᕐα’₯ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᖑᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ α†α’ƒα‘α“šα…α•‹α“—αŠα–…α–’α‘Žα’ƒ α’ͺαƒα”­α–‘α•‹α“±αŠα•α“‚α•α’§α‘¦ α±α“‡α“±αŠα“•α“šα…α–…α³α‘¦.

αŠαƒα‘¦α‘–α–‘α’α“—αŠα–…α³α–… α’ͺᕐᕉᒃ α’ͺαƒα”­α–‘α•‹α“±αŠα•α’ͺα‘Žα’ƒ ᓇα“ͺα“•αŠα‘αƒα“α“‡α–… α“΅α“šα…α”ͺα–… α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᓄᑦ αƒα’ƒα“―α•šα–ƒα‘•α…α“‚αŠα–α’»α’ͺᑦ, αŠα’»α’ͺ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᖅ αŠα‘•α…α“―α•α’₯ᑦ ᐊα’₯α’α–…α“―α“‚αŠα–…α³α‘¦ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᒃᓴα’₯α’ƒ 8-α–‘α’‹αŠα–ƒα•‹α“—αŠα•α’ͺα‘• α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᐅα”ͺᑦ βˆ’ ᓴᕆα’ͺᓱᖕᓂᕐᒧᑦ α…α–ƒα•ˆα“α“‡α–α‘¦α–’α‘Žα’‘α“— α‘²α‘Žα’ͺα”¨α’ƒα“΄α…α“‚αŠα–…α‘α‘¦ α‘•α‘•α‘Žα•†α‘αƒα“α“‡α–…α–’α‘Žα’ƒ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺα”¨α–‘α“šα…α•α’ͺα‘• αŠα“―α–ƒα–α‘¦α–’α‘Žα’ƒ.

α•ΌαŠα’»α“šα’ƒα‘―α“α“„α‘¦ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᐅᖃᑕᐅα”ͺα–… ᑯᕆᔅ ᐃᑭᓕᔅ, α…α‘Žα•α“‚αŠα–…α–’α“‚ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺα”¨α–‘α•α“‚αŠα–…α‘α“„α‘¦ ᓄᑖᓄᑦ α…α–ƒα“šα…α–…α³α–…, ᓯᑉᑕᐱᕆ 25-α’₯ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺα‘Žα“ͺᓗᒋᑦ : αŠαƒα‘¦α‘–α•ˆα“±α–•α“‚α•‹α–…α–’α“‚. ᑕᐃα’ͺᓐᓇ α…α–ƒα–…α‘α–ƒα•Œα–“α‘¦ α•ΌαŠα’»α“šα’ƒα‘―α“α“‚ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ α‘•α’ͺᕐα’₯α’ƒ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᒍα’ͺα–•α’ͺα–”α‘•. αŠαƒα‘¦α‘–α–‘α’α“—αŠα–…α³α–…, ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᑦ ᓲᕐᓗ α‘•α“šα••α“΄α’₯α’ƒ ᑕᑯᓐᓇᕐᓗᓂ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓂᖅᓴᐅᖃᑦᑕᕐα’ͺα‘• ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᐅα”ͺᑦ.

α‘­α“―αŠα“‚ α‘•α‘―α•‹α“α“‚α•α“‚αŠα–…α‘α’₯α’ƒ α‘•α…α‘α–•α“‚αŠα–…α³α’α‘¦ α“‡α“•αŠα’ƒ α’ͺαƒα”­α–‘α•α“‚αŠα•α’ͺᖔᑦ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐα’₯ α…α‘­α…α–‘α“‚αŠα–…α‘α’₯.

ᑕᐅᑐᖏ α…α–ƒα“šα…α–…α³α–… ᑕᖃᓇᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᐃᓛᓐᓂᒃᑯᑦ α’ͺᐃᔭᐅᑉᓗᓂ βˆ’ ᑕᐃα’ͺα“α“‡αƒα“•α–“α“šα…α•α’ͺα‘• α‘•α’ͺᕐα’₯α’ƒ α’ͺᐃᔭᐅα”ͺᑦ ᓄᕙᕐα”ͺαŠα•α“‡α…α‘Žα“ͺᓗᒍ. α–ƒα“„αƒα–α‘¦α“―αŠα–…α–’α“‚, ᓴᕆα’ͺᓱᖏᑦᖒᓂᓗ ᐃᖕα’₯α“‚α’ƒ, ᑕᐃα’ͺᓐᓇ α–α••αŠα“±α–α“•α–…α‘Žα‘Žα“‡α“±αŠα–…α‘Žα…α–α‘¦α–’α“‚α“—, αŠα–α–…α“΄α•‹αƒα‘¦α–’α“‚ ᓇα“ͺα“•αŠα‘αƒα“α“‡α•α“„α‘¦ ᐅᕕᖃᑦᑕᖏᖅᖒᓂᓗ. ᐱᔾα”ͺα‘Žα–ƒα‘¦α“―αŠα–…α³α–… ᐅᖃα“ͺα“šα“•α•Œα–“α’₯ α“‚α“ͺα“•αŠα–ƒα‘¦α‘•α–α–…α–’α“‚α“— ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᖁᔨᒍα’ͺα”ͺᖃᖅᐸᑦ α–ƒα…α”¨α“΄α‘¦α“―αŠα–…α–’α’‹α‘¦ ᓇα“ͺαŠα‘αƒα“α“‡α–…. ᑭᒑᒐᖅᑐᐃᕗᑦ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐα’₯α’ƒ ᐱᔾα”ͺα‘Žα–ƒα‘¦α“―αŠα–…α–’α“‚ α–ƒα“„αƒα–α‘¦α“―αŠα–…α–’α“‚ α‘αŠα••α“—αŠα–α‘¦α–’α“‚ α“―α“šα‘α‘¦α“―αŠα–…α–’α“‚α“—, α“―α“šα‘α‘¦α“―αŠα–…α–’α“‚α“—.

ᐱα”ͺβˆ’α“šαƒα”ͺ, αŠα“―αŠα’α‘¦ αƒα’‘α“—αŠα’α–”α–‘α“ͺα“—α“‚: ᑕᐃα’ͺᓐᓇ α–ƒα“„αƒα“•α…α•ˆα‘Žα–ƒα–…α“―α’ͺα“ͺα“—α“‚ α“―α“šα‘α“ͺα“—α“‚α“—, αŠα’ƒα“±α•ˆα’ƒα‘²α…α“ͺα“—α“‚ ᐱᒍα’ͺᔭᐅα”ͺα“‚α’ƒ, ᐆᒻα’ͺᕆᒃᖒᓂᓗ α±α“•α•†αŠα•†α”­α…α”ͺα–… α±αŠα“‚α’ƒα‘•α…α‘²α…α‘Žα’‹α’‹αŠα–ƒα•α“‚α–α“α“„α‘¦ ᐱᕙᒃᖒᓂ. α’ͺᐃᔭᐅᓗᓂ, ᐱα”ͺβˆ’α“šαƒα”ͺ ᖃᕆᑕᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ α‘Žα‘Žα•‹α…α‘•α…α”ͺᑦ α‘Žα‘Žα–ƒα‘αƒα“α“‡αƒα“ͺα“— α’₯ᓂᔅᑕᓄᑦ α“„α–…α‘²α–“α‘Žα‘αƒα“α“‡α•α“‚αŠα–α‘‰αΈα–α‘¦, ᑭᐅᔭᐅα”ͺα’ƒα“΄α…α“‚αŠα•α“—α‘Žα’ƒ ᐃᒻα’ͺα–„ ᖃᖓᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ. α’ͺαƒα”­α…α“•α•α“‚α•ˆα“‚ ᓇᓗᓇᖏᑦᑐᖅ ᖃᓄᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ α±α“‡α“±αŠα•α“‚αŠα•α’ͺᑦ α–α••αŠα“±α–α“•α–…α‘Žα‘¦α“―α’α“—αŠα•α“—α“‚ ᑭᐅᔭᐅᒍα’ͺα“‚αŠα–…α³α–…, ᑕᐃα’ͺᓐᓇ αƒα–’αŠα•‹α”­α–…α–’α“‚ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂα’₯ᐅᓄᑦ, α…α•™α“˜α“α“ƒα‘¦ ᐱᕙα“ͺα“•αŠα”ͺα“ƒα–ƒα‘¦α‘•αƒα“α“‡α•α“—α‘Žα’ƒ ᑐᓴᐅα’ͺα”­α…α‘¦α“―αŠα•α“—α‘Žα’ƒ.

α“‡α“•αŠα–•α“‚α’ƒ α’ͺαƒα”­α‘–α•α“‚αŠα•α“‚α–α‘¦ ᐱᔾα”ͺα‘Žα’‹α‘‰α“—α’ ᓇᓗᓇᖅᐳᖅ α–ƒα“„αƒα“•α…α•α“‚αŠα•α’ͺα–”α‘• α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᑦ. α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᑦ, ᒫᓐᓇ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᒍᑕᐅᓯα’ͺᖏᑦᖒᓂ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᑦ α–ƒα“„αƒα“•α…α•α“‚αŠα•α’ͺα–”α‘•, α‘­α“―αŠα“‚ ᖃᐅᔨα’ͺᓇᖅᐳᖅ ᐆᒻα’ͺᕆᒃᑐᑦ αŠα••α’ƒα“―α’ͺα‘αƒα“α“‡α•†αŠα–ƒα–…α–’α‘Žα’ƒ ᐱα”ͺβˆ’α“šαƒα”ͺ ᐃᑭᓕᔅᓗ αŠα’»α’ͺ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨ α’ͺᐃᑯ ᓲᑕᐃᔅ ᐆᒻα’ͺᕆᒃᖒᓂ, ᐱᒍα’ͺα‘¦α“―αŠα–…α–’α“‚α“— ᐱᓕᕆᓂᕐα’₯α’ƒ, α‘–α’ƒα‘―αŠ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᑦ ᑖᓂᐅ ᖃᐅα’ͺα’ƒ αŠα’»α’ͺ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨ α’«α‘• ᕼᐃᒃᔅ α‘•α…α‘α–α’§αŠα–“α“‚α–…α“΄α…α“ͺα“—α‘Žα’ƒ. ᑕᐃα’ͺ α“‡α“šα…α‘¦α“΅α‘αƒα“α“‡α•α“—α“‚ α“„α‘–α–… ᑏᕕᑦ α‘²α‘―α‘Žα“α“‚α–… α“„α‘²α–…α– α–…, α…α–ƒα…α“―α–ƒα–ƒα‘¦α‘•α“šα…α–…α‘α–… ᐱᕙα“ͺα“•αŠα”ͺα‘Žα’α‘¦ α…α–ƒα“˜α‘ŽαŠα“›α’ƒα‘―α‘¦ ᐃᓱα’ͺα’‹α”­α’₯α“‚α’ƒ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᖅ ᐱᔾα”ͺα‘Žα’‹α‘‰α“—α’, ᐆᒻα’ͺα•†α’ƒα‘α“„αŠα–ƒα‘•α…α“‚αŠα–…α‘α’ƒα“΄α…α•—α–…; α–ƒα…α”¨α“‚αŠα–…α³α’α“ͺα“— α“‡α“ƒα“α“‚α–…α“΄α…α“‚αŠα•α’ͺα–”α‘Žα’ƒ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᑦ ᓕᕙᐃ α‘°α“• αŠα’»α’ͺ ᐋᑦ α“΅α‘ŽαŠα“‡.

α±α‘•α–ƒα•α“‚αŠα–α“•α•α’ͺα‘• α‘­α“• α“•α“α‘Žα…, ᐹᑦᑐᕆᒃ α‘•α’α•α“ˆ αŠα’»α’ͺ ᓕᓐ ᕋᑦ αƒα“šα…α“‚α–ƒα•α“‚αŠα–α“•α–…α³α‘¦ ᐃᑲα”ͺα•‹α“±αŠα–ƒα‘•α…α‘¦α“―αŠα•α“‚α•α’§α‘¦, α‘­α“―αŠα“‚ ᓄᑖᑦ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺα”¨α–‘α•α“‚αŠα–…α‘α‘¦ ᑕᐃα’ͺᓐᓇ α‘•α‘―α“α“‡α–…α‘Žα‘Žα“‚αŠα–…α³α‘¦ α–ƒα“„αƒα“•α…α•ˆα“α“‡α•α“‚α•α’₯α–•α“‚α’ƒ. ᑕᐃα’ͺᑐᖅ αŠα”­α…α•α“‚αŠα–…α³α‘¦ ᓴᓐᖏᓂᕐα’₯α“‚α’‘α“— αŠα‘α•α“—α‘Žα’ƒ α“‚α±α–ƒα‘¦α“―αŠα–ƒα‘•α…α“—α‘Žα’‘α“—.

α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᑦ α‘•α’ͺαƒα‘Žα’α‘¦ α–ƒα“„αƒα“•α…α•ˆα“˜α”­α•α“‚αŠα–…α³α‘¦ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᐅᖃᑕᐅᓂᕐα’₯α–•α“‚: α‘•α’ͺᕐα’₯α’ƒ ᐱα”ͺβˆ’α“šαƒα”ͺ αŠα’»α’ͺ ᐃᑭᓕᔅ α‘Žα’ƒα‘―αŠα–…α‘•α…α“šα…α•α’ͺα‘Žα’ƒ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᖑᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ αŠα‘―α“α“‚α–“α“‚ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺα”¨α…α“•α–…α‘α‘α–ƒα…α‘Žα“ͺᓗᒋᑦ, αŠα’»α’ͺα“— α‘•α’α•α“ˆα–… α‘Žα’ƒα‘―αŠα–…α‘•α…α“šα…α–…α–’α“‚.

ᑕᐃα’ͺ ᑕᐅᑐᖏ α…α‘Žα•α“‚α–…αΈα‘¦ α’ͺᐃᔭᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ α“‚α•ˆαŠα–…α‘•α…α’ƒαΈα‘¦, ᑕᐃα’ͺα“α“‡α‘¦α“΄αƒα“α“ˆα•α“‚αŠα–…α³α‘¦ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᑦ, ᑕᐃα’ͺᓐᓇ ᐊα”ͺα–α‘¦α“―αŠα–…α–’α‘Žα’ƒ, α…α±α‘¦α“―αŠα–…α–’α‘Žα’ƒ ᐃᖕα’₯ᒃᑯᑦ, α‘αŠα••α“—αŠα–α‘¦α–’α‘Žα’‘α“— ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐα’₯.

ᐱα”ͺβˆ’α“šαƒα”ͺ, ᓴᓐᖏᓂᖃᖅᐳᖅ α‘•α’ͺα’ƒα‘―α“‚α–“ ᐃᑲα”ͺᕐᓂᕐα’₯α’ƒ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ α±α•šα“ͺα“•α–…α“―α’ͺα’α‘Žα–ƒα–α“ͺᓗᒋᑦ. ᑕᐃα’ͺᓐᓇ α“΄α“α–α“•α–…α‘Žα•†α’α”­α–…α³α–… ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐα’₯ᐅᓂᒃ ᓴᓐᖏᓂᖅᓴᐅᓕᕐᓗᓂᓗ. α–α••αŠα“±α–α“•α–…α‘Žα‘¦α“―α‘αƒα“α“‡α•†αŠα–ƒα–…α–’α“‚α“— α’ͺᐃᔭᐅᓗᓂ, ᑕᐃα’ͺᓐᓇ ᓲᑕᐃᔅ α…α–ƒα“šα…α•α’ͺᑦ ᑕᐃα’ͺα“α“‡αƒα–ƒα‘¦α‘•α•†αŠα–ƒα•α“‚α–α“α“„α‘¦ ᐃᓛᓐᓂᒃᑯᑦ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ.

ᑕᐃα’ͺα“α“‡αƒα‘Žα“ͺᓗᒍ, ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᖅ α“‚α•ˆαŠα•α“‡α…α“‚αŠα–…α‘Žα“ͺᓗᒍ α“΅α“šα’‹α”­α…α“‚αŠα–α‘‰α³α‘¦. ᓇα“ͺα“•αŠα–α‘¦ α’ͺαƒα”­α–‘α•‹α“±αŠα’ƒα‘α’ƒ ᐊα”ͺα–α‘¦α“―αŠα–…α–’α‘Žα’ƒ. αŠα”Ύα”¨α’Œα–α’ƒα‘²α“—αŠα–…α–’α‘Žα’ƒ α“‚α•ˆαŠα–…α‘Žα‘¦ α‘­α“―αŠα“‚ αŠα“―α”Ύα”¨α–…α‘Žα‘Žα”¨α…α“‚αŠα–…α³α‘¦ α‘αŠα••α“—αŠα–α”¨α–α’ƒα‘―α‘Žα’‘α“˜α“α“ƒα‘¦ α‘αŠα••α•†αŠα–α”¨α’α‘Žα’‘α“˜α“α“ƒα‘¦.

More Editorial

Let the talent shine
Kivalliq highway would be a boon for region
Kivalliq highway would be a boon for region
A social media strategy that promotes English
A social media strategy that promotes English
(or

ΊΪΑΟ³ΤΉΟΝψ

) document.head.appendChild(flippScript); window.flippxp = window.flippxp || {run: []}; window.flippxp.run.push(function() { window.flippxp.registerSlot("#flipp-ux-slot-ssdaw212", "Black Press Media Standard", 1281409, [312035]); }); }