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Towtongie, Pizzo-Lyall square off for mayor

β€˜Unfinished business’ for incumbent while newcomer eager to see progress
Stewart Burnett
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Megan Pizzo-Lyall, running for mayor, says Rankin Inlet deserves a strong leader. Stewart Burnett/ΊΪΑΟ³ΤΉΟΝψ photo ᒦᒐᓐ ᐱα”ͺβˆ’α“šαƒα”ͺ, α’ͺαƒα”­α–‘α•‹α“±αŠα–ƒα‘•α…α•—α–…, α…α–ƒα“šα…α–…α³α•α“— ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐα’₯ᐅᑦ ᓴᓐᖏα”ͺα’₯α’ƒ α“―α•—α“•α–…α‘Žα–ƒα•†αŠα–ƒα•α“‚α–α“α“„α‘¦. ᓯᑐᐃᑦ ᐸᓂᑦ/ΊΪΑΟ³ΤΉΟΝψ photo

Though council is acclaimed with seven members, Rankin Inlet has two candidates for mayor in the Oct. 23 municipal election.

Incumbent mayor Harry Towtongie is running to hold his spot, citing unfinished business regarding the landfill as his main motivation.

β€œI’m not done dealing with the landfill,” he told Kivalliq News, saying that it has been a goal of his to tackle for a long time, but the hamlet has been sidetracked with the pandemic and challenges related to the beer and wine store. β€œIt hurt me so much to see the land being damaged so much by our landfill, but we never had a chance to really deal with it.”

He’d like to see more equipment brought in to cut down on the waste and pollution stemming from the dump site.

β€œIt’s out of control,” said Towtongie. β€œIt’s a badly contaminated area. It’s an environmental disaster right now.”

He admitted to feeling burnt out at times during the last term, but when it came time to submit his candidacy, many Elders, youth and people of all stripes encouraged him to run again.

β€œI don’t know if I can make four years but I’m going to try,” said Towtongie. β€œI’m getting older. I can’t really work with my hands anymore, can’t do too much. At least I can maybe help this community grow some more or be a better place.”

Pizzo-Lyall has been on Rankin Inlet council coming on two years, with previous experience on Iqaluit’s city council. She is currently manager of operations at Atuqtuarvik Corporation and also ran for the Liberal Party in the 2019 federal election.

β€œIn the last 10 to 15 years, I’ve been active in different roles within different organizations,” said Pizzo-Lyall. β€œI really enjoy the work that we do at the council level, whether it was with the Iqaluit council and now the Rankin Inlet council, and there’s still work to be done.”

That work includes the upgrades to Rankin’s utilidor and water infrastructure, the Nunavut 3,000 housing pursuit, and she’s especially vocal about mental health and addictions programming.

β€œI want to make sure that we’re strong in the communication area,” said Pizzo-Lyall, adding that she would plan to update the community regularly about hamlet pursuits to keep residents informed.

Towtongie said win or lose, he’ll be happy.

β€œI’ll support whoever gets in,” he said, adding that he’s glad Pizzo-Lyall is running.

β€œShe’s very enthusiastic and really has lots of energy.”

Pizzo-Lyall would likely agree with that description.

β€œSomething that I’ve been known for at council is being very vocal and very pushy to make sure that we’re advocating as much as we can,” she said. β€œI feel like when we all decide we want something, that I’m the kind of person that’s going to go out and help us achieve it.”

She said Towtongie has done a great job in the two years she’s been on council and that he’s a strong businessperson with a vision for Rankin Inlet.

β€œRankin inlet is such a strong community,” said Pizzo-Lyall. β€œWe deserve that kind of coverage. We deserve a strong leader that’s going to make sure things get done for Rankin Inlet.”

Towtongie thanked the outgoing council members.

β€œThey did a big job,” he said about the last council. β€œThey did a lot of work. Everybody has their own ways and different opinions but they were very good and a very bang-on council. I couldn’t have done almost anything without a good council.”

The municipal election will be held Oct. 23.

ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐα’₯ α•ΌαŠα’»α“šα’ƒα‘―α‘¦ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᖏᑦ α“‚α•ˆαŠα–…α‘•α…α•Œα“‚α’ƒα“―α’ͺα“•α–…α‘Žα“ͺᓗᒋᑦ 7-α–‘α”ͺᑦ, ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐα’₯ α’ͺᕐᕉᒃ α’ͺαƒα”­α’ƒα“΄α–‘α•‹α“±αŠα–…α³α’ƒ αŠα’ƒα‘α±α•† 23βˆ’α’₯ α“‚α•ˆαŠα•α“‡α…α“‚αŠα–…α‘α’₯.

α’ͺᐃᔭᖓᑦ ᒫᓐᓇ ᕼᐃᐅᕆ ᑕᐅᑐᖏ α’ͺᐃᔭᐅᓂᕐα’₯α“‚α’ƒ α±α’ƒα‘²α“α“‚α•‹α“±αŠα–…α³α–…, ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖅᓯα’ͺα“ͺα“—α“‚ α±αŠα“‚α’‹αŠα–ƒα•α“‚α•α’₯ᓄᑦ α±αŠα“‚α’ƒα“―α’ͺᖏᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᒫᓐᓇᒧᑦ ᐱᔾα”ͺα‘Žα’‹α“ͺᓗᒍ αŠα’ƒα‘•α•α••α’ƒα“΄α’₯α’ƒ ᐱᔾα”ͺα‘Žα–ƒα“—αŠα–…α–’α“‚.

β€œαŠα’ƒα‘•α•α••α’ƒα“΄α–… α±αŠα“‚α’ƒα“―α’ͺᖏᓐᓇᒃᑯ,” α…α–ƒα“šα…α–…α³α–… α‘­α•™α“ͺᓕᕐα’₯ ᓂᐱᕗᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ, α±α“•α•†αŠα•†α’α’ͺα“―α’ͺᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᕋᖅᖒᓂᐅᒑᓗ αŠα‘―α“‚α…α“•α–…α‘α’₯, α‘­α“―αŠα“‚ α•ΌαŠα’»α“šα’ƒα‘―α‘¦ α±α“•α•†αŠα–ƒα•†αŠα–ƒα“šα…α•α’ͺα‘• α“„α•™α’‘α”ͺαŠα•α“‡α’₯α’ƒ αŠα’»α’ͺ ᐃα’₯αŠα“—α’ƒα‘–α•α••α’ƒ ᐅᒃᑯᐃᖅᑕᐅᓯα’ͺα“•α–…α‘Žα“ͺᓗᒍ α±α“•α•†αŠα–ƒα–…α“―α’ͺα“ͺα“—α‘Žα’ƒ. β€œα‹α“α“‚α•α“‡α•α’ͺᑦ ᑕᑯᑉᓗᒍ ᓄᓇ α“±α•ˆα–…α‘Žα–…α‘•α…α‘Žα“ͺᓗᒍ αŠα’ƒα‘•α•α••α‘‰α‘Žα“α“„α‘¦, α‘­α“―αŠα“‚ α±α“•α•†αŠα•†α”ͺᓐᓇᖅᓯα’ͺα–α“α“‡α‘‰α‘Žα’.”

ᑕᑯᒍα’ͺᑉᓗᓂᓗ α±α–α‘Žα“‚α’ƒ αŠα’ƒα‘•α“—αŠα–…α‘•αƒα“•α’ͺᒍᑕᐅα”ͺᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂᒃ α±α•ˆα–…α‘Žα•†α–α“α“‚α–…α“΄α…α”ͺα“‚α’ƒ αŠα’ƒα‘•α•α••α’ƒ α“±α•ˆα–…α‘Žα•†α“—αŠα•α’ͺᑦ.

β€œα…α–“α‘–α“„αŠα“—αŠα–…α“―α’ͺᓕᕐα’ͺᑦ,” α…α–ƒα“šα…α–…α³α–… ᑕᐅᑐᖏ. β€œα“±α•ˆα–…α“―α’ͺα”ͺα’»α’ͺᕆᐅᖕα’ͺᑦ αŠα’ƒα‘•α•α••α’ƒ. αŠα•™α‘Žα’§α‘¦ α±α…α–α“•α–…α‘Žα•†α–α’ͺᑦ.”

α…α–ƒα“šα…α–…α–’α“‚α“— ᐃᓛᓐᓂᒃᑯᑦ α‘•α–ƒα“―α’ͺα–ƒα‘¦α‘•α•‹α“—αŠα–…α–’α“‚ α’ͺᐃᔭᐅα“ͺα“—α“‚, α“‚α•ˆαŠα’α’ƒα“΄α–‘α–…α‘Žα‘•α…α“‚αŠα“•α•α’ͺα‘• ᐊα’₯ᓱᓄᑦ α‘²α”ͺα–α–…α“΄α–…α‘•α…α“šα…α–…α³α–… α“‚α•ˆαŠα’α’ƒα“΄α…α’ƒα‘²α“α“‚α–α”­α…α‘‰α“—α“‚ ᐃᓐᓇᕐᓄᑦ, α’ͺᒃᑯᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᐃᓄᖕᓄα“ͺα“—.

ᐅᑭᐅᓄᑦ α“―α‘•α’ͺᓄᑦ ᐱα”ͺᓐᓇᕋᔭᕐα’ͺᖔᕐα’ͺ ᖃᐅᔨα’ͺα–α’ƒα‘²α“—αŠα–…α‘α–“ α‘­α“―αŠα“‚ α†α’ƒα‘α•α“‚αŠα–…α³α–“,” ᑕᐅᑐᖏ α…α–ƒα“šα…α–…α³α–…. β€œαƒα“ͺα“‡α•ˆα–…αΈα“ͺα“•αŠα“•α•‹α’ͺ. αŠα’‘α’α’ƒα‘² αŠα‘α–…α–’α’‹α‘¦ ᐱᓕᕆα”ͺᓐᓇᖏᓕᕋα’ͺ, αŠα“―α–α“α“‚α’‘α“— ᐱᓕᕆᓂᕐα’₯ ᐊα”ͺᓕᖅᐸα“ͺα“•αŠα‘‰α“—α–“. α‘­α“―αŠα“‚ ᐃᑲα”ͺα•ˆα“α“‡α•‹α“—αŠα–…α–’α–“ α“„α“‡α‘‰α‘Žα“α“‚ α±α•ˆα–…αΈα“ͺα“•αŠα‘¦α“―αŠα–α‘‰α“—α’‹α‘¦ αƒα–’αŠα–…α“΄α•α“‚α–…α“΄α…α“—α‘Žα’‘α“— ᓄᓇα’₯α–•α“‚.”

ᐃα”ͺβˆ’α“šαƒα”ͺ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐα’₯ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᐅᖃᑕᐅᓯα’ͺᓕᖅᐳᖅ α•ΌαŠα’»α“šα’ƒα‘―α“α“„α‘¦ ᐅᑭᐅᓄᑦ α’ͺᕐᕉᖕᓄᑦ, ᖃᐅᔨα’ͺα“ͺα“—α“‚α“— α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᐅᖃᑕᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑕᐃα’ͺᓐᓇ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓂ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺα”¨α…α“šα…α–…α“―α’ͺα“ͺα“—α“‚ ᓄᓇᓕᐸᐅᔭᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ. ᒫᓐᓇ αŠα…α“šα‘¦α“―α”¨α…α“ͺα“—α“‚ αŠα…α“šα‘•α…α”ͺα“‚α’ƒ αŠα‘α–…α‘αŠα•α••α’ƒ α‘―αŠα³α•‡α“΄α’ƒα‘―α–α“α“„α‘¦ αŠα’»α’ͺ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺα”¨α–‘α•‹α“±αŠα“šα…α–…α–’α“‚α“— α“•α³α•ˆα’ƒα‘―α“α“„α‘¦ ᑲᓇᑕᐅᑉ ᒐᕙα’ͺᒃᑯᖏᑦ α“‚α•ˆαŠα–…α‘•α…α“‡α“±αŠα–…α‘Žα“ͺᓗᒋᑦ 2019-α’₯.

β€œα…α‘­α…α“‚ ᖁᓕᓂ ᖁᓕα“ͺα“— α‘•α“ͺα“•α’ͺα“ͺα“—α–‘α”ͺᒃᓴᐅα”ͺα–…, ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑕᐅᓯα’ͺα•—α–“ ᖃᓄᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ αŠα”Ύα”¨α’Œα–α‘¦α‘α“‚α’ƒ α±α“•α•†αŠα–ƒα–…α–’α‘• α‘Žα’₯ᐅα”ͺα“‚,” ᐱα”ͺβˆ’α“šαƒα”ͺ α…α–ƒα“šα…α–…α³α–…. β€œα–α••αŠα’‹α‘¦α“―αŠα–…αΈα•‹α“— α±α“•α•†α–ƒα‘Žα’‹α“ͺᓗᒋᑦ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺα”¨α…α–ƒα‘Žα’ƒα‘², ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓂ α“„α“‡α“•αΈα…α”­α’ƒα‘―α“α“‚α“˜α“α“ƒα‘¦ ᒫᓐᓇᐅᓕᖅᑐᕐᓗ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐα’₯ α•ΌαŠα’»α“šα’ƒα‘―α‘¦ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᖏᓐᓂ, α“±α“• α±α“•α•†αŠα’ƒα“΄α–ƒα–…α³α’α‘¦.”

α‘•α’ͺα’ƒα‘―αŠ α“„α‘–α–‘α–…α‘Žα–…α‘•α…α’‹αŠα–ƒα–…α–’α‘Žα’ƒ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐα’₯ ᓱᑉᓗᓕᖏᑦ ᐃα’ͺα–ƒα…α‘Žα–α“ͺα“—, ᓄᓇᕗα’₯ 3,000βˆ’α“‚α’ƒ αƒα’‘α“—α“•α…α•ˆα’ͺα“ͺα“—α‘Žα’‘α“—, αŠα’»α’ͺ α±α“—αŠα–…α‘α’₯α’ƒ αŠα’ƒα“±α•ˆα•ˆα‘Žα–ƒα–…α–’α“‚ ᐃᓱα’ͺᒃᑯᑦ α‹α“α“‚αŠα–…α‘–α–…αΈα’ƒα‘α“‚α’ƒ αŠα’»α’ͺ α…αƒα•†α’α‘Žα–ƒα–…α‘α“‚α’ƒ α±α“•α•†α••α’ƒα‘•α–ƒα•†αŠα–ƒα•α“‚α–“α“„α‘¦.

β€œα“΄α“α–α–α”¨α“ͺα“—α–“α“— ᑐᓴᐅα’ͺα‘Žα‘Žα“‚α•α’₯α’ƒ,” α…α–ƒα“šα…α–…α³α–… ᐱα”ͺβˆ’α“šαƒα”ͺ, ᐅᖃᖅᖒᓂᓗ α‘α“΄α–…α‘Žα‘Žα’α’ͺα“ͺα“—α“‚α“— ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂα’₯ᐅᓂᒃ α–ƒα“„αƒα“•α…α•ˆα‘Žα’‹α”­α–α“α“‚α’ƒ α•ΌαŠα’»α“šα’ƒα‘―α‘¦ ᑐᓴᐅα’ͺα‘Žα‘•α…α–α“α“‡α–α“ͺᓗᒋᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂα’₯ᐅᑦ.

ᑕᐅᑐᖏ α…α–ƒα“šα…α–…α³α–… α“΅α“šα’ƒα“΄α•ˆα“‚ α“΅α“šα…α’α“‚α“˜α“α“ƒα‘¦, α–α••αŠα“±α‘αƒα“α“‡α•α“‚αŠα–…α–’α“‚.

β€œα‘­α“‡α’₯αŠα–… α“‚α•ˆαŠα–…α‘•α…α”ͺα–… ᐃᑲα”ͺα–…α‘α•α“‚αŠα–…αΈα’ƒα‘²,” α…α–ƒα“šα…α–…α–’α“‚α“— α–α••αŠα“±α’‘α“‚α•‹α–…α–’α“‚α“— ᐱα”ͺβˆ’α“šαƒα”ͺ α“‚α•ˆαŠα–…α‘•α…α“‡α“±αŠα–ƒα‘•α…α“‚α–“α“„α‘¦.

β€œα–α••αŠα“±α‘¦α“―αŠα–…α³α–… ᐱᓕᕆᒍα’ͺᒃᑲᐅα“ͺα“—α“‚α“— ᐆᒻα’ͺᕆᒃᖒᓂᓗ.”

ᐱα”ͺβˆ’α“šαƒα”ͺ ᑕᐃα’ͺᓐᓇ αŠα–α•‹α”­α–…α³α–… ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᔭᐅᓗᓂ ᑕᐃα’ͺᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᔭᐅᓗᓂ.

β€œαƒα“›α“α“‚α’ƒα‘―α‘¦ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᐅᖃᑕᐅα“ͺα“—α–“ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᔭᐅᒐα”ͺᒃᐳᖓ ᓂᐱᖃᒃᑲᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ αŠα”­α…α–…α‘Žα•α“‚α•α’§α“ͺα“— ᐃᑲα”ͺᖅᑐᐃᒍα’ͺα“—αŠα’§α‘¦,” ᑕᐃα’ͺᓐᓇ α…α–ƒα“šα…α–…α³α–…. β€œα–ƒα…α”¨α’ͺᒐα’ͺ α‘•α’ͺᑉᑕ ᐱᒍα’ͺα“ͺα“—αŠα••α’ƒα‘―α‘¦α‘• ᓱᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐα’₯α’ƒ ᐃᑲα”ͺα–…α‘Žα’Œα’ƒα‘―α‘¦α‘•α“—, ᑕᐃα’ͺᓐᓇ ᐃᑲα”ͺᖃᑕᐅᒐᔭᖅᐳᖓ ᐱᒍα’ͺᔭᖅᐳᑦ ᐱᖁα“ͺᓗᒋᑦ.”

α…α–ƒα“šα…α–…α–’α“‚α“— ᑕᐅᑐᖏ α±α“•α•†α‘¦α“―αŠα–…α“―α’ͺᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᓄᑦ α’ͺᕐᕉᖕᓄᑦ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᐅᖃᑕᐅᓯα’ͺα“•α–…α‘Žα“ͺα“—α–“ ᓴᓐᖏᔫᑉᓗᓂᓗ ᐱᔅᓂᔅᖃᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑕᐅᑐᖅᑰᖅᖒᓂᓗ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᖓᖁᔨᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐα’₯.

β€œα‘²α–α–…α– α“‚α–… ᓴᓐᖏᔫᖕα’ͺᑦ,” α…α–ƒα“šα…α–…α³α–… ᐱα”ͺβˆ’α“šαƒα”ͺ. β€œα‘•αƒα’ͺᓐᓇ α‘•α‘―α“α“‡α–…α‘•α…α’‹αŠα–ƒα–…α³α’α‘¦. ᓴᓐᖏα”ͺα’₯α’ƒ α“―α•—α“•α–…α‘Žα–ƒα•α“—α‘• α±α“•α•†αŠα’ƒα“΄αƒα‘¦ α±α“•α•†αŠα•†α”­α…α–α“ͺᓗᒋᑦ ᑲᖏᖅᓕᓂᕐα’₯.”

ᑕᐅᑐᖏ α–α”­α“α“‡α’¦α“šα…α–…α–’α“‚α“— α‘²α‘Žα’ͺα”¨α…α“šα…α–…α‘α“‚α’ƒ α•ΌαŠα’»α“šα’ƒα‘―α“α“‚.

β€œαŠα–α”ͺα’₯α’ƒ ᐱᓕᕆᓯα’ͺα–•α’ͺα‘•,” α…α–ƒα“šα…α–…α–’α“‚ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺα”¨α…α“šα…α–…α‘α“‚α’ƒ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖅᖒᓂ. β€œαŠα’₯α“±α“‚α’ƒ α±α“•α•†αŠα–ƒα“šα…α–…α–’α‘Žα’‘α“—. α‘•α’ͺᕐα’₯α’ƒ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ αŠα”Ύα”¨α’Œα–α‘¦α‘α“‚α’ƒ ᐱᓕᕆᒍᓯᖃᕐα’ͺα‘• ᐃᓱα’ͺα–ƒα–…α–’α‘Žα’‘α“— αŠα”Ύα”¨α’Œα–α‘¦α‘α“‚α’ƒ ᐊα”ͺα–α‘¦α“―αŠα–…α–’α‘Žα’‘α“— α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ. α‘²α‘Žα’ͺα”¨α‘¦α“―αŠα–ƒα•α“—α–“ ᐱᓕᕆα”ͺα“α“‡α•‹α”­α“šα…α–α‘‰α³α–“ ᑭᓯᕐα’₯ᐅᕐᓗᖓ.”

ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ α‘²α‘Žα’ͺᔨᒃᓴᓂᒃ α“‚α•ˆαŠα•α“‡α“‚αŠα–…α³α–… αŠα’ƒα‘α±α•† 23-ᖑᓕᖅᐸᑦ.

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