Timoon Toonoo was re-elected mayor of Cape Dorset on Dec. 16 but he plans to be the municipal leader of a community with a different name in the near future.
The greatest number of voters in a plebiscite that accompanied the mayoral by-election chose Kinngait as the preferred name, in replacement of Cape Dorset. There were 80 ballots in favour of Kinngait, 61 for Cape Dorset and 51 wanted the name Sikusiilaq.
Toonoo wants to honour that choice, although he noted that the territorial minister of Community and Government Services has to formally sign off on the name change first.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to go along with the people鈥檚 choice,鈥� the mayor said. 鈥淥nce we get the approval of the minister we鈥檒l let the public know.鈥�
The last council, which Toonoo headed during his first term, initiated the plebiscite. Land claims organization Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated has been promoting the idea of communities reverting to traditional Inuit names, the mayor noted.
Kinngait means 鈥渉ills鈥� in Inuktitut, said Toonoo.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got pretty high hills here,鈥� he said.
The name change is just one of the items on Toonoo鈥檚 agenda in his second term. Another challenge is fixing roads damaged by substantial water runoff 鈥� some of it coming from those nearby hills. The volume of water can no longer be contained by existing culverts, Toonoo said, attributing the problem to global warming.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to be doing work this summer,鈥� he said. 鈥淎 consultant is going to help us proceed with the work.鈥�
Something else in the 10-year capital plan is to acquire a mechanical sewage plant because finding a location for a new sewage lagoon is difficult, according to Toonoo.
鈥淭hey鈥檒l be doing planning on it, hopefully soon,鈥� he said.
He said he and council also want a barrier constructed to protect local boats.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 have a good breakwater here,鈥� he said.
They鈥檙e also aiming to host a Canadian Coast Guard auxiliary vessel in the harbour.
Local water delivery, which has been a source of complaints over the past few years, particularly due to tanker trucks breaking down, has been going smoothly as of late, according to Toonoo.
鈥淗amlet operations, we鈥檙e doing that pretty good, so we don鈥檛 have to change the hamlet stuff that鈥檚 being carried out,鈥� he said.
But things are rarely quiet for long.
鈥淲e鈥檙e always busy, myself the SAO (senior administrative officer) and the council,鈥� Toonoo said. 鈥淲e always have something on the agenda.鈥�
