The Hudson Bay riding will be decided between Jason Iqaluq and Nukaja Sala in a by-election scheduled for later this month, following the resignation of former MLA Daniel Qavvik in June.
Local candidates with community roots
Both candidates are lifelong residents of Sanikiluaq, the only community in the Hudson Bay constituency. Their campaigns emphasise practical steps to address long-standing local problems: overcrowded and ageing housing stock, food insecurity and limited access to health care.
Jason Iqaluq works as a station team leader at the Sanikiluaq airport and has nearly a decade of experience on the board of his local Arctic Co-op. He said he was encouraged by others to run and that community members look up to him.
“There’s quite a few people that look up to me,” Iqaluq said.
Iqaluq listed housing, food security and better access to health care as his top priorities. He welcomed the recent start of some housing construction this summer but said the number of new units must increase to meet the needs of a growing community.
Nukaja Sala is an administration assistant at the Qammaq Housing Association, a role that gives her daily exposure to the community’s housing crisis. She stressed the worsening conditions of overcrowding and deteriorating homes and proposed prioritising elders for newly built units that better meet their needs.
Sala also said she would like to establish a transportation service for elders and a women’s shelter so people can remain in their community rather than leaving for supports elsewhere. She wants to expand local access to trades training — carpentry, plumbing and oil burning were cited as examples — to help residents obtain meaningful employment.
Why the by-election
The seat became vacant after Daniel Qavvik resigned on June 1. Qavvik told constituents he intended to focus on his spirituality and well-being. He had represented Hudson Bay since being elected in 2021 and served in the Nunavut legislature for just over four years.
In 2024, Qavvik stepped down from cabinet after being charged with two counts of assault; he later pleaded guilty to one charge while the other was dropped.
What the candidates say they will do
- Housing: Both candidates prioritise more housing construction. Sala, through her work, emphasises prioritising elders and improving conditions in existing homes.
- Health care: Iqaluq highlighted improving services at the local health centre; Sala suggested transportation and supports that help elders remain in community.
- Community supports and jobs: Iqaluq proposed a food bank to address food security. Sala wants expanded trades training to boost local employment and capacity.
The two candidates offer different professional perspectives on the same problems: operational experience at the airport and co-op governance for Iqaluq, and direct housing administration for Sala. Both framed their candidacies as community-driven responses to persistent local challenges.
| Candidate | Current role | Top priorities |
|---|---|---|
| Jason Iqaluq | Station team leader, Sanikiluaq airport; Arctic Co-op board member | Housing, food security, improved health-care access |
| Nukaja Sala | Administration assistant, Qammaq Housing Association | Housing for elders, transportation, women’s shelter, trades training |
Voters in Sanikiluaq will decide which approach they prefer to take forward at the territorial legislature. Both candidates have emphasised remaining in the community to deliver services and supports rather than encouraging people to relocate for assistance.
As in many Nunavut communities, housing remains central to multiple social challenges: overcrowding contributes to health pressures, limits privacy and affects opportunities for education and employment. Candidates running for territorial office often position housing policy as the linchpin for broader improvements in well-being.
The coming by-election will test whether residents favour a candidate with broader community governance experience and co-op ties or one with day-to-day housing system knowledge and a focus on elder supports and local labour training.
Election officials have not released additional details about voting logistics in the source material. Residents seeking voting information should contact Elections Nunavut or the local municipal office for polling dates, times and locations.
This contest follows a period of change for the Hudson Bay seat and underscores how local leadership can shape immediate priorities in small, northern communities.
