Outgoing Nunavut member of Parliament Mumilaaq Qaqqaq accused Premier Joe Savikataaq of using SA国际影视传媒渕ajor intimidation tacticsSA国际影视传媒� in a Facebook post on Sept. 26.
Savikataaq says heSA国际影视传媒檚 shocked at the allegation, which he denies is true.
Shortly after midnight on Sunday, Qaqqaq stated that about six months after she took office as MP, Savikataaq started emailing her outside of work, attempting to make her feel SA国际影视传媒渦nknowledgeable and not knowing what SA国际影视传媒榯he GN has done for the territory.SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒�
She said if she forgot to tell her staff to put SA国际影视传媒渇ederalSA国际影视传媒� in front of SA国际影视传媒済overnmentSA国际影视传媒� in a communique, Savikataaq SA国际影视传媒渨as immediately messaging me or my office, extremely upset,SA国际影视传媒� even though she insists that she never intended to make implications about the GN.
She added that the New Democratic Party (NDP) SA国际影视传媒渘ever backed me enough to feel safe enough to speak truth. I couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 ever be my complete self in my term if I wanted to be re-electedSA国际影视传媒� so much makes me anxious.SA国际影视传媒�
Savikataaq says there is no validity to QaqqaqSA国际影视传媒檚 assertions against him.
SA国际影视传媒淚 want to assure Nunavummiut this is not the case,SA国际影视传媒� he told Nunavut News. SA国际影视传媒淎ll correspondence with Ms. Qaqqaq have been in a professional capacity, through our respective officesSA国际影视传媒� I did write to her about the Government of Nunavut (GN)SA国际影视传媒檚 response to COVID-19, and the ways the GN communicated with Nunavummiut throughout the pandemic. I also wrote about our governmentSA国际影视传媒檚 vaccine roll out early this year, when they were first approved and ready for distribution.SA国际影视传媒�
The premier, who will serve another term as Arviat South MLA by acclimation, said heSA国际影视传媒檚 made a point of being accessible to Nunavummiut, including Qaqqaq.
SA国际影视传媒淚 would have welcomed the opportunity to hear from Ms. Qaqqaq about her concerns directly, instead of using social media to spread concerning and incorrect information,SA国际影视传媒� he stated.
Rekindling a past quarrel
In a separate post in the wee hours of Sunday morning, Qaqqaq revisited a battle she had with Labrador Liberal MP Yvonne Jones, whom she accused of not being an Inuk. That dispute seemingly ended on April 22 when Qaqqaq apologized to Jones after demanding that Jones SA国际影视传媒渧alidate your Inukness.SA国际影视传媒�
Qaqqaq wrote on Sept 26: SA国际影视传媒�(NDP leader) Jagmeet (Singh) and NDP refused to back me in the Yvonne Jones situation. You all saw my break down in April. It was because NDP would not back me up and let Yvonne Jones bully me in many ways. Work wise and personal. Still ISA国际影视传媒檓 intimidated by her by her even tho sheSA国际影视传媒檚 so in the wrong itSA国际影视传媒檚 completely disgusting. Even tho I only speak truth and sheSA国际影视传媒檚 done EVERYTHING to make me scared and two things to put out:
1. She was SA国际影视传媒楳茅tisSA国际影视传媒� till 2004 then all of a sudden Inuk
2. She voted AGAINST the Labrador Inuk land claims
Yvonne Jones is NOT Inuk and NDP would NEVER back me in that.SA国际影视传媒�
Qaqqaq took two mental health breaks while serving as NunavutSA国际影视传媒檚 MP: once for several weeks in late 2020 and later for a couple of weeks in late April, following the controversy with Jones.
SA国际影视传媒淚 didnSA国际影视传媒檛 run again for many reasons. Mostly because I didnSA国际影视传媒檛 feel safe,SA国际影视传媒� Qaqqaq wrote in her Sept. 26 Facebook post.
The NDP didnSA国际影视传媒檛 comment on the situations involving Savikataaq and Jones, instead sending a statement reading: SA国际影视传媒淭he NDP worked hard to support Mumilaaq Qaqqaq as a candidate and as a member of Parliament. We believe that the House of Commons and every political party must do more to get Indigenous people elected and support them in those roles. We are committed to continuing this work.SA国际影视传媒�
Qaqqaq didnSA国际影视传媒檛 respond on Sept. 27 to further questions about the conflicts with Savikataaq or Jones. Neither was there a reply from JonesSA国际影视传媒� office on Sept. 27.
