2 former Nunavut premiers share leadership forum experience

"Partly relieved. There's apprehension, of course. There's anxiety," saysoutgoing Nunavut Premier Peter Taptuna about how he will feel watching Friday's leadership forum, when the next premier of the territory will be chosen.

Taptuna was selected through the same process four years ago. It's unique to the consensus-style governments in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. With no political parties, the Speaker, premier and cabinet ministers are chosen a few weeks after the territorial election.

• New faces, and a record number of women, will make up Nunavut's next legislature

The 22 MLAs-elect gather in the Legislative Assembly chamber. There, they ask the candidates for premier questions and then vote by secret ballot.

But the campaigning started long before Friday.

"It's politics!" said former Nunavut Premier Eva Aariak.

Aariak says those interested in the premiership have been making their pitch to colleagues for the past two weeks.

It happens on breaks or in the evening, but not in a public forum.

• VIDEO | How does Nunavut's consensus government work?

Securing votes is tough

It's tough for potential candidates to feel like they have secured the votes they need to win.

Nunavut's consensus-style government and voting by secret ballot means supporters are either not vocal, or say one thingand do another.

Aariak says reading people helps.

"Let's say you're vying for premiership and when you mention that, you read the person's face. First of all because non-verbal communication is the way to gauge what the other person is truly feeling a lot of the time," she said.

MLAs-elect will know who plans to run before the forum starts Friday morning, and some may have their mind made up already.

'They have a pretty good idea," said Taptuna. "But there's no doubt that they're waiting on the presentation and question period on so many things and they'll make up their final decision as they approach the ballot box."

No sour grapes

Right after the vote for premier, ministers will be picked.

Often those who lose the premiership put their name in for a cabinet post.That means working side-by-side with the person they just lost to.

Aariak says there can be no sore losers.

"If you want to get things done, you have to have that rapport, it's important to not hold grudges because it will only come in the way of what has to be done," said Aariak.

Whatever the outcome Friday, Taptuna knows how the candidates feel.

"It's nervous times and a lot of anxiety.I was pretty anxious so I didn't sleep that night [before]," said Taptuna.

• WATCH | Next Nunavut premier to be selected today