Three-way race to become Iqaluit's next mayor

Iqaluit voters will have three options for mayor when they head to the polls: Lili Weemen, Vincent Yvon and incumbent Solomon Awa.

Awa was appointed as Iqlauit's mayor part-time after former mayor Kenny Bell resigned.

Advance polls will run in all Nunavutcommunities on Monday, Oct. 16 with election day on Monday, Oct.23.

Voters in Iqaluit can cast their ballots at Abe Okpik Hall in Apex and in the Cadet Hall in Iqaluit from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

CBC sent a list of questions to mayoral candidates in Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay.

Here are the responses for Iqaluit's mayoral candidates.

Lili Weemen

Have you run for mayor before? If you were elected, how long have you been elected for and in what position?

Not for mayor of Iqaluit but for councillor in Iqaluit four years ago.

Why do you want to run for mayor this time around?

We need more women elected to the City of Iqaluit.Assuming all three of us were to be elected, there would still be a considerable gender imbalance. I have retired and can devote my time to running the city and if the position is full-time, we need the incumbent willing to work full-time.

What do you see as your community's greatest challenge for council (mayor and councillors) to overcome?

Providing a roof to all the residents of Iqaluit this winter.

If you are elected, what are your top three priorities?

Housing, infrastructure, food security.

What traits do you have that you think make you a good leader for your community?

A consensus builder is important to ensure a cohesive team at council to get things done.

What's a fun fact that people might not know about you?

I used to do stand up comedy in Brisbane, Australia.

Vincent Yvon

Have you run for mayor before? If you were elected, how long have you been elected for and in what position?

I was president of the culture association, and I am still an honorific president. I am always interested in people's culture and the way we can maintain it; culture is our root that guides us where to go. Also, I ran in the municipal election and I was elected in the city of a French city in Normandy, Criel-Sur-Mer, for three years. This time gave me the experience, knowledge, and ability to fix social problems in our community.

Why do you want to run for mayor this time around?

I have been always interested in our community and I have been always trying to change for good our city, our home. I am willing to do my best, and I know that if I am elected mayor of Iqaluit, we can do amazing things as residents of this beautiful land. We need a new vision, energy, a new way to face all challenges and overcome them. We have been in a road where we still have room for improvement. We still work to have a better place to live where communication is key to identify our weaknesses, but also our strengths.

I want a city where people, our environment are taken care of by the city hall. Residents of Iqaluit deservethe best and I will be happy to contribute to that.

What do you see as your community's greatest challenge for council (mayor and councillors) to overcome?

In my opinion the greatest challenge is creating a strong community where the communication of our people is key, understanding that we are going in the same direction. Keeping in mind every day the amazing Inuit value: Piliriqatigiinniq, working together for a common cause. Make people to be more interested in our city hall processes and choices. Make new generations more participants in our local politics.

If you are elected, what are your top three priorities?

1. Water issues. Give a definite end to that problem and finally give to our community the quality of water we deserve. It is not correct the fact that we are even afraid for our youngest and our oldest for the water they drink. That's unacceptable and risky for our health.

2. Clean the city and our surroundings. I have been told by people in the street that they feel ashamed about how the city is been treated, about the way they forgot the land. Garbage everywhere. No matter where you go, there will be garbage on the ground, which makes me think the day where the wind was wild, garbage all over the place. Flying! That's not OK.

3. Transparency (Communication). People need to trust in the city hall again. Our institutions need to be trusted. Trust that we are here to help and improve that's why the city hall need to be available for everyone, meet our residents, listen to them, and if possible, find solutions together.Integration of our people is key.

What traits do you have that you think make you a good leader for your community?

I would say that the things that make me be a good leader for our community is my empathy, collaboration, courage, gratitude, and innovation. Changing what is not working for something better. As a mayor I will do my best to make our home not just a home, but our "sweet home". Motivating my team and our society to do their very best.

What's a fun fact that people might not know about you?

I would say that I am kind of "geek", I like technology and how it can improve our daily life. I am an advocate and how technology can improve our future, and present in the educationof our teenagers. I will do my best to bring the best of it to our people.

Solomon Awa

Have you run for mayor before? If you were elected, how long have you been elected for and in what position?

I was first elected as a councillor four years ago. When the former mayor resigned, I was deputy mayor at the time. They said I should take a part time mayor ship. So I was mayor part-time until this election. I've learned from that experience.

Why do you want to run for mayor this time around?

I was acting mayor and I learned how it operates.I'm also a hunter, I support the harvesters and recreational activities in Iqaluit. We need to be able to get in and out of the community. The water crisis is ongoing. I saw the agreement with the federal government for the funding last year. We need to look into how we can increase our water quantity in Iqaluit so we can start building more houses in Iqaluit.

What do you see as your community's greatest challenge for council (mayor and councillors) to overcome?

We've got Utilidor pipe problems here in Iqaluit. As we know, they've frozen. We need to be able to replace them with the winterized system. We are looking into fixing our water quantity. We have halted building new houses because we don't have enough water. But also at the same time, we had a problem with the sewage pipes and water pipes that had been frozen. So we need to replace them with better materials, which is what I've been asking for. I know it's going to cost a little more but it's going to save a lot of money in the future.

If you are elected, what are your top three priorities?

Reducing utility service rates, create more recreational activities for youth and reduce burial services costs.

What traits do you have that you think make you a good leader for your community?

Right from the beginning, I've been a person who makes decisions. I was a recreation committee member. I was also a member of the Iqaluit Hunters and Trappers Association,the alcohol committee, a councillor, a climate change committee.

What's a fun fact that people might not know about you?

I built a huge Qaggiq and I've maybe made over 1,000 qulliqs.