Kevin O'Brien (Nunavut politician)
Encyclopedia
Kevin O'Brien is a Canadian union negotiator, former civil servant and a former municipal and territorial level politician who has served as a Member of both the Northwest Territories Legislature
and the Nunavut Legislature
. He also served as Speaker between 2000 and 2004.
O'Brien was first elected to the Northwest Territories Legislature in the 1995 Northwest Territories general election
. He defeated incumbent MLA Silas Arngna'naaq to win the Kivallivik electoral district. He served a single term in the Legislature before Northwest Territories
and Nunavut
were split and his electoral district was abolished.
O'Brien ran for a seat in the first Nunavut general election
held in 1999. He won the Arviat
electoral district and became its first member. O'Brien was elected Speaker of the House in 2000 and held it until his defeat in the 2004 Nunavut general election
. He was defeated by David Alagalak
in a hotly contested race finishing a distant fourth.
O'Brien got into legal trouble when he was convicted of illegal possession of liquor in Arviat, Nunavut
. He pled guilty to the charge but it was not publicized until after the 2004 election.
13th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly
The 13th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly was the 20th assembly of the territorial government and it lasted from 1995 to 1999. This assembly was dissolved due to the creation of Nunavut.-External links:*...
and the Nunavut Legislature
Legislative Assembly of Nunavut
The Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, Canada, is located in Iqaluit, and is the territory's parliament.The Legislative Assembly of Nunavut was opened by Queen Elizabeth II, as Queen of Canada, on 7 October 2002, during her Golden Jubilee tour of Canada...
. He also served as Speaker between 2000 and 2004.
O'Brien was first elected to the Northwest Territories Legislature in the 1995 Northwest Territories general election
Northwest Territories general election, 1995
The Northwest Territories general election, 1995 was the 18th general election in the Northwest Territories history. The election took place on October 16, 1995. This was the last election before the Northwest Territories was split in two with the creation of Nunavut.The big issue this election was...
. He defeated incumbent MLA Silas Arngna'naaq to win the Kivallivik electoral district. He served a single term in the Legislature before Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
and Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
were split and his electoral district was abolished.
O'Brien ran for a seat in the first Nunavut general election
Nunavut general election, 1999
Nunavut, Canada conducted its first general election on 15 February 1999, to elect the members of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut.Although Nunavut did not become a territory until 1 April 1999 the election was held early to enable the members to assume their duties on that date.The territory...
held in 1999. He won the Arviat
Arviat (electoral district)
Arviat is a territorial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, Canada. The riding consists of the community of Arviat...
electoral district and became its first member. O'Brien was elected Speaker of the House in 2000 and held it until his defeat in the 2004 Nunavut general election
Nunavut general election, 2004
The Canadian territory of Nunavut conducted its second general election on February 16, 2004, to elect the 19 members of the Legislative Assembly.Premier Paul Okalik asked for the five-year-old territory's first parliament to be dissolved on January 16....
. He was defeated by David Alagalak
David Alagalak
David Alagalak is a Canadian politician, who was the Member of the Legislative Assembly for the electoral district of Arviat in the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut from 2004 to 2008....
in a hotly contested race finishing a distant fourth.
O'Brien got into legal trouble when he was convicted of illegal possession of liquor in Arviat, Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
. He pled guilty to the charge but it was not publicized until after the 2004 election.