Lorne Kusugak
Encyclopedia
Lorne Kusugak is a Canadian
politician, who is Member of the Legislative Assembly
of Nunavut
for the electoral district
of Rankin Inlet South/Whale Cove
, having won the seat in the 2008 Nunavut election
. Prior to becoming an MLA, Kusugak was the mayor of Rankin Inlet. Kusugak is currently serving as the Nunavut Minister for Community and Government Services, Minister for Energy and the Minister responsible for the Qulliq Energy Corporation.
), one of the 11 children of a father who was a heavy equipment operator, and a mother who was a homemaker and a seamstress. In the mid-1970s, Kusugak attended high school
in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
, and later returned to Rankin Inlet to assist his mother. Kusugak's first job was with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
(CBC), which employed him as the first CBC reporter in his home town. For the next 15 years, Kusugak worked as a CBC broadcaster in several positions, both at home in Rankin Inlet and in Iqaluit. While working in these positions, he was one of the founders of the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation
, a television broadcaster featuring programs almost entirely broadcast in Inuktitut
.
Kusugak has, at various times, served as Chief Executive Officer of the Nunavut Implementation Training Committee and the Executive Director of the Kivalliq Inuit
Association. Kusugak served as the Mayor of Rankin Inlet for six years before being elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut
for the electoral district of Rankin Inlet South/Whale Cove
in the 2008 territorial election
. Kusugak defeated the incumbent Member and Deputy Premier of Nunavut, Levinia Brown
, with 62% of the vote.
During Kusugak's race for the riding of Rankin Inlet South/Whale Cove, he was charged with one count of sexual assault and one count of attempting by any means to choke, suffocate or strangle someone. The sexual assault charge was made following an accusation that Kusugak sexually assaulted a woman at a 2001 gathering in his home. Kusugak entered a plea of not guilty, and after Crown prosecutors reviewed the case, the charges were stayed.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician, who is Member of the Legislative Assembly
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
of 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...
for the electoral district
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Rankin Inlet South/Whale Cove
Rankin Inlet South/Whale Cove
Rankin Inlet South/Whale Cove is a territorial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, Canada.The riding consists of the communities of Rankin Inlet and Whale Cove.The current Member of the Legislative Assembly is Lorne Kusugak....
, having won the seat in the 2008 Nunavut election
Nunavut general election, 2008
The Third Nunavut General Election took place on October 27, 2008 to return members to the 3rd Legislative Assembly of Nunavut. The election was contested across 15 of Nunavut's 19 electoral districts under the first past the post system of voting...
. Prior to becoming an MLA, Kusugak was the mayor of Rankin Inlet. Kusugak is currently serving as the Nunavut Minister for Community and Government Services, Minister for Energy and the Minister responsible for the Qulliq Energy Corporation.
Biography
Kusugak was born in Rankin Inlet (then located in the Northwest TerritoriesNorthwest 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...
), one of the 11 children of a father who was a heavy equipment operator, and a mother who was a homemaker and a seamstress. In the mid-1970s, Kusugak attended high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Yellowknife is the capital and largest city of the Northwest Territories , Canada. It is located on the northern shore of Great Slave Lake, approximately south of the Arctic Circle, on the west side of Yellowknife Bay near the outlet of the Yellowknife River...
, and later returned to Rankin Inlet to assist his mother. Kusugak's first job was with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
(CBC), which employed him as the first CBC reporter in his home town. For the next 15 years, Kusugak worked as a CBC broadcaster in several positions, both at home in Rankin Inlet and in Iqaluit. While working in these positions, he was one of the founders of the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation
Inuit Broadcasting Corporation
The Inuit Broadcasting Corporation is a television broadcasting company based in Nunavut. Its programming is targeted at the Inuit population of Nunavut and almost all of its programs are broadcast in Inuktitut. Select programs are also broadcast in English. In contrast with traditional...
, a television broadcaster featuring programs almost entirely broadcast in Inuktitut
Inuktitut
Inuktitut or Eastern Canadian Inuktitut, Eastern Canadian Inuit language is the name of some of the Inuit languages spoken in Canada...
.
Kusugak has, at various times, served as Chief Executive Officer of the Nunavut Implementation Training Committee and the Executive Director of the Kivalliq Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
Association. Kusugak served as the Mayor of Rankin Inlet for six years before being elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut
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...
for the electoral district of Rankin Inlet South/Whale Cove
Rankin Inlet South/Whale Cove
Rankin Inlet South/Whale Cove is a territorial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, Canada.The riding consists of the communities of Rankin Inlet and Whale Cove.The current Member of the Legislative Assembly is Lorne Kusugak....
in the 2008 territorial election
Nunavut general election, 2008
The Third Nunavut General Election took place on October 27, 2008 to return members to the 3rd Legislative Assembly of Nunavut. The election was contested across 15 of Nunavut's 19 electoral districts under the first past the post system of voting...
. Kusugak defeated the incumbent Member and Deputy Premier of Nunavut, Levinia Brown
Levinia Brown
Levinia Brown is a Canadian politician, who served as the Member of the Legislative Assembly for the electoral district of Rankin Inlet South/Whale Cove in the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut from 2004 to 2008...
, with 62% of the vote.
During Kusugak's race for the riding of Rankin Inlet South/Whale Cove, he was charged with one count of sexual assault and one count of attempting by any means to choke, suffocate or strangle someone. The sexual assault charge was made following an accusation that Kusugak sexually assaulted a woman at a 2001 gathering in his home. Kusugak entered a plea of not guilty, and after Crown prosecutors reviewed the case, the charges were stayed.