Leona Aglukkaq

The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq ᓕᐅᓇ ᐊᒡᓘᒃᑲᖅ PC
Minister of the Environment
In office July 15, 2013 – November 4, 2015
Prime Minister	Stephen Harper
Preceded by	Peter Kent
Succeeded by	Catherine McKenna
Minister of Health
In office October 30, 2008 – July 15, 2013
Prime Minister	Stephen Harper
Preceded by	Tony Clement
Succeeded by	Rona Ambrose
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Nunavut
In office October 14, 2008 – October 19, 2015
Preceded by	Nancy Karetak-Lindell
Succeeded by	Hunter Tootoo
Member of the Nunavut Legislative Assembly for Nattilik
In office February 16, 2004 – September 10, 2008
Preceded by	Uriash Puqiqnak
Succeeded by	Enuk Pauloosie
Personal details
Born	June 28, 1967 Inuvik, Northwest Territories
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Robbie MacNeil[1]
Children	Cooper[1]
Residence	Gjoa Haven, Nunavut[1]

Leona Aglukkaq, PC (Inuktitut syllabics: ᓕᐅᓇ ᐊᒡᓘᒃᑲᖅ; born June 28, 1967) is a Canadian politician. She was a member of the non-partisan Legislative Assembly of Nunavut representing the riding of Nattilik from 2004 until stepping down in 2008; then was a Conservative member of the House of Commons of Canada representing the riding of Nunavut after winning the seat in the 2008 federal election. She was the first Conservative to win the seat, and only the second centre-right candidate ever to win it.^[2][3] She remained MP until she was defeated in the 2015 federal election by Liberal candidate Hunter Tootoo.^[4]

Life

Aglukkaq was born in Inuvik, Northwest Territories and raised in Thom Bay, Taloyoak and Gjoa Haven (formerly in the Northwest Territories but all three are now in Nunavut). She is married to Robbie MacNeil and has a son, Cooper.^[1]

Prior to running as an MP, Aglukkaq served on the Hamlet Council of Cambridge Bay. She was also a Government of Nunavut public servant, working for the Office of the Clerk of the Nunavut Legislature, and as the Deputy Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth. Information regarding Aglukkaq's post-secondary education has never been made public.^[5]

Political career

Territorial politics

Arctic Council Chairman Leona Aglukkaq and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry wave to people in her hometown of Iqaluit

First elected to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut representing the electoral district of Nattilik in the 2004 Nunavut election, she held the seat until stepping down on September 10, 2008 to run in the federal election. She was the Minister of Health and Social Services and the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women in the Executive Council of Nunavut.

Federal politics

Minister of Health

Aglukkaq was named the Minister of Health on October 30, 2008,^[6] and is the first Inuk in Canadian history to be appointed to the Cabinet of Canada.^[7] Jack Anawak and Nancy Karetak-Lindell previously held parliamentary secretary positions, which are not part of the cabinet itself.

Considerable public attention was focused on Aglukkaq during the 2009 swine flu outbreak where hundreds of Canadians were infected with the H1N1 virus. The Liberal health critic said that Aglukkaq was doing a "terrific job," and especially liked how the minister phoned all opposition critics to build consensus on the swine flu issue.^[8][9]

Health Canada officials sent two dozen body bags, normally sent to hospitals, to a Manitoba First Nation. The move was criticized by Aglukkaq, the Liberal and New Democratic opposition parties in Parliament, and First Nations leaders.^[10] An investigation ordered by Aglukkaq found "no evidence of ill will or deliberate calculation," though First Nations representatives in Manitoba criticized the inquiry's report for downplaying the incident.^[11]

Following the outbreak, Aglukkaq appeared on various television shows, including CBC News Network's Power and Politics with Evan Solomon, underlining the government's immunization plan.

Aglukkaq was criticized by public health officials for refusing to sign the Vienna Declaration on drug policy reform, which deemed "the evidence that law enforcement has failed to prevent the availability of illegal drugs [...] unambiguous," and called for a "science-based approach" based on harm reduction strategies such as needle exchange programs and "safe injection" sites, because the Declaration was in conflict with the Conservative government's long-established policy against drugs.^[12][13]

Re-election and continued incumbency

Aglukkaq was reelected in 2011 with nearly 50 percent of the vote, defeating a field of challengers which included former Premier of Nunavut Paul Okalik, who ran as the Liberal nominee.^[14][15] She was the first centre-right MP in the history of the riding to win a second term.

On August 23, 2012, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that Aglukkaq will serve as chair of the Arctic Council when Canada assumes the Chairmanship from Sweden in May 2013.^[16]

Aglukkaq gave no indication of support for the nationwide Idle No More protests in 2012/13, and called on Chief Theresa Spence to give up her hunger strike, abandon her request to meet with the Prime Minister and the Governor General of Canada, and instead speak to Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan.^[17]

Minister of Environment

On July 15, 2013, Aglukkaq was named Minister of the Environment,^[18][19] which includes responsibility for Parks Canada, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency and Environment Canada.

In December 2014, Aglukkaq apologized for reading the newspaper while opposition parties asked the government about high food prices in the North during Question Period.^[20] During the 2015 Canadian federal election, Paul Okalik, Nunavut's Health and Justice Minister expressed his discontent with Aglukkaq's actions by reading a newspaper whenever Aglukkaq spoke at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation election forum in Iqaluit.^[21]

In the election, Aglukkaq lost almost half of her vote share from 2011 (even allowing for a turnout nearly double that of the previous election) and was pushed into third place behind Liberal candidate and former Legislative Assembly speaker Hunter Tootoo and NDP candidate and former MP Jack Anawak. It was one of the larger defeats suffered by a member of Harper's cabinet.

Electoral history

Canadian federal election, 2015: Nunavut
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%	Expenditures
	Liberal	Hunter Tootoo	5,619	47.11%	+18.49	–
	New Democratic	Jack Iyerak Anawak	3,171	26.58%	+7.14	–
	Conservative	Leona Aglukkaq	2,956	24.78%	-25.07	–
	Green	Spencer Rocchi	182	1.53%	-0.55	–
Total valid votes/Expense limit			11,928	100.0		$202,334.18
Total rejected ballots			95	–	–
Turnout			12,203	62.54%	–
Eligible voters			19,223
Source: Elections Canada[22][23]

Canadian federal election, 2011: Nunavut
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	Conservative	Leona Aglukkaq	3,930	49.85	+15.07
	Liberal	Paul Okalik	2,260	28.62	−0.38
	New Democratic	Jack Hicks	1,525	19.44	−8.18
	Green	Scott MacCallum	160	2.1	−6.27
Total valid votes			7,875	100.0
Total rejected ballots			56	0.71
Turnout			7,931	46.66
Eligible voters			16,998
	Conservative hold		Swing		+7.73

Canadian federal election, 2008: Nunavut
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%	Expenditures
	Conservative	Leona Aglukkaq	2,806	34.78	+5.72	$59,574
	Liberal	Kirt Ejesiak	2,359	29.24	−10.74	$59,600
	New Democratic	Paul Irngaut	2,228	27.62	+10.47	$20,095
	Green	Peter Ittinuar	675	8.37	+2.45
Total valid votes/Expense limit			8,068	100.0		$80,098
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing		+8.23

2004 election

2004 Nunavut general election: Nattilik
[24]	Name	Vote	%
	Leona Aglukkaq	305	42.84%
	David Irqiut	203	28.51%
	Anthony Anguttitauruq	130	18.26%
	Simon Qingnaqtuq	30	4.21%
	Ruediger H. J. Rasch	28	3.93%
	Sonny Porter	11	1.55%
	Tom Akoak	5	0.70%
Total Valid Ballots		712	100%
Voter Turnout 107.04%		Rejected Ballots 3

See also

• Arctic Cooperation and Politics
• Arctic policy of Canada

References

1. "Rookie Health Minister fulfils her dream – and then some". The Globe and Mail. October 30, 2008. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
2. "Canada Votes 2008: Electoral results for Nunavut". CBC News. October 14, 2008. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
3. "'Change is long overdue': Aglukkaq paints Nunavut Tory blue". CBC News. October 15, 2008. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
4. Zerehi, Sima S. (17 October 2015). "Hunter Tootoo celebrates Liberal win in Nunavut". CBC News North. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
5. Kilian, Crawford (December 13, 2012). "Can't Call Canada's Conservatives Overeducated". The Tyee. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
6. "Harper shuffles cabinet to create 'right team for these times'". CBC News. October 30, 2008. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
7. welcome Aglukkaq as federal health minister
8. "Rookie health minister stays cool in swine flu spotlight". CTV News. April 27, 2009. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
9. "The week everyone loved Leona". Macleans. May 1, 2009. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
10. "Health minister orders probe over flu body bags". CBC News. September 17, 2009. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
11. "Body bag probe found no 'ill will': Aglukkaq". CBC News. October 7, 2009. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
12. Galloway, Gloria; Picard, Andre (July 23, 2010). "Harper, Aglukkaq singled out for stinging rebuke at AIDS conference". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
13. "Ottawa's HIV/AIDS funding disappoints some". CBC News. July 20, 2010. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
14. "History of Federal Ridings since 1867 (Nunavut)". Parliament of Canada. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
15. "Aglukkaq re-elected in Nunavut as Tories sweep to majority government". Nunatsiaq Online. May 2, 2011. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
16. "PM Harper: Nunavut MP Aglukkaq will chair the Arctic Council". Nunatsiaq Online. August 23, 2012. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
17. Levitz, Stephanie (December 28, 2012). "Chief on hunger strike should give up and meet Aboriginal Affairs Minister, Aglukkaq says". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
18. "Leona Aglukkaq named new environment minister". CBC News. July 15, 2013. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
19. "Aglukkaq takes environment post as Ottawa seeks to win over First Nations, U.S.". The Globe and Mail. July 15, 2013. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
20. "Leona Aglukkaq admits reading newspaper was a 'bad idea' during question period". CBC News. December 5, 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
21. Sponagle, Jane (14 October 2015). "Audience steals the show at CBC's federal election forum in Iqaluit". CBC News. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
22. Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Nunavut, 30 September 2015
23. Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates
24. "Nunavut general election 2004 Election Results" (PDF). Elections Nunavut. p. 41. Retrieved 2008-09-24.

External links

• Leona Aglukkaq, MP
• Profile at Parliament of Canada
• Leona Aglukkaq – Parliament of Canada biography
• Speeches, votes and activity at OpenParliament.ca