Paul Quassa
Paul Quassa | |
|---|---|
| 4th Premier of Nunavut | |
| In office November 21, 2017 – June 14, 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Peter Taptuna |
| Succeeded by | Joe Savikataaq |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut for Aggu | |
| Assumed office October 28, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | first member |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1951 or 1952 (age 71–72)[1] Igloolik, Northwest Territories (now Nunavut) |
| Political party | non-partisan consensus government |
| Occupation | indigenous land claims negotiator, journalist |
Paul Aarulaaq Quassa (born 1951 or 1952) is a Canadian politician who served as the fourth Premier of Nunavut from November 2017 to June 2018. On June 14, 2018, he lost a non-confidence vote (16–3) and was replaced as Premier by former deputy premier Joe Savikataaq.[2][3]
First elected to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut in the 2013 election,[4] he represents the electoral district of Aggu. He served in the Executive Council of Nunavut as Minister of Education during the 4th Legislative Assembly of Nunavut.[5] He was reelected in the 2017 election, and was subsequently selected as premier at the Nunavut Leadership Forum under the territory's consensus government system.[6]
Quassa was born in an igloo at Manitok, a hunting camp near Igloolik.[6] Quassa spent his childhood at a residential school in Churchill, Manitoba. He returned to Igloolik in 1972 to work on land claims and served as president of the Tunngavik Federation of Nunavut in the early 1990s,[7] and was one of the negotiators of the land claim settlement that led to the establishment of Nunavut.[8][6] He was dropped from the presidency in 1992 following allegations of sexual assault against a woman,[9] but received a discharge in court[10] and was subsequently reinstated as president of the organization and the successor Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated.[11] Quassa spent a decade as a journalist with the CBC North and Isuma Productions.
References
- ^ "Meet Paul Quassa, Nunavut’s new premier". Maclean's, November 25, 2017.
- ^ After Paul Quassa ejected, Nunavut chooses deputy as new premier
- ^ Joe Savikataaq is the new premier of Nunavut, after non-confidence vote ousts former leader
- ^ "2 seats tied, Eva Aariak loses in Nunavut election". CBC News, October 28, 2013.
- ^ "'Very representative': Paul Quassa calls selection of 19 Inuit law students 'successful'". CBC North, September 13, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Paul Quassa will be Nunavut's next premier". CBC News, November 17, 2017.
- ^ "Ottawa awards management rights in massive territorial land claim". Montreal Gazette, March 27, 1990.
- ^ "Longtime politician Paul Quassa chosen new premier of Nunavut". CTV News, November 17, 2017.
- ^ "Inuit land negotiator charged in assault". Edmonton Journal, January 31, 1992.
- ^ "Discharge on sex assault sparks outcry by Inuit". Hamilton Spectator, February 27, 1992.
- ^ "Inuit challenge federal gun-control law: Legislation `designed for southern Canada' violates right to hunt without permit, leaders say". Montreal Gazette, June 22, 2000.
