Days after the release of the Elections Canada report on the Nunavik federal election issues, Russ Johnson remains frustrated and angered by the findings. He expressed his dissatisfaction with what he perceived as incomplete truths and acknowledgments. The report highlighted various deficiencies that caused early closures of polling stations in half of Nunavik’s villages and the complete absence of voting services in Akulivik and Ivujivik on election day. These issues included a lack of effective community engagement, approved by Elections Canada headquarters, and the failure of the returning officer to conduct mandatory outreach before voting day.
Johnson, a former Nunavik resident who volunteered for Liberal MP Mandy Gull-Masty’s campaign in the region, continues to seek answers. He questions why polling staff were allowed to leave early due to adverse weather conditions despite having secured accommodations and why essential community outreach was neglected. Johnson believes the root cause of these problems lies in the distant management of operations by individuals from southern regions.
Ivujivik mayor Adamie Kalingo recalled Elections Canada staff briefly visiting his community without conducting any voting activities, which he perceives as another instance of neglect towards Nunavimmiut. Kalingo emphasized the importance of early preparation, follow-ups, and continuous communication for future elections to ensure a smoother process. The report also highlighted the use of unilingual French-speaking staff in several locations, despite Inuktitut being the primary language. Elections Canada expressed its commitment to working closely with each community to recruit and train local individuals who understand the language and community dynamics.
The report issued recommendations for improved community engagement, accountability, and the implementation of formal escalation protocols. It also called for dedicated teams with knowledge of Indigenous and northern community realities to assist returning officers in election planning and execution. Johnson dismissed the recommendation for dedicated teams as obvious and called for an independent audit to assess the election handling in Nunavik. Elections Canada defended its decision to conduct an inquiry in Nunavik and stated its authority to perform independent audits and targeted inquiries under its charter.
Following the election, MP Mandy Gull-Masty expressed her intention to introduce a bill addressing the shortcomings identified in the Elections Canada report. She emphasized the importance of supporting constituents and holding Elections Canada accountable for necessary changes. Gull-Masty viewed the report as a crucial initial step towards progress but did not provide details on the bill’s status.
