Jack Anawak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jack Iyerak Anawak
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| ᔭᒃ ᐃᐊᕋᒃ ᐊᓇᕙᒃ | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Canadian Ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs | |||||||||||||||||||||
| In office January 19, 2004 – October 3, 2006 |
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| Prime Minister | Jean Chrétien | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Mary Simon | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Position abolished | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | September 26, 1950 Repulse Bay, Northwest Territories |
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Jack Iyerak Anawak (born September 26, 1950) is a Canadian politician. A politician is someone who works in government, making decisions for the people. He was born in Repulse Bay, which is now part of Nunavut.
Mr. Anawak has served in different government roles. He was a member of the House of Commons of Canada, which is where Canada's laws are made. He also served in the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, which is like the local government for the Nunavut territory. Later, he even became an ambassador for Canada.
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Jack Anawak's Journey in Politics
Working in Federal Politics
Jack Anawak first became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1988. An MP is a person elected to represent a specific area, called an electoral district, in the House of Commons of Canada. He represented the area called Nunatsiaq.
He was part of the Liberal Party of Canada. When the Liberals were not in power, he spoke for the party on issues related to Northern Affairs. This means he was the "opposition critic" for that topic.
In 1993, the Liberal Party won the election. Mr. Anawak was then chosen to be a parliamentary secretary. This role helps a government minister with their duties. He worked with the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.
In 1999, Nunavut became a new Canadian territory. Jack Anawak was elected to its first Legislative Assembly of Nunavut. He represented the area of Rankin Inlet North.
Many people thought he would become the first Premier (leader) of the new territory. However, the Assembly in Nunavut works differently. It uses a consensus model, which means members choose a leader together, not based on political parties. They chose Paul Okalik instead.
Mr. Anawak did not run for re-election in 2004. He tried to return to the Assembly in 2008. But his application was turned down because he was not living in Nunavut full-time at that moment. He tried to challenge this decision in court, but the court did not agree with him.
He tried again in the 2013 election but did not win a seat.
Returning to Federal Politics
In 2015, Jack Anawak decided to try and become an MP again. He ran for the New Democratic Party in his old riding, which was now called Nunavut. He came in second place in that election.
Working in City Politics
More recently, in 2023, Jack Anawak was elected to the Iqaluit City Council. This means he now helps make decisions for the city of Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut.
Canada's Ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs
From 2004 to 2006, Jack Anawak served as Canada's Ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs. An ambassador is a country's official representative in another country or for a specific topic. "Circumpolar Affairs" means dealing with issues and relationships around the North Pole, including countries and Indigenous peoples in the Arctic region.
This special ambassador role was later ended by the government in 2006. Its duties were then handled by other government departments.
