David Qamaniq | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut for Tununiq | |
| In office September 16, 2019 – September 20, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Joe Enook |
| Succeeded by | Karen Nutarak |
| Personal details | |
| Born | David Qajaakuttuk Qamaniq February 27, 1961 |
| Political party | non-partisan consensus government |
| Residence(s) | Pond Inlet, Nunavut |
David Qajaakuttuk Qamaniq is a Canadian politician who was elected to represent the district of Tununiq in the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut in a by-election on September 16, 2019.[1] Prior to his election to the legislature, he was a mayor of Pond Inlet;[2] he ran in the same district in a 2011 by-election, the 2013 Nunavut general election and the 2017 Nunavut general election, losing each time to Joe Enook, and was elected in the by-election following Enook's death in office.
He was a stage actor in his youth, who toured with the Tunooniq Theatre company to perform in Inuit stage plays.[3] He was most noted for his performance in David Holman's 1993 play Whale,[4] for which he received a Dora Mavor Moore Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Play (Large Theatre).[5]
Qamaniq filed a wrongful death suit against the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in April 2019,[6] following the possibly racially-motivated shooting death of his son Kunuk in 2017.[7] He did not base his electoral campaign on the lawsuit, however, instead highlighting basic economic and community improvement proposals such as the construction of a new airstrip to serve the community, and the need for infrastructure facilities such as an indoor swimming pool, a playground, and a community hall.[1]