David Qamaniq

David Qamaniq
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut for Tununiq
In office
September 16, 2019 – September 20, 2021
Preceded byJoe Enook
Succeeded byKaren Nutarak
Personal details
Born
David Qajaakuttuk Qamaniq

February 27, 1961
Political partynon-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]

  1. ^ a b "'It seems as though I'm dreaming': David Qamaniq elected as MLA in Pond Inlet". CBC North, September 16, 2019.
  2. ^ "David Qamaniq, 58, to serve as newest member of the Nunavut legislature". Nunatsiaq News, September 17, 2019.
  3. ^ Rod Currie, "Inuit actor has a Whale of a tale". Waterloo Region Record, April 14, 1993.
  4. ^ Geoff Chapman, "Whale tale fun and informative, too". Toronto Star, April 23, 1993.
  5. ^ "Dora Award nominations". Toronto Star, May 11, 1993.
  6. ^ Kent Driscoll, "Pond Inlet family suing Nunavut RCMP after fatal shooting". APTN National News, April 14, 2019.
  7. ^ Michelle Pucci, "Deadly Force: Family left wondering how young son died after fatal 2017 encounter with Nunavut RCMP". CBC North, April 14, 2018.