Iqaluit's mayor and city councillors serve three-year terms, meaning Mayor Elisapee Sheutiapik and her council of six newcomers and two incumbents are in office until 2012. (CBC)Iqaluit's new city council was sworn in Thursday night at the Nunavut Court of Justice, about 2½ weeks after residents chose them to lead the Nunavut capital.
Re-elected Mayor Elisapee Sheutaipik, along with six new councillors and two incumbent councillors, will meet for the first time on Tuesday.
"You're going to be in for an interesting ride," chief administrator John Hussey said at the swearing-in ceremony at the courthouse.
"It's a vibrant community with lots of action."
During the ceremony, Hussey summoned each member of council to take the oath of office.
Among those taking the oath for the first time was Mary Ekho Wilman, who earned the most votes of any council candidate in the Oct. 19 civic election.
"My first priority will be to learn how municipal council works," Wilman told CBC News.
After that, Wilman said she wants to improve communication between council and residents.
Also new to council are Mary Akpalialuk, David Ell, Natsiq Alainga-Kango, Mat Knicklebein and Romeyn Stevenson. They join incumbents Jimmy Kilabuk and Simon Nattaq around the council table.
Stevenson had squeaked into the eighth and final council seat following a recount of the election results, unseating incumbent David Alexander in the process.
"I'd like to get down to understanding what it is exactly that I'm going to do, so that's what I'm looking forward to the first meeting for," Stevenson said.
When council meets on Tuesday, they will pick a deputy mayor in an otherwise light meeting agenda.
City officials say the new councillors will then take a clinic on procedure and rules.
The mayor and council serve a three-year term, meaning they are now in office until 2012.
