Veteran politician Tagak Curley was chosen Monday by his fellow Nunavut MLAs to join cabinet.

Curley, the MLA for Rankin Inlet North, rounds out the eight-member executive council in Nunavut's third legislative assembly, led by Premier Eva Aariak.

Members chose Curley over two other candidates for the cabinet post, during two rounds of secret ballot voting in a leadership forum held at the legislature in Iqaluit Monday morning.

Under Nunavut's consensus style of government, MLAs choose their premier and cabinet members from among their ranks after they are elected. Aariak and six cabinet ministers were chosen at an earlier leadership forum held Nov. 14.

The selection of the final cabinet minister had been delayed because MLAs were waiting for a member to be elected in the Akulliq constituency.

A byelection held there on Dec. 15 resulted in a tie, prompting the need for another byelection that is set for March 2. MLAs, however, decided late last week to go ahead with the leadership forum despite being one representative shot.

Aariak is now expected to assign Curley with a ministerial portfolio. MLAs will resume sitting Monday afternoon, as the new session of the legislature gets underway.

Political, business experience

It will mark a return to cabinet for Curley, who was a minister in the Northwest Territories government from 1979 to 1987, when Nunavut was still part of the N.W.T. Nunavut became its own territory in 1999.

Curley returned to territorial politics in 2004, being elected MLA for Rankin Inlet North by acclamation. He was also acclaimed in last fall's territorial election, held on Oct. 27.

In addition to his political experience, both in and out of cabinet, Curley told the assembly he would also bring his experience as a businessman to the table.

At Monday's forum, Curley beat out Tununiq MLA James Arvaluk and South Baffin MLA Fred Schell, both of whom also unsuccessfully sought a cabinet seat at the Nov. 14 leadership forum.

At the same forum, Curley ran against Aariak and Paul Okalik for the premier's job. When Aariak won, Curley declined an opportunity at that time to be considered for a cabinet post.