By Canadian Press

Nunavut premier strips housing minister of cabinet portfolios for social media post

Oct 8, 2020 | 10:07 AM

Nunavut Premier Joe Savikataaq has stripped the territory’s housing minister of his cabinet portfolios over a social media post about the Black Lives Matter movement.

Patterk Netser had served as housing minister and minister responsible for Nunavut Arctic College since 2018.

A post on Netser’s Facebook page last night said “All lives matter” and criticized Black women for having abortions. 

The post has since been deleted.

Savikataaq says in a news release that the post was “unacceptable.”

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He says he will bring the matter forward when the legislative assembly reconvenes Oct. 21.

Because Nunavut has a consensus government, legislature members must vote on whether to remove Netser from cabinet. 

In the interim, Savikataaq will act a housing minister and Education Minister David Joanasie will take on Nunavut Arctic College.

Netser, who represents Coral Harbour and Naujaat, was first elected to the territory’s legislative assembly in 2004 and has held several cabinet portfolios.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2020.

The Canadian Press