Nunavut departments of health, justice get new deputy ministers

The Government of Nunavut has hired two new deputy ministers, Premier Peter Taptuna announced July 29.

Colleen Stockley, a civil servant with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s department of health, has been appointed as Nunavut’s deputy minister of health, effective Sept. 2.

Stockley replaces Peter Ma, who was moved from deputy minister of health to interim president of the Qulliq Energy Corporation this past November.

Until now, Rosemarie Keenainak had been filling in as acting deputy minister of health.

Nunavut’s new deputy minister of health holds a nursing diploma, a bachelor of social work and a master’s degree in business administration from Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Stockley recently worked as assistant deputy minister (acting) of the professional services branch of Newfoundland and Labrador’s department of health.

Nunavut’s justice department will also get a new deputy minister starting Sept. 29: Ottawa lawyer Elizabeth A.L. Sanderson.

Sanderson replaces Norman Tarnow, who departed from his job as deputy minister last November.

Nunavut’s new deputy minister of justice holds a bachelor of laws degree from the University of Ottawa and a master of arts degree in Canadian studies.

Sanderson worked for several years as assistant deputy attorney general responsible for aboriginal affairs with the Government of Canada’s justice department

“Ms. Sanderson and Ms. Stockley bring a wealth of senior level experience to these deputy minister positions, and I am confident the appointments are sound additions to our government,” Premier Peter Taptuna said in a July 29 statement.

“I congratulate both on successful competitions, and look forward to their strategic contributions to the Government of Nunavut.”

Taptuna also announced that, effective Aug. 1, Monita O’Connor will retire as the assistant deputy minister responsible for operations at the Nunavut health department.