Peter Taptuna is a Canadian politician who served as the third Premier of Nunavut from 2013 to 2017. He was first elected in the general election held on October 27, 2008, to represent Nunavut’s most western riding of Kugluktuk, in the 3rd Legislative Assembly of Nunavut. He was elected Nunavut's third Premier during the November 15, 2013 proceedings of the Nunavut Leadership Forum. He was formally sworn into office on November 19, 2013. From 2009 to 2013 he held many positions within the government of Nunavut, including Deputy Premier, Minister Responsible for the Nunavut Development Corporation, Minister Responsible for the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation, Minister Responsible for Mines, and since November 19, 2008, the Minister of Economic Development & Transportation.
Early life, education and career
Born in Cambridge Bay, Peter Taptuna has spent most of his life in Kugluktuk, Nunavut. He attended residential school in Inuvik, Northwest Territories. He holds a diploma in management studies from Nunavut Arctic College, where he took courses in managerial accounting, corporate and contract law, business administration and human resources management. Peter Taptuna has also earned journeyman and red seal trades certifications. Peter Taptuna worked in the oil and gas industry for 13 years, during which he was a member of the first and only all-Inuit drilling crew on an offshore rig in the Beaufort Sea. He has also held positions at the Lupin Gold Mine and the Kugluktuk Hunters and Trappers Organization. Peter and his wife Joanne have five children and nine grandchildren. His personal interests include hunting, fishing and other on-the-land activities.
In his remarks at the Nunavut Leadership Forum, Peter Taptuna emphasized on the importance of seeking opportunities for the economic, social and cultural sectors. To achieve this, he indicated that his priorities as Premier would be to focus on education and training while capitalizing on responsible investments across all sectors. He also outlined the value of working diplomatically with stakeholders, Inuit organizations, municipalities and the federal government in order to achieve economic growth. He also explained that his vision of leadership goes well beyond being the voice of the people he serves: "it's about actions and outcomes, not visions and wish lists, and most of all, it's about us, it's about Nunavummiut, not individuals," he said in his remarks. On October 3, 2014, Nunavut and Canada officially resumed negotiations on devolution. The initial negotiations cover public lands and resources in Nunavut that currently fall under the federal government management and control. Offshore matters, such as oil and gas, are to be negotiated at a later date.
