32 Facts About Hunter Tootoo

Hunter A Tootoo is a Canadian politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Nunavut from 2015 to 2019.

Hunter Tootoo sat as an independent member for the remainder of the 42nd Parliament and did not run for re-election in 2019.

Hunter Tootoo was Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 2011 to 2013.

Hunter Tootoo was a member of the New Democratic Party from 1997 to 1999.

Hunter Tootoo has represented Nunavut at the Canadian Curling Club Championships multiple times and became the president of the territorial curling association in 2020.

Hunter Tootoo was born in Rankin Inlet, the son of Batiste Hunter Tootoo, an Inuk, and Sally Luttmer, originally from Montreal and descended from Lithuanian Jewish immigrants.

Hunter Tootoo is a businessman in northern Canada, and was the co-founder of the Iqaluit branch of Arctic Insurance Brokers Ltd.

Hunter Tootoo is a former member of the Northwest Territories Co-op Business Development Board, the Sport North Board of Directors, and Arctic Co-operatives Ltd.

Hunter Tootoo served as regional coordinator for the town of Arviat in 1993.

Hunter Tootoo became the administration officer for the NWT Department of Recreation and Tourism in 1995, and was named as the corporate control officer of the NWT Department of Finance later in the same year.

Hunter Tootoo was a member of the Public Service Alliance of Canada in this period.

Hunter Tootoo began his political career as a member of the Hamlet Council of Rankin Inlet.

Hunter Tootoo spoke out against the Liberal government's gun registration program during this campaign.

Nunavut became a separate jurisdiction in 1999, and Hunter Tootoo declared himself a candidate for the territory's first general election.

Hunter Tootoo was easily elected in Iqaluit Centre, defeating three opponents.

Hunter Tootoo was returned again in the 2004 election, although by a narrower margin, and again in the 2008 election.

Hunter Tootoo was often described as the unofficial leader of the legislative opposition.

Hunter Tootoo was selected on July 27,2015, as the Liberal candidate for the Nunavut federal electoral riding in the 2015 Canadian federal election.

Hunter Tootoo stepped down as the chair of the Nunavut Planning Commission shortly afterwards.

On October 19,2015, Hunter Tootoo won the election, defeating Conservative incumbent and cabinet minister Leona Aglukkaq.

On November 4,2015, Hunter Tootoo was appointed as Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard in the 29th Canadian Ministry; He became the first Fisheries Minister to be from Northern Canada.

Hunter Tootoo resigned from the cabinet on May 31,2016, citing issues with addiction.

Hunter Tootoo resigned from the Liberal caucus and his cabinet role was filled by Dominic LeBlanc.

The Globe and Mail reported that Hunter Tootoo entered treatment for alcohol abuse.

In September 2016, Robert Fife of The Globe and Mail reported that after Hunter Tootoo broke off his relationship with his staffer in favour of a relationship with her mother, the staffer damaged his Parliamentary office, which prompted Hunter Tootoo to tender his resignation to Prime Minister Trudeau.

Hunter Tootoo did not seek re-election in the 2019 federal election and said that he would be leaving politics.

In November 2020, Hunter Tootoo became the president of the Nunavut Curling Association.

Hunter Tootoo's term started amid logistical difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Nunavut that closed the rinks in Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay during qualifications for the Brier and the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

Hunter Tootoo was the second for the Nunavut curling team at the 2021 and the 2024 Canadian Curling Club Championships.

Hunter Tootoo is the cousin of hockey player Jordin Hunter Tootoo and the nephew of Manitoba NDP MLA George Hickes.

Hunter Tootoo has played for the Nunavut team at four Canadian Curling Club Championships.

In 2021, Hunter Tootoo was a member of the Wade Kingdon team at the Nunavut Brier Playdowns.