Inuvik Twin Lakes by-election: Jake Jellema interview

Jake Jellema is running to be the next MLA of Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Jellema has lived in Inuvik since he was three years old. He has worked at the Town of Inuvik, including managing the aquatic centre for the past year.

“I’ve been interested in local politics for the better part of this last decade,” he said.

“I’ve liked a lot of things that some MLAs have done but I know that there’s still more change that needs to happen within Inuvik to make it an even better place to live.”

The Inuvik Twin Lakes seat is vacant after former health minister Lesa Semmler stepped down from the legislature in September. Semmler is now joining the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation as its associate executive director of health, wellness and beneficiary services.

Three candidates are in the running to be the MLA of Inuvik Twin Lakes for the remainder of the 20th Legislative Assembly.

The two other candidates are Sallie Ross and Mataya Gillis. You can read an interview with Ross here. We’re expecting Gillis to be available for an interview in the week beginning November 16.

Early voting in the office of the returning officer, located at the Inuvik Welcoming Centre, began on Tuesday, November 3 and ends on Saturday, November 21 at 2pm.

Polling day is set to take place at the Mackenzie Hotel on Tuesday, November 24 from 9am to 8pm.

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This interview was recorded on November 3, 2026. The transcript has been edited for length and clarity.

Emily Blake: If you were to be elected, what would your main priorities or focus be?

If I were to narrow it down to a few, I would say cost of living, security in relation to drug crime, and trying to get back some of those teachers that we lost last year. I know how hard it’s been on our current staff there with having to deal with the same amount of kids and more, but having way less people there that are capable of doing that.

Why do you want to run for the MLA seat?

I want to run because I believe I can implement some of this change, and I’m very flexible with how I can get it done, and what I would want for us in Inuvik.

I can compromise on some issues, so we can get the overall problems better dealt with, so everyone in Inuvik can have a better life. What I really want is for everyone to be able to actually live here and retire here, because that’s becoming harder and harder.

What skills, knowledge or experience would you bring to the role?

For the last three years, I’ve worked at the Town of Inuvik in one way or another, or took education leave to go to university for a year. And the last two years I’ve worked full time there in a couple of positions, but for the last almost year, I’ve been managing the pool and keeping that functioning, building it back up, trying to expand where I’m able to.

I’ve learned a lot about how to manage things, but compromise on certain aspects so that I can provide more, do more with the limited staffing and the limited capacity that we have.

Of course, whoever is elected to this role doesn’t have a full term to serve. How would you see yourself joining the Assembly at this stage?

At this stage, I feel like it would be hard to get much done, no matter who you are, no matter how much you are super confident and capable, because of how short the term would be with less than a year.

But I do feel like I would be able to at least bring talking points up and start trying to do stuff for Inuvik, because a lot of things have gotten more expensive and it is becoming just too unaffordable.

What do you see as the main issues facing residents in the riding?

The cost of living and heating being astronomical. The drugs that have become more prevalent in Inuvik in general, but in the Twin Lakes region as well. The schooling for the kids, needing to have more because it is hard on the teachers, and we don’t want the teachers to get burnt out and then leave, and then the knowledge leaves with them.

And I also know that in the coming years, the military has plans to expand in our region and in Inuvik specifically. So I want to try to make sure that development that’s done with the military is not going to make it more expensive for the residents here already, because that doesn’t make any sense to me.

Why would you say that people should vote for you?

Well, they should vote for me if they believe in what ideas I’m supporting and what I represent.

I was not born in Inuvik, but I have lived here my whole life. I consider myself to be from Inuvik and from the Northwest Territories. But I would say just, if you believe in what I’m saying and you want change, that’s why you should vote for me.