Samuel Wat

Samuel Wat is a reporter with CBC Nunavut based in Iqaluit. He was previously in Ottawa, and in New Zealand before that. You can reach him at [email protected]

Latest from Samuel Wat

Elections Canada apologizes to Nunavik voters left out of vote

Voters in several Nunavik villages say polls closed early - or didn't open at all. Elections Canada says those shortcomings shows the work that still remains for the organization.

'I lost my legal right to vote': Booths closed early — or didn't open at all — in some Nunavik villages

CBC has heard from residents in at least five Nunavik villages who say booths closed hours early, or didn't open at all.

'The children are eating less now': Nunavummiut protest end of food voucher program

In the past, hamlet food vouchers were funded by the Inuit Child First Initiative. But Ottawa says that program is for temporary relief, and not for 'universal' programs like food vouchers.

Exemptions to oil heating ban hurts Nunavimmiut, says housing bureau

Nunavik’s 14 villages rely heavily on diesel power, so the region is exempt from most oil-powered heating bans in Quebec. The housing bureau says those exemptions could be hurting Nunavimmiut as fewer people are training in oil-powered heating, and parts for repairs are becoming hard to come by.

Frozen pipe forces Puvirnituq, Que., residents to go days without water delivery

Some households in Puvirnituq, Que., haven’t received water delivery for days on end, and the mayor said the village is having to crowd-source from local businesses and organizations for help to get delivery trucks and drivers.
CANADA VOTES 2025

Meet the federal candidates running in Nunavik

Three of the four candidates running to be the MP for Abitibi-Baie-James-Nunavik-Eeyou spoke to CBC about their priorities.

British woman apologizes for claims she set a record in Nunavut

Many media outlets around the world reported Camilla Hempleman-Adams as the first woman to trek solo across Baffin Island, causing outrage among some Nunavummiut.
CANADA VOTES 2025

Housing, mental health, addictions among the issues Nunavimmiut care most about this election

Carbon taxes, military bases, fighting against tariffs – these are some of the big-ticket policy announcements heard from the major parties so far in this federal election campaign. But in Nunavik, many residents say they just want action to address the basics, like food insecurity, mental health and addictions treatment. 

'It's just insulting': Backlash over Brit's claims of being first woman to solo traverse across Nunavut island

Camilla Hempleman-Adams has made international headlines with her claims of being the first solo woman to trek across Baffin Island — but Inuit question that.

Nunavut hunters urge for reassessment as Baffinland eyes 2026 construction of Steensby rail

The Steensby port and rail project was approved in 2012. But Inuit hunters believe environmental conditions, and the climate, have changed a lot since then. They're calling for an environmental reassessment before the project can commence.