Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) is the national Inuit organization in Canada, representing four Inuit regions – Nunatsiavut (Labrador), Nunavik (northern Quebec), Nunavut, and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region in the Northwest Territories.

Dispatches

Candidates for the ITK 2012 Presidential Election

The two candidates for the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Presidential Election are, in alphabetical order:

  1. Mr. Terry Audla
  2. Mr. Robert Watt

The election will be held in Kuujjuaq, Nunavik (northern Quebec) following the close of the ITK Annual General Meeting on Wednesday June 6, 2012.

Artcirq in London to Peform for Queen’s Jubilee Pageant

ArtcirqITK is pleased to have helped raise over $20,000 to assist Artcirq perform for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant at Windsor Castle. Several months ago ITK, Artcirq, and the RCMP Musical Ride sent a joint letter to governments and businesses. With the help of key sponsors, Artcirq will be performing shows May 10 – 13, 2012.

Artcirq’s performance, which will include drum dancing and throat singing, will be presented in collaboration with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police famous Musical Ride as part of the “Americas” act of the show. Artcirq will take part in all four scheduled performances on the private grounds of Windsor Castle during the evenings of May 10th, 11th, 12 and 13th.

Representing Artcirq in Windsor are artistic director Guillaume Ittukssarjuat Saladin (Igloolik), drum dancers Terence Uyarak (Igloolik) and Thomas Johnston (Iqaluit) and throat singers Lois Suluk-Locke (Arviat) and Celina Kalluk (Iqaluit) as well as her newborn baby Ramata Diarra Kalluk.

International Polar Year Conference: From Knowledge to Action

Join ITK at the International Polar Year Conference "From Knowledge to Action" in Montreal this week.

Monday April 23

  1. Mary Simon addresses delegates at the opening ceremony.

Tuesday April 24

  1. "Knowledge is Knowledge" Inuit Qaujisarvingat Director Scot Nickels speaks on Ways of Knowing and Being

Wednesday April 25

  1. Mary Simon joins an Action Forum panel called Improving Access to Quality and Sustainable Health Care
  2. Scot Nickels and Inuit Qaujisarvingat Researchers Karen Kelley and Rebecca Mearns speak about Different Ways of Knowing, Understanding and Appreciating Polar Regions
  3. Inuit Qaujisarvingat Researcher Martin Lougheed presents the results of What We Know, Don't Know and Need to Know about Climate Change

Visit the IPY 2012 Conference website at http://www.ipy2012montreal.ca/

ITK Presidential Election

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami is holding a Presidential Election on Wednesday June 6, 2012 at our Annual General Meeting in Kuujjuaq, Nunavik (northern Quebec).

Vote Image by Cliff WeathersPlease find below documents related to this election:

  1. Election Rules and Procedures (Inuktitut syllabics and English)
  2. Nomination Form for Candidates (Inuktitut syllabics and English)
  3. ITK President Job Description (Inuktitut syllabics and English)
  4. ITK Election Notice

The deadline to submit names for nominations was Thursday May 10, 2012 at 5:00pm Eastern Time.

The names of candidates are public as of on Monday May 14, 2012.

The Returning Officers for the ITK Presidential Election are:

Mr. Kevin Kablutsiak, Deputy Chief Returning Officer

Mr. John Merritt, Returning Officer

Inuit Executive Arctic Training: 2012

Senior federal officials at information session for the 2012 Inuit Executive Arctic Training tour

On March 15th senior federal officials attended a briefing session at ITK’s offices in advance of the 2012 Inuit Executive Arctic Training session.

Each year ITK hosts a tour to one of the four Inuit regions for senior federal officials. This unique opportunity allows those involved to gain “on the ground” experience with Inuit and Inuit communities through meeting Inuit and seeing first-hand the challenges faced by Inuit.

This year the tour will take officials to the Inuvialuit Settlement Region of the Northwest Territories where they will visit Inuvik, Aklavik, Ulukhaktok and Sachs Harbour.

Participants will depart from Ottawa on Sunday March 18 to Edmonton, Alberta, where the tour will begin with a visit of the Larga Edmonton health facilities, serving Inuit patients in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.

Historically, 2012 marks the 28th anniversary of the signing of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, a point that will be highlighted during the tour. Economically, 35 years after the Berger Inquiry, the Inuvialuit of the region are partners in one of the largest gas pipeline developments in Canadian history, and operate many subsidiary companies, from transportation to the operation and maintenance of the north warning system. Socially, while statistics still illustrate difficult social situations, participants will see evidence of positive change.