About ITK

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, formerly Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, is the national voice of Canada's Inuit. Founded in 1971, the organization represents and promotes the interests of Inuit. In its history, ITK has been effective and successful at advancing Inuit interests by forging constructive and co-operative relationships with different levels of government in Canada, notably in the area of comprehensive land claim settlements, and representing Inuit during the constitutional talks of the 1980s.

Facts

• Canada is home to 50,480 Inuit. They live in 53 Arctic communities in four geographic regions: Nunatsiavut (Labrador); Nunavik (Quebec); Nunavut; and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region of the Northwest Territories.
• Inuit regions constitute the majority in what amounts to 40 per cent of Canada's land mass.
• Inuit do not have tax-exempt status anywhere in Canada.
• ITK, the national organization, is comprised of four regional Inuit associations, the National Inuit Youth Council and the Inuit Circumpolar Conference
• These groups have specific mandates to represent Inuit on a variety of regional, national and international issues that fall outside the terms of the land claim settlements.

Accomplishments

• Land claim settlements - Inuit have successfully concluded landmark comprehensive land claim agreements across Inuit Nunangat. Inuit representatives have signed land claim settlements in all four regions. (Nunavik, Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Nunavut and Nunatsiavut)
• Creation of Nunavut - On April 1, 1999, the Territory of Nunavut was created.
• Inuit-specific agenda - Inuit, in close cooperation with ITK, have developed an all-encompassing agenda and action plan that lays out Inuit-specific strategies and solutions tailored to Inuit concerns.
• The philosophy behind this agenda is that Inuit are seeking self-reliance and full participation in all aspects of Canadian society.

Challenges

Despite successes on the land claims front, Inuit still face enormous challenges in their quest for equal opportunity and prosperity in Canada. Specifically, they want the federal government to recognize that Inuit have different concerns and needs from other Aboriginal people and to commit itself to Inuit-specific policies and programs. Part and parcel of a new relationship with the government is a commitment to stable and predictable funding for Inuit organizations. This is vital if Inuit are to have access to programs and services that help raise their standard of living to levels enjoyed by other Canadians.

See the Annual Report for detailed information on our 2008-2009 activities.