Inuit Applaud New Federal Cabinet

May 18, 2011 – Ottawa, Ontario – National Inuit leader Mary Simon congratulates the appointment of today’s new federal cabinet ministers, and acknowledges another remarkable moment in Canadian political history with the inclusion of two Aboriginal Cabinet Ministers.

“I congratulate the Prime Minister and all members of the new Federal Cabinet. I am particularly pleased that the Prime Minister has appointed two Aboriginal Canadians to his Cabinet. I am delighted to see my fellow Inuit leader, the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, continue in her role as the Minister of Health, and take on the role of Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency. We had an historic meeting on February 4th, 2009 when I spoke to her as a minister of the Crown for the first time in the Inuit language.

Inuit join with our fellow Aboriginal peoples, and all Canadians, in applauding the appointment of Mr. Peter Penashue, former president of the Innu Nation to be Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada.

I look forward to working with the Prime Minister and his Cabinet in the months ahead. There is much work to be done in partnership with the government to improve the lives of Inuit in Canada. I am pleased Minister John Duncan has retained his position at the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development. We have a good working relationship on the issues that are important to Inuit, he has been supportive of the national Inuit education strategy, and I look forward to close collaboration with him in the years ahead.”