Press Release: Spring 2018 Board of Directors Meeting

OTTAWA – On March 27 and 28 the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) Board of Directors met in Ottawa.

Last week’s meeting provided an opportunity for elected Inuit leaders to advance and develop unified positions on national Inuit priorities.

The Board discussed the 2018 federal budget, which was released on February 27^th. Related matters such as Inuit housing, the Inuit health survey, food security and Nutrition North Canada, and the National Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy were also discussed.

The Board also discussed the Inuit position on the new Arctic Policy Framework, including infrastructure, and prepared for the March 29 Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee meeting with the Prime Minister and six federal cabinet ministers.

All regional leaders from the four Inuit land claims organizations in Inuit Nunangat were in attendance: Chair and CEO of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Duane Smith; Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. President, Aluki Kotierk; Makivik Corp. President, Charlie Watt Sr.; and the Nunatsiavut Government President, Johannes Lampe.

ITK President Natan Obed chaired the meeting.

The three non-voting members of the board were also in attendance, including: President of the National Inuit Youth Council, Ruth Kaviok; Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada President, Rebecca Kudloo; and President  of the Inuit Circumpolar Council-Canada, Nancy Karetak-Lindell.

ITK’s next Board meeting will be held in conjunction with the ITK Annual General Meeting during the week of August 13-17, 2018 in Inuvik, Inuvialuit Settlement Region.

QUICK FACTS:

• Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) is the national representational organization for the 65,000 Inuit in Canada.
• 73% of Inuit live in the 51 communities within Inuit Nunangat, the Inuit homeland
• Inuit Nunangat makes up about one third of Canada’s landmass and 50 percent of its coastline
• Inuit Nunangat is made up of the four Inuit regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Nunavut, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut
• ITK’s Board of Directors is made up of the elected Leaders of the four Inuit regions as voting members as well as three non-voting members: the President of the Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada, the President of the National Inuit Youth Council, and the President of Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada.