Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated facts for kids
Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI) is an important organization that represents the Inuit people of Nunavut. Its main job is to make sure that the rights of Inuit, as agreed upon in a special document called the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, are respected and followed.
NTI works closely with other Inuit organizations across Canada. Leaders from NTI and three other regional land claims groups help guide a national Inuit organization called the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. Even after the Government of Nunavut was created, NTI continues to play a big role in the territory. It makes sure that both the Government of Canada and the Government of Nunavut keep their promises from the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.
NTI is guided by a group of ten leaders called a board of directors. Three of these leaders, including the President, are chosen directly by Inuit people in Nunavut who are 16 years old or older. The other six leaders are the Presidents and Vice Presidents from the three main Inuit organizations in different regions of Nunavut.
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What NTI Does
NTI's main goal is to improve the lives of Inuit people in Nunavut, including their economy, social well-being, and culture. They do this by making sure the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement is put into action.
Even though NTI has big responsibilities, it also acts as a voice for Inuit rights. It helps Inuit individuals and groups understand their rights and duties under the Agreement. Knowing what the Agreement says is the first step for anyone who wants to use their rights or benefits. While the Government of Nunavut looks after all residents, NTI specifically protects the rights of Inuit in Nunavut.
How NTI Started
Nunavut became its own territory, separate from the Northwest Territories, on April 1, 1999. This happened because of two important laws passed in 1993: the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act.
NTI's Leaders
In 2021, some of the leaders on NTI's board included Aluki Kotierk as President and James Eetoolook as Vice-President. The board also included leaders from the three regional Inuit associations:
- Stanley Anablak (President of the Kitikmeot Inuit Association (KIA))
- Clara Evalik (KIA Vice-President)
- Kono Tattuinee (President of the Kivalliq Inuit Association)
- Tagak Curley (Vice-President of the Kivalliq Inuit Association)
- PJ Akeeagok (President of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association)
- Olayuk Akesuk (Vice-President of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association)
NTI's Departments
NTI has ten different departments that help it do its work. These include:
- Lands & Resources (managing land and natural resources)
- Wildlife (looking after animals)
- Claim Implementation (making sure the Agreement is followed)
- Human Resources (helping employees)
- Business & Economic Development (supporting businesses)
- Communications (sharing information)
- Legal Services (providing legal advice)
- Finance (managing money)
- Administration (running daily operations)
- Social & Cultural Development (supporting Inuit culture and community well-being)
The Nunavut Land Claims Agreement is a very important document for NTI. It was signed in May 1993 by Inuit representatives and the Canadian government. This Agreement helps NTI decide what its main goals and plans should be.
The Agreement protects Inuit culture, language, and social policies by giving special duties to Inuit organizations like NTI. These duties can be handled directly by NTI or by other specific Inuit groups. The Agreement gives many rights and benefits to Inuit. It also recognizes how much Inuit have contributed to Canada's history, identity, and control over the Arctic region.
After the Agreement was signed and became law, the group that represented Inuit during the signing, called the Tungavik Federation of Nunavut, changed its name to NTI. NTI was created to make sure that all 42 parts, or "Articles," of the Agreement were put into action. NTI continues to work on implementing these Articles today and protects the rights and benefits of Inuit as described in the Agreement.
How NTI is Organized
NTI is guided by an eight-member Board of Directors. This board includes the NTI president, vice-president, and the presidents and vice-presidents of the three Regional Inuit Associations. The NTI president and vice-president each serve for four years.
NTI also has a smaller group of five leaders called the executive committee. This committee includes the NTI president and vice-president, along with the presidents of the three Regional Inuit Associations.
About 75 people work for NTI in different communities like Cambridge Bay, Rankin Inlet, Iqaluit, and Ottawa. Most of NTI's employees are Inuit. All of NTI's leaders and employees work together to make sure the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement is fully implemented.
Nunavut means "our land" in Inuktut, the Inuit language. It is a territory in Canada's eastern Arctic with its own government, and it is the homeland of Inuit in Canada. In 1993, Inuit across Nunavut voted to approve the Nunavut Agreement, and the Canadian Parliament also approved it. When the Government of Nunavut and the Nunavut Territory were created on April 1, 1999, it was the largest land claim agreement ever made between a country and its Indigenous Peoples.
In the late 1960s, young Inuit people who had finished high school or vocational training started meeting and talking about common issues and the idea of political change. This led to the creation of two important organizations in 1970. The Committee for Original Peoples' Entitlement (COPE) was formed in the western Arctic. In the eastern Arctic, the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada (ITK) was founded in 1971.
In 1973, the ITK started a project called the Inuit Land Use and Occupancy Project. This project mapped out how Inuit used and lived on the land across the Northwest Territories, which at the time stretched from the Mackenzie River to eastern Baffin Island. This research showed that Inuit had used and lived on this vast northern land for a very long time and continued to do so.
In a court case in 1979, called Baker Lake v. Minister of Indian Affairs, Inuit groups were concerned that companies exploring for resources were affecting their aboriginal rights, especially their right to hunt caribou. The court recognized that Inuit had special rights to their traditional lands in Nunavut.
A report from September 5, 2018, highlighted challenges faced by children in Nunavut. Aluki Kotierk, the president of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, expressed hope that this report would bring attention to the difficult living conditions some children in Nunavut experience. NTI continues to advocate for better well-being for all Inuit children.
