Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated facts for kids
Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI) is a special organization. It represents the Inuit people of Nunavut. NTI makes sure that the rights of Inuit, agreed upon in a big treaty, are respected. This treaty is called the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. NTI also helps with talks about these rights.
Leaders from NTI and three other Inuit organizations work together. They guide a national group called the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK). Even after the Government of Nunavut was created, NTI remains very important. It took over from an older group that signed the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. NTI's main job is to ensure the Canadian and Nunavut governments fully follow this agreement. They also make sure everyone involved keeps their promises.
NTI is run by a board of ten people. Three of these leaders are chosen directly by Inuit in Nunavut who are 16 or older. These are the President, First Vice President, and Second Vice President. The other six leaders are the Presidents and Vice Presidents from the three main Inuit groups in Nunavut. Four top leaders, including the NTI President, form a special executive team.
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What NTI Does
NTI's main goal is to improve the lives of Inuit. This includes their economy, social life, and culture. They do this by making sure the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement is followed. NTI started as a group that spoke up for Inuit rights. Now, it has big jobs in managing the agreement. But it still works hard to protect Inuit rights.
NTI helps Inuit people and their groups understand their rights. It also helps them know their duties under the agreement. Learning about the agreement is the first step to using its benefits. The Government of Nunavut looks after all people in Nunavut. NTI, however, specifically protects the rights of Inuit in Nunavut.
NTI's History
Nunavut became its own territory on April 1, 1999. Before that, it was part of the Northwest Territories. This change happened because of two laws passed in 1993. These were the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act.
Who Leads NTI
In 2021, some of the leaders on NTI's board included:
- Aluki Kotierk, the President
- James Eetoolook, Vice-President
- 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
- Wildlife
- Claim Implementation (making sure the agreement is put into action)
- Human Resources (dealing with staff)
- Business & Economic Development
- Communications
- Legal Services
- Finance
- Administration
- Social & Cultural Development
The Nunavut Land Claims Agreement is very important to NTI. It was signed in May 1993 by Inuit leaders and the Canadian government. This agreement guides NTI's main goals and plans. NTI decides what to focus on based on what parts of the agreement still need to be completed. This includes duties for both Inuit and the government.
The Tungavik Federation of Nunavut represented Inuit during the signing. This group later became Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. The Canadian government and the Northwest Territories government also signed the agreement.
The agreement protects Inuit culture, language, and way of life. It gives special duties to Inuit groups like NTI. These duties might be handled directly by NTI or by other Inuit organizations. The agreement brings many rights and benefits to Inuit. It also recognizes how Inuit have helped shape Canada's history and its claim to the Arctic.
After the agreement was signed and became law, the Tungavik Federation of Nunavut changed into NTI. NTI was created to make sure all 42 parts of the agreement were put into action. NTI continues this work today. It also works to protect the rights and benefits of Inuit, as written in the agreement.
How NTI is Organized
NTI has an eight-member Board of Directors that guides the organization. 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 executive committee with five members. This committee includes the NTI president and vice-president, plus the presidents of the three Regional Inuit Associations. About 75 people work for NTI. Their offices are in Cambridge Bay, Rankin Inlet, Iqaluit, and Ottawa. Most of NTI's employees are Inuit. All of NTI's leaders and staff work to make sure the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement is followed.
Nunavut means "our land" in Inuktut, the Inuit language. It is a territory in Canada's eastern Arctic. It has its own public government and is the home of Inuit in Canada. In 1993, Inuit across Nunavut voted for the Nunavut Agreement. The Canadian Parliament also approved it.
When the Government of Nunavut and the Nunavut Territory were created on April 1, 1999, it was a huge step. It was the "largest comprehensive land claim settlement ever reached between a state and its Indigenous Peoples." This means it was the biggest agreement ever made between a country and its Indigenous people about land rights.
In the late 1960s, young Inuit started finishing high school and job training. They met other young people from different areas. They talked about common problems and thought about political changes. Because of this, two groups were started in 1970. The Committee for Original Peoples' Entitlement (COPE) began in the western Arctic. This happened after oil exploration threatened local trappers. In the eastern Arctic, the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada (ITK) was founded in 1971.
In 1973, the ITK started a project to map how Inuit used the land. This project showed that Inuit had used and lived on this vast northern land for a very long time. It also showed they still use it today. This information helped support Inuit land claims.
In 1979, a court case called Baker Lake v. Minister of Indian Affairs happened. Inuit groups were worried that mining companies were harming their right to hunt caribou. They took the government to court. The judge agreed that Inuit had special rights to the land in Nunavut.
NTI's President, Aluki Kotierk, has spoken out about the well-being of children in Nunavut. She hopes that reports showing challenges faced by children will encourage people to work for better living conditions for Nunavummiut children. NTI continues to advocate for improvements in the lives of Inuit children.
