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The Honourable
Peter Ittinuar
ᐲᑎᕐ ᐃᑦᑎᓄᐊᕐ
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Nunatsiaq
In office
22 May 1979 – 4 September 1984
Preceded by Riding established
Succeeded by Thomas Suluk
Personal details
Born (1950-01-19) January 19, 1950 (age 75)
Chesterfield Inlet, Northwest Territories
(Now Nunavut)
Political party New Democratic Party
(1979-1982, 1993-2008)
Liberal Party
(1982-1984)
Independent
(1984-1993)
Green Party
(2008-present)

Peter Freuchen K. Ittinuar (ᐲᑎᕐ ᐃᑦᑎᓄᐊᕐ; born January 19, 1950) is a Canadian politician. He made history as the first Inuk person in Canada to be elected as a Member of Parliament (MP). He represented the area of Nunatsiaq in the House of Commons of Canada from 1979 to 1984.

About Peter Ittinuar

Early Life and Education

Peter Ittinuar was born in Chesterfield Inlet, which was then part of the Northwest Territories and is now in Nunavut. He is the grandson of the famous Danish explorer, Peter Freuchen.

During his childhood and teenage years, Peter Ittinuar lived and studied in Ottawa, Ontario. He was there with two friends from his childhood, Zebedee Nungak and Eric Tagoona. All three of them later became important leaders. They worked hard to speak up for the rights of the Inuit people.

Political Journey

Peter Ittinuar first became an MP with the New Democratic Party. On November 26, 1982, he decided to join the Liberal Party. This happened shortly after the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, John Munro, shared plans to help Inuit people have more control over their own communities. These plans included dividing the Northwest Territories to create Nunavut.

In 1984, Peter Ittinuar ran for re-election in the federal election. However, he was not re-elected and was defeated by Thomas Suluk.

In 1993, Peter Ittinuar wanted to run for the New Democratic Party again in Nunatsiaq. But the leader of the party at the time, Audrey McLaughlin, did not support his plan.

Later, in 2008, while living in southern Ontario, Peter Ittinuar ran for the Green Party. He tried to become an MP for the Nunavut area in the federal election, but he was not successful.

Election Results

Canadian federal election, 2008: Nunavut
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Leona Aglukkaq 2,806 34.78 +5.72 $59,574
Liberal Kirt Ejesiak 2,359 29.24 −10.74 $59,600
New Democratic Paul Irngaut 2,228 27.62 +10.47 $20,095
Green Peter Ittinuar 675 8.37 +2.45
Total valid votes/expense limit 8,068 100.0     $80,098
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +8.23


Canadian federal election, 1984: Nunatsiaq
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Thomas Suluk 2,237 32.49 +24.71
Liberal Robert Kuptana 1,990 28.90 −12.90
New Democratic Rhoda Innuksuk 1,973 28.65 −18.61
Independent Peter Ittinuar 686 9.96 –
Total valid votes 6,886 100.00  
Progressive Conservative gain from New Democratic Swing +18.80
Independent candidate Peter Ittinuar lost 37.31 percentage points from the 1980 election, when he ran as a New Democrat.
Canadian federal election, 1980: Nunatsiaq
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Peter Ittinuar 2,688 47.27 +10.99
Liberal James Arvaluk 2,377 41.80 +15.81
Progressive Conservative Lyle Stevenson 442 7.77 −18.22
Rhinoceros Lloyd Ellsworth 180 3.17 –
Total valid votes 5,687 100.00  
New Democratic hold Swing −2.41


Canadian federal election, 1979: Nunatsiaq
Party Candidate Votes %
New Democratic Peter Ittinuar 1,963 37.74
Liberal Tagak Curley 1,887 36.27
Progressive Conservative Abe Okpik 1,352 25.99
Total valid votes 5,202 100.00  
This riding was created from part of Northwest Territories, where New Democrat Wally Firth was the incumbent.
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