Qikiqtani Inuit Association

Qikiqtani Inuit Association
Name	Qikiqtani Inuit Association
Formation	1993
Type	Non-profit organization
Headquarters	Iqaluit, Nunavut
Region served	Qikiqtani region
Leader title	President

Qikiqtani Inuit Association The Qikiqtani Inuit Association represents Inuit beneficiaries in the Baffin Region of Nunavut and administers Inuit rights and lands negotiated under modern agreements. It liaises with regional stakeholders including territorial, federal, and municipal bodies while delivering programs for beneficiaries across communities such as Iqaluit, Pangnirtung, and Pond Inlet. The association engages with national and international institutions on wildlife, cultural heritage, and resource development.

History

The association was created following the negotiation and ratification of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement alongside entities such as the Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, the Government of Nunavut, and the Government of Canada. Its early work intersected with landmark events including the establishment of Nunavut (1999), consultations arising from the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami advocacy, and regional responses to questions tied to the Ellesmere Island and Baffin Island resource regimes. Founding-era deliberations involved relationships with organizations like Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and policy forums convened by the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s the association engaged on files including wildlife co-management boards such as the Baffin Regional Wildlife Board, heritage designations related to sites like Sirmilik National Park, and negotiations over mineral exploration near locations such as Mary River Mine and Pangnirtung fjords.

Organization and Governance

The association operates with a board of beneficiaries elected from communities including Iqaluit, Arctic Bay, Cape Dorset, Iglulik, Pond Inlet, and Resolute Bay. Its governance framework references structures in parallel with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and coordinates with territorial ministries such as the Department of Economic Development and Transportation (Nunavut), the Department of Culture and Heritage (Nunavut), and counterpart federal departments including Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Executive functions interact with national institutions like Library and Archives Canada and policy partners such as Canada Council for the Arts for program delivery. The association participates in co-management seats on boards including the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, the Qikiqtani Inuit Heritage Trust, and consults with scientific organizations including Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Polar Continental Shelf Program.

Land Claims and Inuit Rights

The association administers land selection, surface and subsurface rights, and beneficiary entitlements established under the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement with implementation connected to offices like the Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada regional branch and coordination with Parks Canada on protected areas. It has engaged in cooperative management arrangements with bodies such as the Nunavut Planning Commission and the Nunavut Impact Review Board regarding development projects exemplified by proposals at Mary River Mine and mineral claims on Baffin Island. The association has also advanced beneficiary interests in legal and policy arenas interacting with precedents from cases involving institutions like the Federal Court of Canada and consultations with Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada predecessors. Co-management partnerships include work with the Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation where benefit agreements and Inuit impact-benefit discussions intersect with employment and training obligations.

Programs and Services

Program delivery spans beneficiary supports in areas such as housing assistance overlapping with territorial programs administered through the Nunavut Housing Corporation, skills training coordinated with institutions such as Aurora College and Nunavut Arctic College, and cultural programming developed with partners like the Qaumajuq (art gallery) and the Canadian Museum of History. Health and wellness initiatives coordinate with the Government of Nunavut Department of Health and regional health centers including the Qikiqtani General Hospital in Iqaluit. The association also runs beneficiary enrollment services aligned with records systems like those used by Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and liaises with benefit programs administered by the Canada Revenue Agency and social program offices. Youth and elder programming uses collaborations with organizations such as Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami youth councils and community-level groups in Pangnirtung and Cape Dorset.

Culture and Language Initiatives

Cultural stewardship involves partnerships with the Qikiqtani Inuit Heritage Trust, Parks Canada historic sites, and archives such as Library and Archives Canada to preserve artifacts, oral histories, and place names across locales like Baffin Island, Ellesmere Island, and Broughton Island. Language initiatives support Inuktut dialects in collaboration with institutions including Nunavut Arctic College, the Office of the Languages Commissioner of Nunavut, and the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami language strategy. Projects have featured work with artists and institutions such as Pitseolak Ashoona collections, contemporary programs in partnership with galleries like Pangnirtung Weave Shop and museums including the Canadian Museum of History. The association supports cultural events that engage groups like the Arctic Winter Games participants, community celebrations in Iqaluit and Pond Inlet, and collaborations with researchers from the Canadian Polar Commission.

Economic Development and Partnerships

Economic development activities include negotiating Inuit impact and benefit agreements with companies such as Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation, facilitating business development with organizations like the Nunavut Development Corporation, and supporting entrepreneurs through linkages with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency–style regional investors and northern funds. The association works with territorial ministries including the Department of Economic Development and Transportation (Nunavut) and federal programs administered by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada to advance opportunities in fisheries overseen by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, tourism aligned with Parks Canada stewardship, and arts-led enterprises connected to galleries like Qaumajuq (art gallery). Partnerships extend to academic collaborations with universities such as the University of Ottawa, University of Toronto Arctic research groups, and policy work with think tanks that address northern development.

Category:Indigenous organizations in Nunavut Category:Inuit organizations