Aluki Kotierk named chair of Inuit Circumpolar Council
Longtime Inuit leader acclaimed to position on July 25 at organization’s general assembly
Aluki Kotierk, right, was elected by acclamation to a four-year term as chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council on July 25. She is joined and congratulated by Herb Nakimayak, ICC Canada’s president, after ICC announced the news. (Photo courtesy of ICC Canada/Facebook)
Aluki Kotierk is the new chair of Inuit Circumpolar Council after she was selected for the four-year term July 25 in Iqaluit.
The rotating chair for the international organization that advocates for Inuit rights transitioned from Greenland to Canada this year. Kotierk was acclaimed for the role, as nobody else put their name forward.
“I am honoured and feel so grateful to have the opportunity to serve as chair of ICC,” Kotierk wrote in a news release from the organization that was published July 25.
“The expressed commitment, repeatedly, to continue to work in unity across Inuit Nunaat for the future is uplifting.”
Kotierk is the current chair of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and a former president of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.
She did not respond to an interview request by press time.
Kotierk will work with the ICC executive council on the Iqaluit Declaration that ICC signed at the close of last week’s general assembly. It seeks the protection of Inuit harvesting rights, calls for governments to invest in Inuit-led research and cautions against identity fraud and illegitimate claims to Inuit land.
Greenland’s Sara Olsvig, ICC’s outgoing chair, said she’s grateful that the new leadership will have a “clear mandate.”
“The delegates give us the direction, and send ICC out into the world, where we stick to the decision-making tables,” she said in the release.
The next ICC general assembly is schedule for Nome, Alaska, in 2030.
I guess everyone was so impressed with her substantive and insightful report on Nutrition North that they all thought it best not to run against her.
Evidence the ICC has neither serious expectations nor mandate.
What kind of dystopian world are we living in. What world are the members of the Inuit Circumpolar Council living in. Clearly not the one most Inuks are. To even consider this person for that role is absurd. Do they keep up with current events, understand what goes on in the world where Inuk live? What has recently happened involving Mrs. Kotierk. Clearly NOT!
Aluki Kotierk should be ashamed to even show her face let alone run for a position after the colossal dumpster fire she presided over in regard to the Nutrition North Report she was commissioned to create in early 2025 to be presented end of March 2026. She then not only did not present it on time (3 months late) but basically wrote a narrative on her personal opinion. Never consulted with Inuks, the companies that do business here selling food, the transport companies, the middlemen, the Inuit Orgs, the GN. Nope NOTHING. Her genius solution to guide the FEDs in regard to addressing the critical Food insecurity facing Nunavummiut and other northern citizens. Subsidize EVERYTHING. That was it. That was all!
If the Inuit people and all citizens living in the north regardless of geographical location are not disgusted by this selection; I have no idea what would make them disgusted. The underlying and more important message that comes from this and that all leaders in Nunavik, Nunavut and elsewhere in the North take from this is the following. Accountability is Zero. Repeat ZERO! You can do whatever you want, and nobody is going to hold you responsible. Worst then that. They are going to reward you.
And there in a nutshell is why the North is advancing at 1/4 the speed of the rest of the world because when given the chance to speak up and speak out. To chose strong leaders and voices it chooses failure and mediocrity instead to speak on its behalf.
Well, she was the only person who put her name forward.
Is that her fault?
@MF, you are correct. There were no other names.
For me however, the issue is she NEVER should have put her name there in the first place. Where is her self-awareness? Where is her recognition of her total failure in regard to a very serious mandate given to her by the FED’s to try and contribute something positive to assist in improving the vital issue of Food Insecurity facing all people of the North?
Also, where are the so-called LEADERS of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, many of whom had to have followed and been aware of the Nutrition North Report saga and her failure to produce anything remotely substantive related to her mandate. Why did none of them go to her and say something along the lines of, “Maybe sit this one out. The timing is not appropriate it could lead to people not taking our organization seriously”. Or bring forward someone that could actually lead, if she would not remove her name.
Taking them seriously will no longer be an issue now. What Nunavummiut and all people from the North just saw was a self-absorbed individual interested in nothing more than power and money. And a less than serious organization that basically said. So what, not an issue for us.
She and them should be ashamed.
@ Never learn…reward without merit
“The underlying and more important message that comes from this and that all leaders in Nunavik, Nunavut and elsewhere in the North take from this is the following. Accountability is Zero. Repeat ZERO! You can do whatever you want, and nobody is going to hold you responsible. Worst then that. They are going to reward you.”
It’s been like this in Nunavik ever since Peter Adams has been manipulating his way into the power structures of the region.
I now understand how some recipients have to return their Order of Canada.
So called “Inuit Leaders” do their best to ensure low voter turn out, and apathy about the process, such that, that allows them to cling to the power structure with less than 20% of the voting Inuit public giving a thumbs up as the winner of elections.
Problem is that , in the north , people don t care , as long , as they are getting their bread crumbs . Me , i ll give , our beloved leader a pass , because , i get 4 IIaujuq tickets a yr. I have learned , no to care !
They do care. They just don’t know any better as communism is traditional societal system of patriarchal systems.
I like to say that we live in the SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF NUNAVIK ” .
@ Nunavimiuk
In case you thought this doesn’t apply to you:
“I have learned , no to care !” = Apathy
We are in a terrible predicament as Inuit. Who ever came up with decolonization surely was not too bright. Western society way of life re-colonization is something I would like to hear about from people in the know. If we keep going like this we will not advance as a successful society.
The circle continues….round and around… not going anywhere hopeful
Aleuki is the ideal cultivated and unuseful person to be the figurehead for cultivated and unuseful organization such as ICC. It’s a perfect match for waste and pretense.