Young contenders vie for ICC Canada executive jobs

Some younger upstarts will seek jobs on the executive of the Inuit Circumpolar Council’s Canada section when the group holds its elections June 25 at a general meeting in Iqaluit.

Udloriak Hanson, a policy analyst with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. will run against incumbent Duane Smith for the president’s position.

Smith, a former wildlife officer, served on the Inuvialuit Game Council between 1992 and 2003. He has held the president’s job at ICC Canada job since 2006.

Meanwhile, two people will run against incumbent Violet Ford for the vice-president’s position: Kirt Ejesiak and Madeleine Redfern.

Ejesiak, an Iqaluit business person, was the Liberal candidate for Nunavut in the 2008 federal election.

Redfern, a graduate of the Akitsiraq law school, is executive director of the Qikiqtani Truth Commission.

Ford, who has served on ICC’s executive since 2002, is now working on a doctorate at the University of Lapland in Finland.

The ICC Canada executive candidates will make their pitches to a small group of people.The group’s annual general meetings are usually attended by its six-member board, which is made up the presidents of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., Makivik Corp. the Inuvialuit Regional Corp., and the Nunatsiavut government.

The presidents of Pauktuutit and the National Inuit Youth Council sit on the board as ex-officio members.

In addition, each of the four regional presidents bring two or three representatives from their regions to fill out the meeting.

On June 28, the ICC will hold its eleventh general assembly in Nuuk, Greenland.