What the High Arctic exiles signed in 1996

In March 1996, most surviving members of families from Inukjuak and Pond Inlet who were relocated to Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord in the early 1950s met at the Ukkivik resident in Iqaluit to ponder a settlement agreement worked out between Makivik Corp. and the Government of Canada.

By the end of that month, they signed documents in which they agreed:

• to give power of attorney to the Makivik Corp., meaning they relinquish to Makivik all power to act on their behalf with respect to the settlement agreement;

• to give up all future claims, including any type of lawsuit, against the Government of Canada or any government official for any grievances arising from the relocations;

• to accept a $10 million, tax-free contribution from Canada, to be paid into a trust fund controlled by Makivik through a board of trustees;

• to give up all future claims, including any type of lawsuit, against the Government of Canada for any fiduciary or trust issue related to management of the trust fund;

• that “government officials of the time were acting with honourable intentions” when they planned and executed the 1950s relocations;

• that before signing they received “independent” legal advice, from an Ottawa lawyer called Sally Gomery.

Ron Irwin, then the minister of Indian and northern affairs; Zebedee Nungak, then the president of Makivik Corp.; and all surviving exiles and their descendants signed the documents at a ceremony in Inukjuak.

The settlement agreement did not include an apology from Canada.

Related:
• Quebec court to ponder big changes to High Arctic exiles’ ailing trust fund

• Background: What’s proposed for the High Arctic exiles fund

• “Exiles denied apology” — Nunatsiaq News, March 15, 1996