Federal and Inuit leaders meet to discuss housing, education

The Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee Leaders meet three times a year to discuss Inuit Nunangat priorities

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and ITK President Natan Obed provide opening remarks prior to the start of Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee meeting in Ottawa on Thursday. (Photo courtesy of CPAC)

By Jorge Antunes

Housing, health and language revitalization are on the agenda as federal and Inuit leaders kick off their latest meeting of the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee Thursday.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Natan Obed, the president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, opened the meeting in Ottawa with broad statements about how the two sides come together with shared priorities. 

“Whether we’re working on Arctic security or we’re working on sovereignty or defence, these are all areas in which Inuit can not only up lift our people and implement existing rights, but also make Canada a stronger nation,” said Obed, who heads the national Inuit organization in Canada.

The committee also plans to discuss education initiatives, such as the long-proposed Inuit Nunangat University. Six years ago, in 2016, ITK announced a task force with a five-year timeline to create a university in one of Canada’s Inuit regions.

While progress on the project is unclear, Trudeau mentioned it during his opening remarks, saying it would be rooted in language in culture.

The committee plans to discuss modern treaty implementation as well, and what that means for Inuit.

Last week the federal government announced a new independent federal commissioner to ensure the government is held accountable to treaty obligations.

“The challenges faced by the Arctic are perhaps greater than just about any other region in the world,” Trudeau said.

“Whether it is climate, shifting geopolitics … Inuit need to be at the centre of everything Canada does in regards to the Arctic.”

The federal government officially recognized Inuit Nunangat as a distinct region in 2022. The Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee formed in 2017.

Committee leaders meet three times a year.

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(7) Comments:

  1. Posted by Northerner on

    Survival skills should be a part of language and or health. The inuit leaders should know survival is a key role up north. Nunavut has many young individuals who can now purchase snowmobile and atvs and such. It would be nice for after school programs. Get teens out of trouble. Keep them out of trouble. Let them learn to be a fisherman addict. Or a hunter addict. Nunavut sees it’s fair share of American hunters, looking for a good hunter guide. Come on inuit leaders. Push for survival skills programs for inuit youth all over Canada. We were ones nomads.

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    • Posted by Name Withheld on

      Inuit youth in Inuit Nunagat regions should be taught traditional hunting and survival skills by their fathers, uncles, and other family members. Unfortunately, schools have removed this important aspect from their curriculum, and now even taking them out for a drive during school trips requires permission. This means that obtaining approval to take them out hunting could be a lengthy and arduous process.

      It is vital for Inuit communities in Inuit Nunagat to work together to address housing and health issues, with assistance from the Federal Government. It is crucial that any funds provided for this purpose are properly recorded and used for their intended purpose. Instead of conducting more studies, it is time to take action and get the ball rolling.

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  2. Posted by John WP Murphy on

    I wonder which party Obed is going to run for in the next election.

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  3. Posted by Gordon Kukkuvak on

    Hi I’d like to get the Nunavut 3000 adjusted all the communities with building plans are posted accept for Iqaluit,Rankin Inlet and Arviat why are they hiding those communities they planned it without any consultation any of the communities but among the 3 main community and Cambridge Bay as well please interview the housing district why they made the decision personally and without any consultation from other communities

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  4. Posted by hermann kliest on

    The two amigos, who have damage Nunavut beyond repairs. NDP MP is the third so it’s the three. Pierre I vote for you this fall…I just hope Nunavut votes in a useful MP this time, if she wants to do something for Nunavut, ask her t re-vamp Minister of Health boggle mind. patients in WPG, most escorts are having grand old drunk time, and all day at Polo Park leaving elders to fend for themselves. Many missing appointments and travel home. Two amigos oops three fixed the Nunavut health environment.

  5. Posted by Tooma on

    Health care and our free health care system in Inuit nunagat needs to be mentioned. Possible payments like 50/50 sort to pay for prescriptions and that all of payments of our health care needs to be mentioned. It’s just too one sided only those nurses administration is way too much in control. Anyway possible to see if our health care system should be controlled by Inuit decisions because most of nurses and doctors are paid overwhelming and are living good life’s with no complaints.

  6. Posted by Delbert on

    The comments above make me sad. Inuit will never be educated properly. If people are thinking. That learning to be a hunter or going back to a nomads. Or complaining about issue that aren’t related. To the topic that article was meant to address.
    I agree traditional life skills are important. But kids have lots of time out school. To be taught those survival skills.
    School age children spend more time out of the classroom than in one. Once they are there. Behavioral problems are so bad teachers can’t teach.
    In some of the worlds most dangerous and poverty ravaged countries. They still have been able. To find a way to educate their children. Today as I write this, civil n civil wars are tearing these countries apart. But the education system is still functioning.
    Why is that. Because the parents of those children realize. A child with a education may a chance. To live a better life.
    What’s happening here no wars. Tens of millions coming to the territory for education.
    You see you parents need to value education ,encouraging there children
    to go school. Providing those same children with a safe home. Showing that it’s important to have a job and go to work everyday.
    Inuit children rarely see very little of that.
    They see parents that don’t care if there child are educated or not. What great example of how. To ruin the future.
    And as far as those traditional life skills go by all means teach them to your children. Because some time in the future. Those millions of dollars that come into Nunavut. For all the social programs. It’s going to start getting less and less.
    Those skills will be valuable.

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