Jeremy Tunraluk, newly elected president of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., says he and his team are committed to flying into all Nunavut communities in all three regions. (Photo by Daron Letts)
Jeremy Tunraluk plans to be on the move as NTI president
Commitment to visit communities in all regions continues; seeks collaboration with territorial government
Jeremy Tunraluk, the newly elected president of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., spent the day after Monday’s election accepting congratulations and charting out his presidency.
“It’s a very emotional day,” he said Tuesday morning, less than 12 hours after the votes were counted. “My phone hasn’t stopped ringing.”
Tunraluk won the top job at NTI, the organization responsible for ensuring obligations to Inuit under the Nunavut Agreement are met, by a 515-vote margin.
He took 5,730 votes, winning over second-place finisher Cathy Towtongie’s 5,215 votes. Andrew Nakashuk came third with 3,628 votes and Nicole Camphaug finished fourth with 2,092 votes, according to unofficial results posted on NTI’s website Tuesday morning.
The day after the election, he met with Premier P.J. Akeeagok, who dropped by the NTI office in Iqaluit to offer his congratulations.
“I told the Premier, we’re not always going to agree,” said Tunraluk, a 38-year-old former secretary-treasurer at the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, the same organization Akeeagok led before he became premier.
“Looking to the future, I would like to work side by side with the government.”
Hanging over their emerging relationship is a lawsuit NTI filed against the Government of Nunavut in October 2021, arguing the territorial government is not providing Inuktut language education to the same extent as English and French instruction.
In November, the GN asked the Supreme Court of Canada to kill NTI’s lawsuit, after the Nunavut Court of Appeal ruled the matter could go to trial.
Tunraluk said he wants to offer a second chance in the form of another last-ditch round of negotiations before heading back to court.
“If we can work things out and avoid going to court, I would like to,” he said. “If we’re able to slow things down and make sure the language law is actually able to serve Inuit better, we can work things out. That’s my attitude — is to work together.”
According to Monday’s unofficial vote count, Tunraluk’s support was heavily weighted in the Qikiqtani region, where he led voting in eight of 13 communities.
By comparison, he won two of the Kivalliq region’s seven communities, and didn’t win any of the five Kitikmeot region communities.
But that won’t influence Tunraluk’s approach to the Kitikmeot and Kivalliq regions, he said.
“I grew up being told that I need to treat everybody the same, no matter what region,” he said. “These things don’t matter to me. I’m not the type of person to hold any grudges.”
His recipe for addressing what were the most prominent issues of the campaign — transparency and accountability — is to meet early and often with residents of the communities.
“I would like to meet with all the hamlet councils, the (hunter and trapper organizations) and with residents of these communities and make sure we listen to each community,” he said.
During the campaign, Tunraluk visited Cambridge Bay, Kugluktuk, Rankin Inlet and Iqaluit, as a way to bridge the gap he perceives between NTI and Nunavut’s Inuit beneficiaries.
The campaign is over but Tunraluk’s commitment to tour all the communities continues, he said.
“When I was campaigning, I would tell people, I would tell everybody — the radio, the newspaper — everybody, that I will be visiting each community or have a team visit each community and listen to the people and what they, what they need,” he said.
Regular financial reports are also a priority, he added, along with accessibility.
“I will have to be working really closely with the presidents and the vice-presidents of our regional Inuit associations and make sure that they’re able to come into my office and speak to me,” he said.
“It’s been a good campaign, and the number of voters indicates that we are moving forward and we will make sure that we’re getting closer to Inuit.”
I will not be surprise if a complete tour of every hamlet cost the same price of a small house. Real question here : How much could it be? Just call Mumilaaq instead. She did that tour few years ago…
You complain when they make an effort to see their constituents, but you’d complain if they stayed in Iqaluit the whole term.
Just a complainer, no big ideas.
He is the right man for the job, congratulations Jeremy. We are all rooting for you.
I extend my congratulations to Jeremy Tunraluk on his election as president of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. While my vote was for Andrew Nakashuk, I wholeheartedly support Jeremy’s vision and priorities for NTI. His focus on transparency, accountability, and inclusivity, as well as his commitment to engaging with all regions and communities of Nunavut, is commendable.
Jeremy’s willingness to engage in constructive dialogue with the Government of Nunavut regarding Inuktut language education reflects a pragmatic and collaborative leadership approach. His emphasis on avoiding prolonged legal disputes, where possible, in favor of meaningful negotiations demonstrates his dedication to achieving practical outcomes for Inuit beneficiaries.
Additionally, his pledge to regularly meet with community leaders, hamlet councils, and residents, as well as his focus on accessible leadership and financial accountability, sets a promising tone for his presidency. By prioritizing communication and inclusivity, Jeremy has the opportunity to strengthen NTI’s connection with Inuit across all regions.
I congratulate Jeremy once again and wish him success as he undertakes this critical leadership role. His commitment to fostering unity, transparency, and progress is an encouraging sign for NTI and the future of Inuit in Nunavut.
“It’s been a good campaign, and the number of voters indicates that we are moving forward and we will make sure that we’re getting closer to Inuit.”
How is Nunavut moving forward when you have to pay people to vote, if I’m not mistaken, that’s a big step backwards. I do wonder if majority even knew whom they were voting for, or just ticked off the first box on the sheet?
If we short of Inuit teachers and changing Inuit life style with high tech thingies and baby sitters, hope is far away. Good teachers have jump ship awhile back. There are still die hard good teacher out there but also frustrated due to slow in coming Inuit teachers. 4-5 years to graduated from NTEP now?
Drop the lawsuit. There aren’t enough Inuit teachers to teach all classes and all grades in Inuktitut. Period.
Dumb idea to begin with. Just putting money in the pockets of lawyers, and not focusing on issues that will make a difference.
NTI election was predictable, you get what you pay for!
As you take on this responsibility, I hope you will champion transparency and accountability, particularly when it comes to Inuit employment. Will NTI commit to publicly sharing its Inuit Employment Plan (IEP)? Doing so would demonstrate leadership and align with the expectations placed on the Federal Government and the Government of Nunavut, who are being called upon to provide adequate and actionable IEPs.
It’s equally important that all Inuit organizations within Nunavut take the lead in developing and publishing their own Inuit Employment Plans. By doing so, these organizations can set the standard for meaningful progress and accountability while fostering trust and equity within the communities they serve.
Transparency and leadership in this area could significantly strengthen the foundation for reconciliation and workforce representation. I look forward to seeing NTI and other Inuit organizations take proactive steps to address these critical issues.
He says “I grew up being told that I need to treat everybody the same, no matter what region,” he said. “These things don’t matter to me.
What does He mean by this?