Jeremy Tunraluk, seen with his wife Debbie Tunraluk, is among four candidates seeking the presidency of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (Photo courtesy of Jeremy Tunraluk)
Jeremy Tunraluk vows to bring harmony to NTI presidency
Candidate says he’s committed to visiting as many communities as he can before Dec. 9 vote
Online from Dec. 3 to 6, Nunatsiaq News is profiling each of the four candidates running in Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.’s Dec. 9 presidential election. The profiles will also appear in the Dec. 6 print edition.
Music is an integral part of supporting mental health and social cohesion, says Jeremy Tunraluk.
He took the call for an interview for this story while on a stopover en route to Cambridge Bay during his campaign for the presidency of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.
The Arctic Bay-born musician turned politician said he intends to visit as many communities as he can before election day Dec. 9.
“We need to get NTI closer to Inuit and closer to the communities,” Tunraluk said. “I feel like there’s been a void between NTI and beneficiaries.”
Jeremy Tunraluk, centre, performs with his family on stage at Alianait in Iqaluit. He is among four candidates seeking the presidency of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Pictured, clockwise from Jeremy Tunraluk, are Zoey, 7; Nate, 14; Ivory, 5; Sarah Laura, 12; and his wife Debbie Tunraluk. The election takes place on Dec. 9. (Photo courtesy of Jeremy Tunraluk)
Tunraluk is among four candidates vying for the role of president of NTI, the organization responsible for ensuring obligations made to Nunavut Inuit under the Nunavut Agreement are upheld. The other candidates are Cathy Towtongie, Andrew Nakashuk and Nicole Camphaug.
Now based in Iqaluit, Tunraluk has served as secretary-treasurer and member at large for Qikiqtani Inuit Association, community director in Arctic Bay, and board chair for Kakivak Association.
Tunraluk did not speak out against NTI’s vouchers for votes program after it was announced, but said he regards the move as indicative of disharmony between the Inuit organization and its constituency.
Another indication of this discord is NTI’s ongoing court case against the Government of Nunavut regarding Inuktut language education, he said.
“I believe we can actually try and work together with the government, instead of having to fight through the court system,” Tunraluk said. “I believe we can work side by side.”
The absence of a firm platform document early in his campaign, he said, reflects his eagerness, if elected, to be guided by Inuit in the territory and urban Inuit in the south as well.
“I purposely didn’t have an actual platform,” he said. “To make sure that we’re listening to Inuit and we’re doing the things Inuit want, instead of leading from the top down.”
He added he would dedicate NTI funding to strengthening academic opportunities and traditional cultural learning.
Tunraluk also promised to advocate for comprehensive subsidies for hunters, those who sew, and other cultural practitioners in much the same way certain sectors of the Canadian farming industry receive annual government support.
Although Tunraluk plans to plot a different path from previous NTI leadership, he refused to criticize past presidents.
“I believe the current structure is strong and I give major props to the previous presidents and directors,” he said.
Homeowners and Inuit homeowners is too unsafe from the public in general. It’s always being discriminated and always public activities from public services, always busy roads with no respect towards homeowners here in Nunavut. Look at nwt and aboriginal territories how they run their homeownership programs. They create homeownership groups, for safety of the homeowners. In Nunavut, it’s just discrimination.
more gibberish from this guy?
Im sure you will put your name in the ballot next time!
I am hoping for inuit to have actual outpost camps spread to their homelands all over with real funding to revitalize culture and traditions for our young population , the inuit have been colonized long enough only to get handouts from organizations and governments ,before colonization all inuit were independent through out nunavut .
I agree, colonized Inuit have become way too dependent on handouts. Look at this election, need $100 just to vote! No more. Get back to the land, build outpost camps, survive the way your ancestors did before Europeans came. No more handouts needed.
Sadly we have had enough of your share of uneducated folk Jeremy who just go along with the show. We need some thinkers who will not just be yes folk, but fight for our fellow Inuit. You ain’t getting this vote.
If NTI is there to just agree with the Government, what is the purpose of the land claim? The government and Inuit have proven in-effective in implementing article 23, we’re seeing the economic consequences of that.
Electing a yes-man during negotiations for devolution is a recipe for disaster when there is a risk for no potential recourse post devolution.
Singing songs around the fire, doesn’t do much help to anyone with real life problems, “kumbaya my lord”, I’d vote for someone else if someone came up to me and said, sing a song to cure you’re troubles…great.
Sadly this isn’t too surprising. I can tell a lot of the negative comments are coming from a region of Nunavut where they make it region vs region.
Cathy’s followers, or should I say blind followers that will negatively comment anything from outside their region. Quite sad really. Out with the old, she’s had plenty of opportunities to make Nunavut better, she has failed at every level. Time for something new.
This is a Nunavut wide office and all have a vote anywhere, so your Baffin argument is meaningless. The candidate here was part of the board and now claims to have been not part of the problem. He obviously is not the solution, just go with the flow typical nice guy crap we see everyday. Go with the other two and definitely not Cathy either.
“blind followers that will negatively comment anything from outside their region.”
you mean religion not region right??
Sorry man, i think your inexperience, you don’t have my vote.