Negotiators travelling Nunavik to hear questions, concerns on self-governance
Tunu Napartuk and Anthony Ittoshat in Kuujjuaq this week
Tunu Napartuk, right, and Anthony Ittoshat, on the screen, host a public hearing Monday in Kuujjuaq on their first year as Makivvik negotiators for Nunavik self-determination. (Photo by Cedric Gallant)
Makivvik’s top self-determination negotiator is travelling to every Nunavik community to provide his first update on renewed self-governance talks, and to hear people’s questions and concerns about the topic.
Chief negotiator Tunu Napartuk hosted an event in Kuujjaq Monday and Tuesday alongside his partner, Anthony Ittoshat, who appeared virtually. There were eight people in attendance at the event.
“We have been opening the floor to questions and concerns,” said Napartuk, “and it has been an interesting process.”
Elder Johnny Peters stood at the microphone during the meeting to point out in Inuktitut that Nunavik has a modern treaty through the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement.
With other Inuit regions like Nunavut and Nunatsiavut gaining their own self-governments, he asked, why is Nunavik behind?
“He wants to be able to see [Nunavik self-governance] before he becomes too elderly,” Napartuk said, interpreting Peters’ concerns.
The idea of self-governance has been on the table for a long time. Inuit in Nunavik have entered discussions around self-government several times over the past few decades, including in 2003, 2007 and 2011.
“This whole thing has many layers, and it is not something that is going to happen overnight,” said Napartuk.
He and Ittoshat are building on the work done by their predecessors, which Napartuk said has made their responsibility “quite a bit smoother.”
“Through their effort, we are not starting from a blank,” he said.
Nunavik, Quebec and the federal government signed the Nunavik Self-Government Negotiations Accord in December, which opened a new round of negotiations. The goal is for the three groups to reach an agreement in principle, which is a stepping stone to having a completed deal.
“We want to be able to show a document to our fellow Inuit, to have an understanding of the government that we will be looking at,” Napartuk said.
The federal and provincial governments provide different approaches to the negotiation process, Napartuk said.
The federal process has been long and “full of red tape,” despite the fact that Ottawa leaders represent themselves as open to recognizing Indigenous groups having an inherent right to self-government, he said.
On the provincial side, Makivvik’s negotiator speaks directly to the Quebec premier’s office, and answers “come back really quickly,” Napartuk said.
At the forefront of negotiations, Napartuk said self-government in Nunavik should be built around the principle that only Inuit beneficiaries of Nunavik are able to vote and be elected.
He said he wants more discussions regarding the inclusion of non-Inuit in running government and the requirement of mastery of Inuktitut among elected officials.
Napartuk said these decisions will not be made by him or Ittoshat, but by people in the communities.
Another important topic Napartuk flagged is that the Supreme Court of Canada recently upheld Bill C-92, which gives Inuit the right to create their own child and family services model for Nunavik.
“It is such an important file that needs to be done,” he said.
Currently, the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services is working with Makivvik and Nunavimmi Ilagiit Papatauvinga to see if the groups can create a Nunavik-centred child care and family care system.
Napartuk said Quebec Premier François Legault stated he “really wished that he could see something signed before December 2024.”
Legault’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Napartuk and Ittoshat’s next stop is Kangiqsualujjuaq, on Wednesday.
Speaking inuktitut should be the number one requirement. If not, this will just be a Kuujjuaq potato government.
Not to mention , a bloated bureaucracy .
The “Team” top to bottom are well aware they were/are scheduling “town meetings” during work hours (9 to5), thus ensuring the least amount of public input as possible.
I don t want to go after 5 , that s going to dig into distrub my happy hour
Shouldn’t pay 14% quebec tax in nunavik should be only 5% like nunavut
An Elder mentions that “Nunavik has a modern treaty through the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement” while in fact this is not a full treaty but a land claims agreement. The question of governance et self determination were not addressed in the JBNQA and since then, the Supreme Court of Canada has recognized the full Aboriginal title to exist and applied it to a First Nation, the Tsilhqot’in.
In Nunavut the Inuit negotiated a full public government but that’s unlikely to be approved for Nunavik given that it is within a province and not a territory. Yet, international law that Canada has ratified provides that Indigenous people have the right to self determination which is much stronger than simple self government. Inuit of Nunavik should look at international law and the UNDRIP as a starting point, not an unattainable goal like they did in Nunavut where they are stuck with a quasi colonial governance and legal system.