Nicole Camphaug is one of four candidates vying to be elected president at Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (Photo courtesy of Nicole Camphaug)
NTI presidential candidate Nicole Camphaug hopes to fight for Inuit rights
Candidate has 25 years of experience supporting elected officials
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.
Nicole Camphaug says her 25 years of experience working in roles supporting government officials has led her to place her own name on a ballot.
She is one of four candidates running to be the next president of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., the organization responsible for ensuring obligations made to Inuit under the Nunavut Agreement are upheld.
The other candidates in the Dec. 9 election are Andrew Nakashuk, Cathy Towtongie, and Jeremy Tunraluk.
Nunatsiaq News caught up with Camphaug while she was on the campaign trail to Kugluktuk, after making stops in Cambridge Bay and Taloyoak.
Camphaug, who grew up in Rankin Inlet but now lives in Iqaluit, took a leave of absence from her role as an executive assistant to Kilikvak Karen Kabloona, CEO of NTI, to run for president.
She said she has worked for elected officials in different governments including the deputy premier in Northwest Territories, speaker of the house of the legislative assembly in Nunavut, the premier of Nunavut, and several ministers.
“My experience and my work has led me to thinking that I was able to make a difference in the government, and now I think this might be the best way to do it,” Camphaug said.
“I thought, what better place to fight for Inuit rights than the organization that is created to do that.”
Camphaug said she’s running for elders, for the future of children, and to keep Inuit engaged on their lands and resources.
“I’m doing this all for Inuit, like our elders, to be able to age in their home communities without the fear of having to leave home, I don’t know how I can do that but it’s a conversation to be had,” Camphaug said.
She said she’s heard comments about lack of transparency at NTI and if elected, it’s something she would look into to improve it.
“Maybe people don’t know about NTI initiatives, so I was thinking what we can do is radio ads in each community because the local radios are such a great way to reach all of the community members that might not have social media,” she said.
She said hunters’ rights are also on her radar, including those without licences who have difficulties purchasing ammunition at local stores.
“A lot of communities might have issues like this that need to be addressed, and NTI can help on that front,” Camphaug said.
“Not being able to get ammunition is impeding their rights to harvest, so I think if they know what their rights are, maybe we can help with that.”
Not a terribly inspiring platform honestly.
Not a terribly inspiring comment, honestly.
Likewise..
100$ nti gift card = 3 packs of smokes thanks NTI
Hey Nicole, you totally rock and can do this!!! You have made everyone proud and we are so happy!!!
How about young people who wants to further their education?how will nti help them?
Nunavut already has the most generous, and non repayable, student funding in Canada. Between FANS, ALTS, NTI scholarships and RIO scholarships a student can actually attend school and have the equivalent of a full time pay check every two weeks. That is with travel, rent and food paid for. To say otherwise is just an excuse not to get educated.
Totally wrong, Nunavut does not have fans that cover the full tuition, doesn’t cover all for books, rent, you still have to get a student loan to get by, I don’t know where you get your information from but it’s not accurate at all, other regions get more than Nunavut for student support, First Nations get way lot more than Inuit for student financial support, that’s in Canada, places like Greenland are on another level for student financial assistance, places like Scandinavia know how to support their youth in getting free education plus financial support.
FANS is a student loan. If you don’t come back to live in Nunavut you most certainly have to pay it back. It covers your tuition and books and provides a living “wage” subsidy that’s dependent on your living situation (if you have kids etc). If you come back to live and work in Nunavut you don’t even have to pay it back. That is very generous compared to the rest of Canada.
Education, it starts at Home. You have to attend School to get Educated. You need Parents to do that.
First, a Parent has to be able to ensure Children get sleep. Parental have to ensure Children are woken up to go to School. A Parent ensures their kid has space and time to do Homework. Parents mustn’t play Bingo and feed their kids. Inuit have to Parent their kids in 2024, the lack of parenting support must end. NTI can’t shake up Lazy and Bad Parenting.
But maybe if NTI offers 100 a Month to wake their kids to go to School then Nunavut would have 100% Attendance. Lol. Inuit, can’t even send their kids to get Free Education as too lazy and just plain lack parenting skills in order for their kids to have a chance in life. No wonder hopes wane in this cycle.
Hunters who do not have a PAL should not be allowed to buy ammunition or firearms. PALs exist for a reason.
We don’t want status quo at NTI and it would be nice to be able to speak with the President of our organization in our language.
NN’s profiles of other candidates later this week is a bit academic (and pretentious?); I’m fairly sure everyone who’s voting has already voted