Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. presidential election set for Dec. 9
Nomination period for candidates will run from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1
Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., the legal representative for all Inuit in Nunavut, will offer a $100 gift card to beneficiaries as an incentive to vote in its Dec. 9 election for president. (File photo)
Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. has announced the start of the process to elect its president.
The nomination period for candidates will open Oct. 28 at 9 a.m. and close Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. The election is set for Dec. 9, NTI said in its announcement Monday.
NTI is the legal representative for Inuit beneficiaries in Nunavut and ensures promises set out in the Nunavut Agreement are carried out by the federal and territorial governments.
The president is elected for a four-year term and serves as a member on the NTI board of directors.
Current president Aluki Kotierk has served in the role since 2016, having won her second term in 2021 with two-thirds of the votes cast. That election saw only 17.5 per cent of eligible voters participate.
Kotierk could not be reached for comment to say whether she plans to seek re-election.
Monica Ell-Kanayuk, chief returning officer for NTI, said she will speak with the organization’s directors next week to see how they plan to increase voter turnout.
People interested in running for NTI president can pick up a nomination form from Ell-Kanayuk by email at nticro@ayaya.ca. They can also be obtained through a community liaison officer, or the NTI website when the nomination period opens.
Eligible candidates must be Inuit enrolled under the Nunavut Agreement, at least 16 years of age or older on Dec. 9, and be eligible to vote.
Additionally, candidates must provide a criminal record check dated within 90 days prior to the opening day of the nomination period.
The annual general meeting for NTI is scheduled to run from Oct. 22 to 24 at the cadet hall in Iqaluit. The meeting is open to the public, and will also be broadcast on the NTI Facebook page.
“That election saw only 17.5 per cent of eligible voters participate.”
What a farce!
“Monica Ell-Kanayuk, chief returning officer for NTI, said she will speak with the organization’s directors next week to see how they plan to increase voter turnout.”
If 4 years ago you had a 17.5 voter turnout, waiting until a month before the election to speak on how to change voter shows just how little you care about this. Voter turnout at 17.5 percent should of likely been a priority starting right after the election. Regardless, it is likely a reflection how people perceive NTI.
This is the north , give out ”FREE STUFF” or prizes in order to get the vote out. In North Korea , people are forced.
VOTER; gimme gimme gimme nation…..I am getting sick of free loaders….Lazy AHs
The 82 % of none voters could be saying, we want something else… maybe Canada is not a great country after all… North Canada… communist to its core…. Like North Korea….
Votes don’t solve… they just hide the issues…
Thanks, A[h]-med. Probably a few of the 82% are not voting – as a protest. That’s a valid statement by them. Maybe they also stand on a soapbox occasionally, here, in public or on other social media. Many don’t see elections as a validation of democracy, which is accurate more accurate than not
Many don’t vote for other reasons – hopelessness, complacency, obliviousness. Maybe those are ‘protest’ reasons also.
“Don’t shoot the Messenger”
Entice the Voters to come out with Free Stuff. You have to “Offer” Treats, Junk Food, Giveaways, Raffles, Handouts, etc. Basically you have to give “Offerings” with Sugar embedded in Treats to lure them. Lure, er “Entice” the Voters. The only way to get Nunavummiut to Vote is “Buy Them”. Only way to get them to come out.
Anyone but Aluki, even a hairdryer is a better opt.
All you keyboard warriors better go be candidates since you guys always know everything!! lol
17.5% turnout is low. Eligible voters don’t vote for a myriad of reasons: apathy, hopelessness, personal culture or disgust; inability or inaccessibility (weather, transportation, literacy) ; lack of awareness or hyperawareness.
In recent federal elections, nearly 63% of eligible voters showed up on election day. In Nunavut the turnout was closer to 44%. That’s nearly 20 basis points difference.
Interestingly, the 20 basis points skew was the same across all age groups during the federal elections. For example,
– in age group 25-34 years old, 56% voted nationally; 35% in Nunavut
– in age group 45-54 years old, 67% voted nationally; 47% in Nunavut
– in age group 65-74 years old, 79% voted nationally; 58% in Nunavut
Extrapolating, one could argue that 65% of Nunavummiut aged 25-34 years old, didn’t vote because of apathy, hopelessness, personal culture, inability, inaccessibility, lack of awareness, hyperawareness, another reason or a combination thereof.
Don’t forget the people who think the system is perfectly fine the way it is and don’t feel they need to vote. A higher voter turnout means a greater, deeper division among the population.
Perhaps people believe it won’t matter who is in the President of NTI seat.
We should be happy that people don’t care to vote; high voter turnout indicates a real problem.
Stupidest take ever!
Idiocracy is real folks!
16-18 olds make a good portion of the NTI eligible voting age. My hunch is that if the voting age is increased to 19 and over, we would see an increased NTI voting percentage. All NTI beneficiaries, including infants once they are registered, are entitled to all and any programs that NTI offers; ie. draws for snowmachine or ATV, which is coming up next month. NTI should, seriously consider increasing the voting age AND running for an elected office.
Hand out Bingo cards along with a six pack of pop & smokes to each person casting a verified vote.
Suddenly somehow 200% of eligible voters will cast a vote
Oh man politics, I’m assuming many go with the goal of making a positive change for everyone, the system, the people, the inaction they go through drains their will.
Tis the time to open your coffers with free stuff and the community that vote the most per capita wins a community feast!
I wonder if more Inuit would come out to vote if they learned what the mandate of the Inuit orgs are. It is not something that is taught in any school curriculum in Nunavut and a significant number of those voters are younger than the general population that vote in the territorial and federal elections.
I wonder how many of those who have taken the Nunavut Sivuniksavut program come out to vote?
A very good incentive would be to say that each of the people who voted would receive $50.00 or even $100.00 within a month after elections are held.
The nominee would probably get a 100% of the votes.
Yeah, that’s illegal.
Where can people find the Inuinnaqtun version of Nunatsiaq News?
In Cam Bay and Kugluktuk Murphy
We need a President that lives in Nunavut. We need a president that travels around Nunavut and not focus on travelling the world.
Who are the candidates for the top Inuk position?
lol. From the subline:
Nomination period for candidates will run from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1
More like capitalist to its core. NTI is a private corporation. Beneficiaries are effectively shareholders. I don’t think NTI wants people to know that though.
If only beneficiaries had actual shareholder rights, Nunavut may have been able to avoid the morass of cronyism and petty corruption that’s plagued the Territory for the last twenty five years.
Except that they do have those rights as long as they’re registered under the Claim. Hence the election. It would take only one single Inuk to sue NTI for their rights not being implemented. *ahem, ahem* No class action needed
Thank god for that, we have never seen so much money flow through NTI from the federal government, in the tune of hundreds of millions, for housing, for programs, for training, hundreds of millions, yet the NTI for 3 years have failed to get the funds out, NTI needs a badly needed overhaul, starting with its senior staff, I do hope a strong leader will put their names forward,, NTI has had such a weak leader and it really shows.
NTI’s leadership busy with buying Northwestel, building a university, pursuing self government, dolling contributions to privately owned businesses, trips to Greenland…while regular Inuit are left with no food, no housing, no clinics, no schooling, no jobs, no money. What happened to NTI being advocate for Inuit rights.