Pauktuutit to ponder future at Yellowknife AGM

Pauktuutit, Canada’s Inuit women’s association, has postponed its 2003 annual general meeting until Feb. 16 to 18, 2004, to ensure that the organization has enough money to send delegates to the gathering – which will be held in Yellowknife.

The AGM had been set for Nov. 24 to 26.

But Pauktuutit hadn’t received written confirmation from the federal government for funding agreements that would have covered the cost of booking airline tickets for conference delegates, and other expenses.

Catherine Carry, a Pauktuutit staff member, explained that it’s against the organization’s auditing procedures to book things like non-refundable airline tickets before they receive official notice that they will get the money needed to cover such costs.

In a press release last week, Pauktuutit President Veronica Dewar said Pauktuutit wants to ensure that as many delegates and directors as possible attend the Yellowknife AGM.

“It is a high priority for Pauktuutit to include community-based representatives to network and workshop together. This AGM is particularly important, as we are engaged in far-reaching discussions concerning the future of the association,” Dewar said in the news release.

Those discussions include the creation of a stronger relationship with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, environmental community action, and broader representation for urban women and youth.

The delay also means that the nomination period for an election to fill two executive positions – vice-president and secretary/treasurer – has been extended until Feb. 6.

Any Inuk woman in Canada may nominate any other Inuk woman in Canada for each of those positions. The seconder must also be an Inuk woman.

Mary Palliser of Inukjuak is the organization’s current vice-president. Sharon Edmunds of Happy Valley, Labrador, is Pauktuutit’s current secretary-treasurer.

The nomination period for the “Inuit Woman of the Year Award” has also been extended until Feb. 6.

The award honours an Inuk woman who has made an outstanding contribution to her family, community or country during the previous year.

Nineteen delegates will represent Inuit women from around the Canadian Arctic at the Yellowknife AGM.

That group is made of up Pauktuutit’s 11-member board (three executive members and eight directors) plus another eight regional delegates.