Pita Aatami aiming for Nunavik self-governance
Incumbent president of Makivvik Corp. faces 2 opponents in Feb. 1 presidential election
Pita Aatami, shown speaking at the Northern Lights conference and trade show in Ottawa in February 2023, is seeking re-election as president of Makivvik Corp. (File photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Nunatsiaq News is publishing profiles of the three candidates for Makivvik Corp. president ahead of the organization’s 2024 election.
Pita Aatami says he wants self-government for Nunavik.
The 64-year-old politician faces two opponents in his run for a second consecutive term as president of Makivvik Corp., the organization that represents Inuit in the region. The election is set for Feb. 1.
Aatami was also Makivvik president from 1998 to 2012 and has held several other high-ranking political positions in Nunavik over the years.
“We were forced into an agreement that we did not want,” he said in a phone interview, referring to the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, which Inuit in Nunavik signed in 1975 with the Quebec government.
He said the deal was reached using Quebec’s laws and rules, never taking into consideration that Nunavik’s Inuit had never signed an agreement in the past.
“[Quebec was] holding on to the lands, but it should have been the other way around,” Aatami said.
He said he’s been in discussions with provincial government leaders where he has promoted the idea of Inuit self-determination. Those leaders have been hearing him out, he said.
“I think a lot of politicians are in agreement, but it is also very scary for them,” Aatami said.
Because Nunavik is a source of valuable minerals, he said, many politicians fear that federal and provincial governments could lose control over regulations and royalties related to the mining industry.
Aatami and Quebec Premier François Legault signed an accord on Dec. 20 with the aim of furthering discussions on modernizing Nunavik’s governance.
Another priority for Aatami is youth. He said 60 per cent of the region’s population is under the age of 35, and he feels it’s important that this group has a political voice.
“I can’t pretend to know all the needs of the youth, so we work with the youth,” he said.
Aatami also wants to keep Inuit children who are in the care of Quebec’s Department of Youth Protection from being sent out of Nunavik.
Revitalization and protection of the Inuktitut language and solving the housing crisis are also among Aatami’s priorities.
Also running for president of Makivvik Corp. are Harry Tulugak and Suzy Kauki.
why are leaders in a rush for self government ? we need to have educated population , before , we can run our house, not to mention all the social problems we have !!
Why are people not educated? Why are there social problems? Why don’t you already have governance over yourself, like a dignified human being?
Inuit are not stupid, we are not wrought with ‘social issues’ out of the gate. We are born and live in a world where we have no control over our lands, resources nor the means by which we reproduce ourselves.
Self governance, the right to decide for ourselves how our societies produce the goods and services we need to exist, is the basic FIRST step we need to solve issues of education and social crisis.
Self governance is not a can to be kicked down the road for a bit longer, until someone thinks we’re ‘ready’. It’s something we have to fight for, to even begin down the long road to a dignified life.
You have no control over the means by which you reproduce yourselves?
I giggled a little too much at this comment
Same reason Nunavut were in such a rush for self government. Now most people wish they could go back to nwt days.
Fast pace? simply because the ethic population is quickly changing, look at UK over-ran by the world and their way of life is been challenged, the this current government is also opening wide the gates….who to say Canada will a foreign national running the country in the near future as PM. It’s a reality and we have to face and address as Canadians. Let’s rush, procrastination is mankind’s worse enemy.
Another historical revisionist – they were very happy to enter into the agreement in 1975. Siigh, will it never stop?
Self government has always been the goal, only the Canadian Government would never have allowed it at the time.
The land claims negotiators opted for a public government, as well as the abdication of our ‘Aboriginal Right’ in sight of Canada’s steadfast, hamfisted, colonial agenda.
He has been saying that for years. Nothing have been said or done.
We the beneficiaries have been hearing that from Makivvik for over 20 years.
I believe that federal government and provincial governments have been offering them lately.
This is a bad bait for voters.
That s , what a good politician does , uses bait to catch fish , i mean votes.
I’d say reducing high cost of living would be a better choice over self governing.
Reduce air fares is one of them.
Talk with Canadian transport to reduce shipping goods and cargo flights..
Replacing bell Canada, for not offering fibre optic and cellular phones in Northern Quebec ,
We have been with Bell Canada for over 50 years and not getting the same services they do in South.
Classic red herring
From what I recall, Pita turned down fibre optic projects in the late 90s/early 2000s…
Here we are: self sufficient, with a major social problem with alcohol, drugs, having a regional treatment Center at the Center of life, big employer for Nunavik. Hospital with most professionals from south. Kids being rescued to dyp, from abuse. Builders of houses from south. Teachers from south. Business ran by local people closed half the time. Police from south, lawyers , judges, all from south. Kids that miss so many days of school, years behind the rest of the province. Yes sir and madam, we are self sufficient, self government or what ? This is one of the biggest jokes one can hear, in Quebec or Canada. The blind leads the blind again and again.
““We were forced into an agreement that we did not want,”
“Revitalization and protection of the Inuktitut language…”
“… solving the housing crisis…”
are also among Aatami’s priorities.
SO – MUCH – RHETORIC
If only we recycled beer cans with the same enthusiasm we recycle washed up old politicians.
Under Pita over the past few ask yourself a few questions :
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-did Canadian North improve its service level or provide more affordable pricing?
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-has Makivvik delivered anything to its people of substance that cannot be accredited to ITK?
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Is Makivvik transparent? Do you know the salaries of the president and executive can be over 400k easily?
.
I think the old guard needs to get out of the way. makivik signed the treaty and there was no gun to our head. I think the younger generation needs to take the reigns now
The Makivvik staff is doing everything they can to make sure Pita doesn’t leave. They’re using up Makivvik resources just for their elite, why not give each candidate the same privilege?
We will be ready for self governance in 200 years when all the dust has setttled. No friggen way do I want self governance!! Everything will go to kuujjuaq’s growth and economy anyways because the small towns don’t get the same support
Don’t be fooled by the millionaires
The old guard of Pita and whatnot need to be removed and replaced. Let’s bring in Kauki, the newest and freshest of the three candidates.
Pita Aatami only cares about his bonus payouts, just like the other people in Makivvik. That’s why they never leave their jobs – best paychecks ever and they do absolutely nothing for Nunavik except for blah blah blah away when the camera is looking.
Shes worse
We won’t have to worry about Makivik in the not so far future. We won’t have to worry about any Quebec of Canada government either. Just wait until the immigration of all the dysfunctional countries get a hold in our Canada. It’s happening in other civilized countries at a fast pace, immigrants invading everything from culture to the economy to the security and literally destroying everything that civilized countries stand for. It’s at our door step, and Makivik won’t even be on the agenda.
you gota know him, who he really is. I judge people on their character, not their accomplishments. how they treat their family. Not just superficial relations. Aukaammarittara taanna.
Pita only likes the pay checks. He’s done nothing much in all the years he has been sitting in the presidents chair. He only cares about his wallet and not his fellow inuuqatiks. His campaigns are all a lie just like the rest of the campaigns he ever said in the past years.