We made history this year and celebrated with a feast!
2018-2019 has been a historic year for the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) with numerous landmarks.
The QIA Annual General Meeting and Board meetings this past week, was an opportunity for our board members and staff to have important discussions about our achievements and discuss the next steps for rolling out new benefits for Inuit across the Qikiqtani Region.
We also took the time to celebrate with music, country food and prizes at our community feast.
Community Feast
We hosted an incredible feast at Iqaluit’s Inuksuk High School on Thursday night.
Over 500 people joined us for country food and a performance by the Kamaalukutaat band.
We were also joined by many of our 2019-2020 scholarship recipients – the students from the Nunavut Arctic College who came to thank QIA for the support and pick up their cheques for the fall term.
Our feast included amazing door prizes such as six airline tickets, four $50 grocery cards, a Coleman stove, material for sewing, sealskin mitts and lots of fun toys. The Qikiqtaaluk Corp. (QC) donated two of the First Air tickets as well as four 20-gallon gas vouchers.
A massive candy-toss capped the night – and everyone went home with full bellies and happy hearts.
Here’s some of the highlights of what QIA accomplished to date.
Tallurutiup Imanga and Tuvaijuittuq
In the past few months we announced the completion of the Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement for Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area.
We also announced interim protection for Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area.
Through the Tallurutiup Imanga Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement and the Tuvaijuittuq agreements we secured over $251 million in benefits and investments for Inuit.
These investments include over 30 jobs in the five impacted communities of Arctic Bay, Clyde River, Grise Fiord and Pond Inlet.
These jobs will include the continuation of our Nauttiqsuqtiit, Inuit steward program.
The Nauttiqsuqtiit will have multi-use facilities to use for the processing of country food, repair and storage of their equipment, and administration of their work.
In addition, through these agreements we have been able to get funding for the construction of small craft harbours and community harbours.
We also secured new investments towards the creation of an Inuit training centre in Pond Inlet – which will be coupled with the $10 million secured through the renegotiation of the Mary River IIBA.
The work we have done here is historic.
They will also discuss the next steps for rolling-out the benefits and investments.
Qikiqtani Truth Commission
It has taken years of work to come to this point and finally see concrete action on the findings and recommendations from the Qikiqtani Truth Commission.
QIA achieved our initial goal of securing investments in programs for today and tomorrow.
We have gained:
- $15 million towards QIA’s Legacy Fund
- Over $2 million for Inuit History and Governance programs
- $2.9 million
for a Qimmiit Revitalization Program
- including $100,000 in annual sponsorship to the Nunavut Quest from 2020-2027
- Over $1.2 million for a Travel and Healing Program for Inuit impacted by the Dundas Harbour relocation, and the closing of Kivitoo, Paallavvik, and South Camp communities
Mary River Project
QIA’s work on the Mary River Project these past few months has been focussed on our participation in the Baffinland Phase II Environmental Assessment process led by the Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB).
Early this week we hosted a community meeting with delegates from the five impacted communities to discuss our strategy. This meeting followed our large community meeting in August where we gathered feedback and outline a strategy for our presentation to NIRB.
NIRB will hold its hearings in November 2019.
QIA’s Tusaqtavut Project has been ongoing which includes gathering Inuit Qaujumajatuqangit from Hall Beach, Pond Inlet and Igloolik.
The information gathered is focussed on Phase II, and the possible impact of the project on the environment, land use and cultural resources.
The project will culminate in three reports, one from each community.
The information gathered is focussed on Phase II, and the possible impact of the project on the environment, land use and cultural resources.
Tourism Fees
These fees are a response to concerns expressed by Inuit in Qikiqtani communities about the increase in commercial tourism activities in the region, particularly cruise ships.
QIA put in place these tourism operation fees to generate direct benefits for Inuit in communities impacted by tourism.
The Qikiqtani Region receives the most cruise ship activity in Nunavut.
Typically, tourism operations do not generate significant direct benefits for communities.
Fifty per cent of these fees will go to the Hunters and Trappers Organization of the community adjacent to the Inuit Owned Land (IOL) being used.
Tourism operators will be given notice of the new fees associated with conducting tourism activities on Inuit Owned Land when they apply to access these areas.
SEA on oil and gas in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait
The final NIRB report was released earlier in August with recommendations for the Strategic Environmental Assessment on oil and gas in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait.
QIA submitted an IQ report to NIRB during the final hearing and many of the 80 recommendations that we made have been taken into consideration in NIRB’s final report to the Minister.
The Minister of CIRNAC (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada) will use this report in making their decision whether or not to lift the moratorium on oil and gas in Baffin Bay, which is due to expire next year.
If the Minister considers NIRB’s recommendation the moratorium will stay in place for another five to 10 years.
QIA is working with CIRNAC to complete a contribution agreement so we can continue to work with our IQ advisors and develop a work plan to implement QIA’s recommendations.
QIA scholarships
The 80 QIA scholarships at $2,500/year, are awarded on a first-come-first-serve basis to students from the Qikiqtani Region pursuing post-secondary education.
Emily Karpik is the recipient of the $5,000 John Amagoalik Scholarship which honours the efforts of John Amagoalik towards the betterment of Inuit in Nunavut.
Students have given us a great deal of positive feedback on the impact of these scholarships.
Early childhood education resources
This past year we distributed the new Inuktitut family literacy packages.
We were able to partner with the Government of Nunavut Department of Education and distribute these packages to 55 licensed child care facilities across the territory.
The family literacy package aims to encourage more Inuktitut speaking within homes.
Each family literacy package includes activity booklets, cards, CD of Inuktitut children’s songs and books.
The Inuktitut family literacy packages are part of the Ipitiki program funded through the Makigiaqta Inuit Training Corporation. A number of the resources in the packages were also developed as part of QIA’s Benefit Fund Program.
QIA Annual Report
Our 2018-2019 QIA Annual Report is now available.
The report has been redesigned and captures many of the highlights of our year through short articles and captivating photos.
It also encourages readers to visit our website to read all the other documents we have produced this year to inform and educate Inuit about our work.
Benefits and Legacy Fund Report
The 2018-2019 Benefits and Legacy Fund annual report is also now available.
This is the second time we publish this annual report.
However, this year you can read information on our new Benefits Fund programs including our daycare resources and QCAP the Qikiqtani Community Activities Program.
2019 Fall newsletter
QIA’s fall 2019 newsletter, Tusarassat, is now available in both print and online. We have redesigned Tusarassat with a new look and brand-new features. This is the first QIA newsletter which features profiles of Inuit who are doing exceptional work in the Qikiqtani Region.
