Who We Are

ᑭᓇᐅᓂᕗᑦ

We are the regional voice of Nunavut’s Qikiqtani Inuit.

Our Mission

Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) advances the rights and benefits of Qikiqtani Inuit through protecting and promoting our social, political, economic and cultural interests; while safeguarding the land, waters and resources that sustain our communities.

Our Vision

Political and cultural empowerment, social equality, economic prosperity and a healthy environment for Qikiqtani Inuit.

Our Role

QIA is the Regional Inuit Association for the Qikiqtani Region of Nunavut, representing 51 per cent of Inuit living in the territory located in the Canadian Arctic.

QIA is a Designated Inuit Organization under the Nunavut Agreement. QIA is one of three Regional Inuit Associations affiliated with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.; the other associations include the Kitikmeot Inuit Association and the Kivalliq Inuit Association.

We work closely with our partners, such as Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada, as well as different levels of government, to represent Inuit in the Inuit Nunangat, the Inuit homeland.

The Nunavut Agreement dedicates 356,000 km² of the land in Nunavut as Inuit Owned Land –almost the size of Newfoundland and Labrador.

This represents 17.7 per cent of the Nunavut Territory. These parcels of lands are titled to Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI). NTI designated the responsibility of the Inuit Owned Land to the Regional Inuit Associations. Nearly half of Inuit Owned Land is in the Qikiqtani Region, making QIA one of the world’s largest private landowners. QIA manages the Inuit Owned Lands in the Qikiqtani Region.

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Our Team

QIA headquarters is based in Iqaluit, Nunavut. We have over 80 employees with representation in every Qikiqtani community.

Board of Directors

The QIA Board of Directors includes 13 Community Directors who are elected by Inuit in each of their respective Qikiqtani communities. The Executive Committee of the Board includes a Secretary-Treasurer, Vice President and President who are elected region-wide as well as three Community Director members at-large appointed/elected by the Board.

Executive Committee

P.J. Akeeagok
President

Olayuk Akesuk
Vice-President

Joe Attagutaluk
Secretary-Treasurer

Liza Ningiuk
Member at Large

Tommy Akavak
Member at Large

Levi Barnabas
Member at Large

Community Directors

Mike Jaypoody
Clyde River

Paul Amagoalik
Resolute Bay

Vacant
Sanikiluaq

Mathew S. Jaw
Cape Dorset

Steven Polee Lucassie
Iqaluit

Abraham Qammaniq
Hall Beach

Johnny Malaiya Kublu
Igloolik

Vacant
Pond Inlet

Harry Alookie
Qikiqtarjuaq

Peter Evvik
Pangnirtung

QIA President

P.J. Akeeagok was first elected president of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association in 2014 and was reelected in 2018. Originally from Canada’s most northern community, Grise Fiord, Akeeagok has devoted his career to representing Inuit in Nunavut. Prior to becoming QIA’s president, Akeeagok served in numerous roles with Inuit organizations, including Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.

QIA Departments

Department of Executive Management
Responsible for Board and Executive relations and overseeing the work of all QIA departments.

Department of Communication
Responsible for internal and external communications and publications, major event planning and campaigns, and promotions.

Department of Major Projects
Responsible for large and complex files such as the Mary River project.

Department of Marine and Wildlife

Department of Lands and Resources
Responsible for the management of Inuit owned lands.

Department of Social Policy
Responsible for social and cultural policy and programming, the Qikiqtani Truth Commission, youth programs and community-based research initiatives.

Department of Finance
Responsible for the financial aspects of running the organization.

Department of Human Services
Responsible for recruiting, employee relations and administrative functions.

QIA Community Liaison Officers

QIA employs Community Liaison Officers (CLOs) in each of the 13 Qikiqtani communities.

Oolana Nuqingaq	CLO Coordinator	Box 1340, Iqaluit, NU X0A 0H0	ph: 867•975•8449	Fax: 867•979•3238	onuqingaq@qia.ca
Jack Willie	Arctic Bay	P.O. Box 69, Arctic Bay, NU X0A 0A0	ph: 867•439•8277	Fax: 867•439•8217	jwillie@qia.ca
Johanne Mark	Cape Dorset	Box 151, Cape Dorset, NU X0A 0C0	ph: 867•897•8638	Fax: 867•897•8650	jmark@qia.ca
Nina Qillaq	Clyde River	Box 159, Clyde River, NU X0A 0E0	ph: 867•924•6119	Fax: 867•924•6120	nqillaq@qia.ca
Laisa Watsko	Grise Fiord	P.O. Box 47, Grise Fiord, NU X0A 0J0	ph: 867•980•4076	Fax: 867•980•4078	lwatsko@qia.ca
Lily Arnaqjuaq	Hall Beach	P.O. Box 9, Hall Beach, NU X0A 0K0	ph: 867•928•8103	Fax: 867•928•8114	larnaqjuaq@qia.ca
Sidonie Ungalaq	Igloolik	P.O. Box 84, Igloolik, NU X0A 0L0	ph: 867•934•8760	Fax: 867•934•8562	sungalaq@qia.ca
Marie Michael	Iqaluit	Box 1340, Iqaluit, NU X0A 0H0	ph: 867•975•8420	Fax: 867•979•3238	mmichael@qia.ca
Perry Ikkidluak	Kimmirut	Box 82, Kimmirut, NU X0A 0N0	ph: 867•939•2135	Fax: 867•939•2134	pikkidluak@qia.ca
Sheena Machmer	Pangnirtung	Box 633, Pangnirtung, NU X0A 0R0	ph: 867•473•8991	Fax: 867•473•8994	smachmer@qia.ca
Joapie Ootova	Pond Inlet	P.O. Box 151, Pond Inlet, NU X0A 0S0	ph: 867•899•8640	Fax: 867•899•8642	jootova@qia.ca
Lorna Kullualik	Qikiqtarjuaq	Box 239, Qikiqtarjuaq, NU X0A 0B0	ph: 867•927•8195	Fax: 867•927•8196	lkullualik@qia.ca
Susan Salluviniq	Resolute Bay	P.O. Box 116, Resolute Bay, NU X0A 0V0	ph: 867•252•3127	Fax: 867•252•3129	ssalluviniq@qia.ca
Julie Emikotailak	Sanikiluaq	Box 90, Sanikiluaq Nu X0A-0W0	ph: 867•266•8162	Fax: 867•266•8163	jemikotailak@qia.ca

Our Subsidiaries

Kakivak Association is the non-profit community economic development organization and small business arm of QIA. Kakivak provides Inuit training, programs and services that strengthen Qikiqtani communities, organizations and businesses.

Qikiqtaaluk Corporation (QC) is the for-profit development arm of QIA. QC is 100 per cent Inuit-owned and QIA is its sole shareholder. QC’s invests in strategic business opportunities and is a major contributor to all sectors of the Nunavut economy.

Our Finances

In October 2016, QIA established a new Revenue Policy to guide how our revenues would be invested and distributed to better serve Qikiqtani Inuit. The goal was to ensure clear and transparent reporting of how money is invested and used. The Revenue Policy created two new funds:

The Legacy Fund, which invests money for the future
The Benefits Fund, which delivers programs to Inuit

The Legacy Fund revenues come from numerous sources such as payments from Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreements (IIBA), revenues received from Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., from mining of Inuit Owned Minerals, revenues received from sand and gravel projects on Inuit Owned Land, dividends from the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation and Nunasi Corporation, and Legacy Fund investment revenues.

The Benefits Fund is used for social and cultural programs in the Qikiqtani Region. The Benefits Fund receives payments from the Legacy Fund with an annual target return on investment of four per cent, which is calculated and adjusted after releasing the audited financial statements. As the Legacy Fund grows, the Benefits Fund grows. This way, QIA can ensure a stable base of funding to run programs today while looking to expand programs in the future.

The Benefit’s Fund Annual Report details the programs delivered through the Benefit’s Fund.

Connect With Us

Contact Qikiqtani Inuit Association