Since my appointment as Deputy Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) in May 2006, I have witnessed a growing interest in the North. Awareness of its vast potential has grown substantially–so, too, has the need to address current and emerging issues. Economic development, resource management, climate change and increasing territorial autonomy are reshaping this immensely important region of the country. Inuit, who have lived there for millennia, are on the front line of the changing North.

As Canada's lead federal department responsible for the North and for Aboriginal peoples, INAC has an important role to work with Inuit to address their socio-economic, cultural and environmental priorities. Our objective is to help build the capacity of Inuit and ensure they are poised to benefit from–and lead–the future growth of the North. These efforts are guided by the four Inuit land claim agreements and are exemplified by the federal government's commitment in the 2008 Speech from the Throne to strengthen Arctic sovereignty; protect the vulnerable northern environment; promote social and economic development in the Inuit regions; and improve and devolve governance so that Inuit, and all Northerners, have greater control over their destinies.

While the work to advance Inuit priorities has been evolving over time, discussions between Inuit leaders and the Government of Canada in 2005 led to the shared conclusion that a catalyst was required to bring a greater focus to the federal government's efforts to address Inuit-specific issues. As a result, the Inuit Relations Secretariat (IRS) was established in April of that same year. Since that time, the IRS has become an important point of contact on Inuit matters for Government of Canada departments and agencies and a valuable point of entry into the federal government for Inuit organizations. The IRS also plays an important advocacy role on behalf of Inuit at the senior executive level of INAC and with other federal departments.

After reading this progress report, I think you'll agree that the IRS has made great strides in achieving positive results for Inuit. The increasing effectiveness of the IRS combined with more federal focus on the North and a greater awareness of Inuit issues bodes well for continued progress in addressing Inuit issues and achieving improved quality of life for Inuit.

Michael Wernick
Deputy Minister
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada

I moved away from the North in 1992—yet the North never left me. When I joined the Inuit Relations Secretariat (IRS) in 2007, I welcomed the opportunity to rekindle my connection to the North, and to once more have the privilege of advocating for Inuit and working on issues of greatest importance to them. Since becoming the Executive Director, I have been pleased to be part of an ever-increasing interest in the North and the federal government's efforts to seek more effective and collaborative ways to address the needs of Inuit.

The Prime Minister and the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development have both spent significant amounts of time visiting Inuit communities and meeting with local and national leaders. In August 2008, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President Mary Simon met with Prime Minister Harper and Minister Strahl in Inuvik. They noted that the federal government is gaining a better understanding of Inuit issues and is showing a strong commitment to working with Inuit to help improve their quality of life.

Along with the strong interest in the North and Inuit issues comes increased responsibility. On the one hand, it empowers the IRS and the Government of Canada as a whole to strengthen partnerships with Inuit and develop collective and innovative solutions to addressing Inuit needs. On the other, the challenges are considerable and expectations for progress are heightened.

The two years I have spent in the IRS have been exciting, challenging and, I feel, productive. We have accomplished many things in a short time, but our work has just begun. We face many more challenges in helping Inuit to reach their full social, cultural and economic potential as one of the founding peoples of Canada. The IRS is a small organization and its success depends on building strong partnerships internally and externally, and on influencing others in the development of their policies and programs. We will have an impact only if we can match external needs with internal opportunities.

I am pleased to present the first-ever IRS progress report and invite you to read the following pages to get a better understanding of what we do and where we are going. And I also invite you to contact us with your ideas on how we can make our work more effective, relevant and responsive.

Thank you.

Christopher Duschenes
Executive Director,
Inuit Relations Secretariat

Bringing people and ideas together to address the needs of Inuit in Canada is the IRS vision of the future – a vision that builds on INAC's commitment to working together to make Canada a better place for Aboriginal and northern people and communities.

• To serve as a Government of Canada point of contact for Inuit and for Inuit issues.
  
  
• To develop common approaches within the federal government to address Inuit issues in order to bring greater coherence, relevance and effectiveness to policies and programs as they affect Inuit.
  
  
• To identify and use opportunities to leverage resources from multiple sources to address Inuit priorities.
  
  
• To clarify and strengthen roles and responsibilities of and between governments as they pertain to Inuit.
  
  
• To develop strong ongoing relations with national, regional, international and urban Inuit organizations.
  
  

Increasingly, Canadians are turning their attention northward to Inuit Nunaat, the northern homeland of Canadian Inuit that stretches from Labrador to the Northwest Territories and Yukon. Natural resource extraction, climate change, severe social problems, high birth rates and increasing local autonomy are all playing a role in reshaping the Inuit homeland. As awareness of the North's vast potential has grown, so too has the awareness of the need to bring more attention to the priorities of Inuit.

Inuit leaders and organizations have long sought an advocate within the federal government to facilitate having their voices more effectively and consistently heard by agencies and departments of the Crown. As a result, in April 2005, the Inuit Relations Secretariat (IRS) was established within the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

To raise awareness and disseminate information regarding Inuit, the IRS has been working diligently within and outside the federal government to facilitate discussion of Inuit issues.

A key objective of the IRS is to enhance the relevance and applicability of federal policies and programs for Inuit. This is accomplished by providing Inuit representatives with opportunities to connect with the right people and have their voices heard in the development of federal policy. A prime example is the IRS role to help formally establish a National Inuit Economic Development Committee to contribute to the development of the new Federal Framework for Aboriginal Economic Development.

Besides giving Inuit a voice, effective policy and program development requires access to information and data sources. To facilitate access to Inuit-related research, and for that information to contribute effectively to federal policy development, the IRS is working with Inuit organizations to implement an IRS Knowledge Project. The objective is to build a single storehouse of research and information related to Inuit and to create a strategy to address research gaps in key policy areas.

To raise awareness and disseminate information regarding Inuit, the IRS has been working diligently within and outside the federal government to facilitate discussion of Inuit issues. For example, we have established a committee of senior federal officials to discuss Inuit priorities and collaborate more effectively to meet the needs of Inuit. To help raise awareness outside the federal government, we partnered with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and Carleton University to launch the Inuit lecture series to explore divergent opinions on Inuit issues.

In our short history, the IRS has attempted to be in the right place at the right time to advocate for the inclusion of Inuit in as many appropriate processes as possible, and to raise Inuit issues at every possible opportunity. This progress report provides details on our work so far, and on our plans for the future. It is not simply about what we do; it is meant to stimulate discussion as to what we could do better and where we should be going in the future. Please take the opportunity to send us your comments and reactions.

Until the 1970s, Inuit had no regional or national organizations to represent them at the political level.

• Inuit were not eligible to vote in federal elections until 1950.
  
  
• Until the 1970s, Inuit had no regional or national organizations to represent them at the political level.
  
  
• In 1971, the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada (now Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami) was founded and leaders began to lobby for changes to policies affecting Inuit and their role in Canada.
  
  
• Since then, Inuit have negotiated comprehensive land claims (and a self-government agreement in Nunatsiavut) with the federal government, covering about 40 percent of Canada's land mass.
  
  
• Today, there are approximately 50,000 Inuit living in Canada, including an increasing number–over 10,000–who live in southern centres, with the largest urban population located in Ottawa.
  
  
• Inuit face some of the most serious socio-economic conditions in Canada:
  
  • Inuit have the lowest life expectancy in Canada: 67 years, compared with almost 80 years for all Canadians.
    
    
  • More than 50 percent of Inuit aged 20–24 years have not completed high school, compared with 15 percent of all Canadians of the same age.
    
    
  • The suicide rate for Inuit is more than nine times higher than the rate for all Canadians.
    
    
  • 31 percent of Inuit households are crowded, compared with three percent of other Canadian households.

The Inuit Relations Secretariat is headed by an Executive Director who reports to the Deputy Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. The Executive Director is supported by two directors, each responsible for one of the two units within the IRS. The Outreach and Liaison Unit coordinates the federal government's relationships with Inuit organizations, working internally and externally to raise awareness of Inuit issues. The Policy and Research Unit develops and shares information, advice and expertise on Inuit matters with other agencies and departments, and provides support in the development of policies affecting Inuit.

OUTREACH AND LIAISON

Sarah Cox
Director

POLICY AND RESEARCH

Elizabeth Logue
Director

CONTACT US

Inuit Relations Secretariat
Indian And Northern Affairs Canada
6th Floor, 10 Wellington Street
Gatineau QC
K1A 0A6

phone: 819-934-6456
fax: 819-934-6461
email

Outreach and Liaison

As global interest in the North increases, so does the need to ensure increased awareness of the realities, needs and aspirations of Inuit. The Outreach and Liaison Unit is charged with working within the federal government to foster discussion and raise the level of understanding of Inuit issues among decision-makers, policy developers and program managers. The Unit is also charged with developing partnerships with external organizations to raise awareness and cooperation between Inuit and non-Inuit organizations. Finally, the Unit works to ensure that the role of the IRS is well communicated and understood by governments and Inuit organizations.

The following section highlights a number of outreach and liaison accomplishments since June 2007.

Interdepartmental Standing Committee on Inuit Priorities

This open forum provides the opportunity for Inuit organizations to present and discuss their issues and concerns with federal decision-makers, and to clarify issues and explore innovative solutions.

A key focus of the work of the Outreach and Liaison Unit has been the formation of the Interdepartmental Standing Committee on Inuit Priorities. Established in October 2007, this Committee examines and addresses Inuit priorities within the federal government–and is the first senior-level forum dedicated to Inuit issues. Four times a year, Directors General (or their delegates) from approximately 15 federal departments and agencies meet to discuss a particular theme, examine issues and seek cooperative solutions.

This open forum provides the opportunity for Inuit organizations to present and discuss their issues and concerns with federal decision-makers, and to clarify issues and explore innovative solutions. To date, the Committee has had presentations and participation from Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) and Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada–and the IRS welcomes presentations from other Inuit organizations in the future.

The Committee also provides a forum for federal departments to present and explain policies and programs relevant to Inuit. Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Treaties and Aboriginal Government Sector of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) have all taken the opportunity to present Inuit issues of importance to them.

At the November 2008 meeting, the topic of Inuit youth was examined. The President of the National Inuit Youth Council, Megan Pizzo-Lyall, gave an overview of her organization and youth issues followed by an interactive panel discussion with youth from Nunavut and Nunavik. This panel allowed federal representatives to gain a greater appreciation for what it is like to be a young Inuk in Canada and to hear directly about their challenges and hopes for the future.

As we move forward, we will continue to provide opportunities for Inuit organizations and departments to discuss their issues and programs with senior federal officials. If you are a federal employee and are interested in being a member of the Committee, or if you work for an Inuit organization and would like the opportunity to address the group, please contact us.

Inuit Lecture Series

The Inuit lecture series is at the forefront of our public awareness efforts. This series is an opportunity to gather prominent Inuit and non-Inuit experts to speak to students, academics and the general public about contemporary and emerging issues facing Inuit communities, and to explore possible options and solutions.

This collaboration with ITK and the School of Canadian Studies at Carleton University launched in March 2008 before a capacity crowd at Carleton. The topic, Canada's Hidden Language Crisis: Inuit Languages in the Arctic, featured Eva Aariak, the Premier of Nunavut and former Commissioner of Languages of Nunavut; Jose Kusugak, President of the Kivalliq Inuit Association and former President of ITK; and Professor Brad Morse, an expert on Indigenous language preservation from the University of Ottawa.

In February 2009, the lecture was dedicated to Inuit youth–a particularly important subject considering that over half of the Inuit population is under 24 years of age. Our objective was to highlight the circumstances, challenges and world view of Inuit youth in comparison with the southern reality of most Carleton students. Preparation is now under way for a seminar timed to coincide with the start of the university year in the Fall of 2009. We believe this series is an exciting way of engaging university students on Inuit issues.

"How Ottawa Works" Workshops

The Canadian democratic process and the federal government are complex and, at times, can be intimidating. For representatives of Inuit organizations to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the strategies and decision-making processes that govern the country, the IRS, in collaboration with the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS), organized several three-day workshops entitled "How Ottawa Works".

The response to the workshops has been excellent, with 61 participants from regional and national Inuit organizations participating and receiving the in-depth training so far.

We hope that by gaining a greater appreciation as to how the federal system works, individuals will have a better understanding of ways to influence government policy, and a better appreciation of the time and steps involved in developing public policy.

The response to the workshops has been excellent, with 61 participants from regional and national Inuit organizations participating and receiving the in-depth training so far.

It is essential that representatives from Inuit organizations understand federal processes. It is just as important for the IRS and other federal employees to gain a better understanding of how Inuit governments and organizations function, along with Inuit contemporary and traditional decision making processes.

Please contact us if you are or your organization is interested in educating federal employees about Inuit governance practices.

Who is the IRS? Spreading the Word

A key role of the IRS is to ensure that people and organizations within government and in the Inuit world are aware of our existence and are familiar with our services. The IRS puts much effort into raising awareness of our role by providing information online and by having a presence at major events.

For example, the IRS has a dedicated web page within the larger INAC website where you can find detailed information about us.

To enhance our site, we are developing an interactive GIS-based map that will provide information about all 53 Inuit communities in Canada.

The IRS makes an attempt to participate and, where possible, have a booth at appropriate trade shows and conferences, such as the Northern Lights Conference at the Ottawa Congress Centre and the Nunavut Trade Show in Iqaluit. The IRS also promotes Inuit presence at key conferences and workshops by sponsoring Inuit representatives to attend events such as the National Aboriginal Women's Summit, the National Information and Communication Technologies Workshop, the Nunavut Literacy Council's Language & Literacy Roundtable, the Urban Aboriginal Forum, and the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers National Conference. We have assumed this role in an attempt to increase the visibility of Inuit organizations in forums where they have been traditionally under-represented.

Inuit Success Stories

INAC plays a role in raising awareness among the general public of the accomplishments of Aboriginal individuals and communities across the country. An element of this role is the development of short video clips that depict success stories from a community's perspective.

The IRS has been working with the INAC Communications Sector to ensure that Inuit community successes are effectively represented. To this end, videos of two Inuit success stories have been produced, and others are in the works. The first video introduces Inuit artists from Cape Dorset. It can be viewed on the INAC website. The second video, which will be posted on the site in the spring, features an overview of the successful Sprouts Day Camp in Iqaluit, which introduces young Inuit children to the marvels of traditional and western science. Both of these videos illustrate how the efforts of individuals and communities are improving the quality of life and creating conditions for success.

Our Stories, Our Strength: Documenting Residential School Survivor Stories in Nunatsiavut

In 2007, the IRS was approached by the Legacy of Hope Foundation to support researching and documenting the experiences of Inuit survivors of residential schools in Newfoundland and Labrador. In the spring of 2008, we entered into an agreement with the Foundation to hold a community gathering in Hopedale to provide Inuit of Nunatsiavut with a culturally appropriate and safe environment to share their stories and experiences, and to have these recorded in words and images.

This gathering engaged the broader community on this issue and was featured in a segment of the CBC radio program, The Current, which aired nationally on January 16, 2009.

The Foundation involved youth participants in this project with the goal of providing mentors and building technical capacity in video production so that the participating youth would develop the skills and inspiration to carry on with the important work of documenting the historic realities of community members.

The Legacy of Hope Foundation will be producing a book and DVD called Our Stories, Our Strength from a selection of residential school survivor stories, and an oral history archive that will include all the collected stories Stories from Nunatsiavut will also be included.

Avataq and the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal: Where cultures Meet

Music always brings people together– which is why it is such a valuable means of raising awareness across cultures. The IRS supported a collaboration between the Avataq Cultural Institute and the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM) in a project aimed at bridging two cultures through the development and performance of music and drama that incorporated the best of both Inuit and classical traditions. The project involved OSM musicians and Inuit musicians and actors leading workshops in schools and holding evening performances in three Quebec Nunavik communities: Inukjuak, Kangiqsujuaq and Kuujjuaq.

In addition, Catbird Productions of Montreal, with support from the IRS, is producing a documentary of the tour. Excerpts from the documentary will be available on the IRS website in April 2009.

Policy and Research

The IRS Policy and Research Unit is dedicated to enhancing the relevance and applicability of federal policies and programs to Inuit. The unit works within INAC and with other federal departments to facilitate access for Inuit organizations to the policy development and program renewal process. The research function includes ensuring that existing Inuit research is identified and used as a basis for decision making. Moreover, as gaps in research are identified, the IRS is charged with developing collaborative approaches among interested parties to fill the gaps, especially in emerging policy areas.

A number of the major policy and research accomplishments from the past 18 months are noted below.

IRS Knowledge Project

Policy is based on evidence and proven ideas. Therefore, a case for new or revised policy must be based on research and statistics. Access to the right information is essential for effective policy development. As a major contribution toward meeting this need, the IRS is developing a database– or a storehouse–of documents related to Inuit.

At this stage, we estimate about 60 percent of recently published documents relevant to Inuit have been included. We also plan to include relevant "unpublished" Inuit research projects, any of which are in-house research studies conducted by Inuit organizations and are not widely available.

The next phase of the project will consist of working with Inuit organizations to identify research gaps, and developing a joint research plan to address those gaps.

Research and Data Management

Over the past year, the IRS has shared a researcher with INAC's Strategic Research and Analysis Directorate. This partnership has led to a greater accent on Inuit research needs and contributed to key INAC–Inuit joint presentations for the March 2009 Aboriginal Policy Research Conference (APRC) in Ottawa. The Qikiqtani Truth Commission presented preliminary findings of its community-based public hearings, and a private research institute, Public History Inc., presented its research document Canada's Relationship with Inuit: A Select History of Policy and Program Development.

We have worked closely with the Inuit Tuttarvingat (formerly Ajunnginiq Centre) of the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) to explore data management options related to measuring the well-being of the Inuit population. This partnership led to the participation of NAHO as presenters at both the Knowledge in Motion Conference at Memorial University, St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, and at a federal–provincial–Aboriginal forum on data management in Victoria, British Columbia, both in October 2008.

As a member of the Aboriginal Information Management Committee, an interdepartmental and Aboriginal stakeholder group, the IRS is working to ensure that Inuit data are adequately addressed in various government-wide forums.

Project Management

Collecting knowledge is one thing–applying it is another. The Policy and Research Unit actively supports projects and influences policies to include the needs of Inuit. Sometimes research needs to be brought to the attention of a specific department. Other times, an Inuit organization will approach us with a project in the hopes of finding a partner. If we are unable to partner with them ourselves, we try to find others in government who are. We bring the right people together to examine specific issues, to provide funding and offer other research contacts–and when we see a chance, we do what we can to influence government policy to address the needs of Inuit. We are excited about our participation in the following projects:

• Inuit Youth – Youth is a priority. The IRS has supported several youth projects, including: summer science camps in Nunavut and with the Ottawa Inuit Children's Centre; Inuit youth participation in the International Polar Year's Students On Ice project initiative; and funding to expand the work of the Embrace Life Council to bring its Youth Media Team/ Suicide Prevention workshops to the Inuvialuit and Nunatsiavut regions.
  
  
• Aboriginal Economic Development – The IRS is working with its partners to ensure Inuit are well-positioned to reap the benefits of the growing Northern economy and are fully included in federal Aboriginal economic development programs. We have been working with Inuit organizations to create a National Inuit Economic Development Committee, which will serve as the primary mechanism for national and regional Inuit organizations to engage the Government of Canada in developing the new Aboriginal Economic Development Framework. The Committee tabled a position paper at the January 2009 engagement session on the framework. The IRS was also instrumental in ensuring the development and completion of a memorandum of understanding among the four Inuit regions, ITK and INAC. The Committee provides a unified approach toward strengthening the Inuit voice and contributing to a more seamless relationship with the federal government on the issue of economic development.
  
  
• Katimajiit Conference – In August 2007, the Katimajiit Conference brought together Inuit and government leaders to discuss partnerships and actions for promoting the development of the Inuit communities of Nunavik. At the conference, leaders focused on identifying actions on education; the economy and employment; culture; health; social services and childhood; infrastructure and housing; and the environment and sustainable development. The IRS is working with federal departments, Makivik Corporation, the Kativik Regional Government and the Government of Quebec to follow up on specific commitments made at that time.

We bring the right people together to examine specific issues, to provide funding and offer other research contacts–and when we see a chance, we do what we can to influence government policy to address the needs of Inuit.

• The National Inuit Education Summit – Research indicates that improving education is the most important factor for promoting the political, economic and social development of Inuit. That is why the IRS provided funding for the Inuit Education Summit, held in April 2008 in Inuvik. The summit brought together Inuit leaders from the four Inuit land claim organizations, provincial/territorial education experts and federal representatives to discuss best practices and challenges and to make recommendations for improving Inuit student success. An Inuit Education Accord will be signed by all partners in 2009, and we are working closely with Inuit organizations and the provinces and territories to follow up on this historic event with the development of a National Inuit Education Strategy.
  
  
• The Community Engagement Project on Inuit Education – To succeed in school, students need to arrive at school physically and psychologically healthy and eager to learn. To support this objective, the IRS is participating in the Community Engagement Project on Inuit Education with the Canada Council on Learning, the Government of Nunavut, the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Kativik School Board and the Nunatsiavut Government. The initiative is intended to engage Inuit communities in order to identify ways to keep or get children in school. The project will use a state-of-the-art research survey, not only as a fact gathering exercise, but as an innovative, community-based process to engage parents and family, as well as community leaders. We expect a report on the first year's results in September 2009.
  
  
• The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) – The purpose of the TRC is to create a historical account of residential schools, help former students to heal, and encourage reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians. To help the Commission meet its mandate as it relates to Inuit, we commissioned and presented a research paper called Truth and Reconciliation: Hearing the Inuit Story – Perspectives, Approach, and Recommendation. It presents a clear case for the need to have an Inuit-specific approach within the larger truth and reconciliation process, and provides practical recommendations on how that can be accomplished.
  
  
• Urban Inuit – There is a growing urban Inuit population of over 10,000 people, many of whom require support in making the transition from the North to city life in the South. We are working closely with INAC's Office of the Federal Interlocutor and urban Inuit groups to develop a strategy for strengthening the governance of Inuit organizations in urban centres where there is a high Inuit population. We want to ensure that Inuit living in cities across Canada have greater access to the training, skills and opportunities they need to thrive in an urban environment. We are also supporting Tungasuvvingat Inuit (TI), a community-based counseling and resource centre in Ottawa, to collect baseline data, identify local priorities and gaps in service delivery, and identify specific funding sources available to urban Inuit in Canada. A key component of this strategy is to support TI in taking a lead role in the development and capacity building of urban Inuit organizations across Canada based on their expertise and reputation for service delivery.
  
  
• The Nunavut Sivuniksavut (NS) Training Program – The NS training program is an award-winning educational program designed specifically for Nunavut youth who wish to prepare for educational and career opportunities in Nunavut. The program offers a background in Inuit history, land claims, Inuit–government relations, Inuktitut, computers, and other issues relevant to a career in the North. Because of the program's popularity, we are helping NS develop a plan to double its intake of students over a five-year period.
  
  
• Identification Documents – The IRS is supporting the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) in identifying problems surrounding the lack of government-issued photo IDs for Inuit, and the barriers this lack creates for Inuit when accessing federal programs and services and when boarding aircraft. Together, we are working to identify the reasons that may inhibit Inuit from obtaining a formal, recognized photo ID, and looking at options for reducing barriers.
  
  
• 2010 Olympic Games – We have been working closely with ITK and its National Inuit Committee on the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. In addition to providing monetary investments (salary for a project manager and funds toward the participation of Inuit performers in the 2009 and 2010 Cultural Olympiad), the IRS has played a facilitator role within INAC and the federal government to highlight the importance of an Inuit presence at the Games. This partnership has led to better coordination within the federal family and better support for the Committee.

The future for Canadian Inuit is bright, but there are still many pressing concerns that need to be addressed. We are excited to be a part of this unfolding process and eager to work with our partners to find new ways to assist in improving Inuit well-being.

In doing so, we recognize that federal–Inuit efforts cannot be undertaken in isolation. Whenever possible, we will look for ways to reach out to, and work with, provinces and territories. Meaningful and sustainable progress requires all stakeholders to come together, address common issues and explore areas of collaboration. We firmly believe a coordinated and collaborative approach will yield the best outcomes for Inuit, and that any strategy moving forward must be firmly based on a shared vision that is led by Inuit, for Inuit.

In our short history we have created a strong foundation–and we are confident that we can accomplish a great deal more. We envision that in the next three to five years, our efforts will result in a greater awareness and understanding of Inuit issues throughout the federal government and, as a result, federal programs and policies will incorporate and address the needs of Inuit more effectively. We anticipate strengthened and clearly defined relationships among federal, provincial, territorial and Inuit governments and organizations that will allow us to effectively work together to achieve positive results, thereby contributing to an improved quality of life for Inuit.

We welcome the opportunity to hear from you, and to unite in our efforts toward helping Inuit reach their full potential.