Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Board of Directors meet in Ottawa

Press Release

April 4, 2025

Members of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Board of Directors met this week and discussed the need to ensure Inuit priorities stay at the forefront during the campaign period leading up to a federal election on April 28, and subsequent transition to a new government and cabinet.

Inuit leaders reiterated their call for stable, long-term and Inuit-specific investment in infrastructure and housing, and recognition that social and economic investments in Inuit Nunangat are critical to Arctic security.

Board members highlighted the ongoing need for the federal Inuit Child First Initiative to continue to fund social, health and educational supports for Inuit children. The federal program was renewed for one year, though that does not guarantee a new Parliament would approve the $121 million in new funding. Board members expressed the program’s critical need across Inuit Nunangat.

The Board heard an update on work to build Inuit Nunangat University, including the search for a community to host the university’s main campus, as well as satellite campuses in other regions. An Expression of Interest has been launched to identify viable communities, with an April 17 deadline for submissions.

This meeting marked the first for Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated President Jeremy Tunraluk, who was elected in December 2024. It was the final ITK Board meeting for National Inuit Youth Council President Susie-Ann Kudluk, whose term concludes this spring.

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