NTI Board of Directors Highlight Priorities for New Legislative Assembly

Press Release

(October 21, 2025 – Rankin Inlet, Nunavut) Yesterday, the Nunavut Tunngavik Board of Directors highlighted their key priorities for candidates running in the Nunavut general election and the next government, while also reaffirming NTI’s commitment to work collaboratively to advance Inuit social, cultural and economic wellbeing.

The Board identified several priority areas that require shared focus, including Inuktut education, Inuit employment and training, housing and infrastructure, food security, the Inuit Child First Initiative, and health equity, including mental wellness, suicide prevention and addressing drug-related harms in communities.

“NTI is committed to working with the next government to build a strong foundation for Inuit,” said NTI President Jeremy Tunraluk. “We want to see a government that advances Inuktut education, ensures homes are food secure and our communities are safe, and creates opportunities for Inuit to thrive today and in the future.”

To achieve these goals, the NTI Board is calling on the next government to work with NTI to bring Nunavut Inuit concerns and rights to the forefront. The most urgent action needed is prioritizing Inuktut as the primary language of public life, across media, early childhood programs, post-secondary education, and government services.

Making Inuktut the language of government will require more Inuit employed by governments. The most effective way to accomplish this is to expand Inuit-specific training programs and to strengthen departmental Inuit Employment Plans to support sustainable Inuit employment.

As housing is so often tied to employment, NTI will be working to find homeownership and rental solutions that will allow Nunavut Inuit to secure housing that isn’t tied a specific job. The next government must align the Nunavut 3000 Housing Strategy with new Inuit-led housing solutions, working with NTI to build Inuit capacity to construct and maintain homes. This would allow for Nunavut Inuit to gains skills and employment in the construction industry while adding desperately needed units to the Nunavut housing stock.

The lack of adequate housing in Nunavut has caused mental health issues and social harms for many Inuit. One concern that requires immediate intervention is substance misuse, and the next government must implement stronger measures to protect Inuit communities from hard drugs, while investing in healing, harm reduction, and mental wellness supports.

Finally, the NTI Board calls on the new government to work with NTI to jointly advocate for Inuit access to the Inuit Child First Initiative with the federal government, to ensure Inuit children receive equitable care and services.

The Board emphasized that these issues require coordinated leadership across all levels of government to ensure real change for Inuit, and that NTI is committed to working with governments to continuing to improve the lives of Nunavut Inuit.

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Media Contact:
Ivaluarjuk Merritt
Director of Communications
Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.
media@tunngavik.com

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