Peter Irniq
Encyclopedia
Peter Taqtu Irniq is an Inuk politician in Canada
, who served as the second Commissioner of Nunavut from April 2000 to April 2005.
, including Repulse Bay
(Naujaat), Coral Harbour
(Salliq), Baker Lake
(Qamanit'tuaq), Chesterfield Inlet
(Igluligaarjuk), Rankin Inlet (Kangiqiniq), and Iqaluit. He has also lived in the Western Arctic (Northwest Territories), Manitoba
and Ontario
.
Irniq was the executive assistant to the assistant commissioner of the N.W.T. from 1974 to 1975. He was elected to the 1975 Northwest Territories general election
and represented the riding of the Keewatin Region
for four years. He was the first Inuk to be made assistant regional director for the Department of the Executive in the former Keewatin Region (Kivalliq), 1979 until 1981.
As superintendent of renewable resources, he was the first Inuk to hold this position and encouraged the hiring of Inuit into the department. In 1982, Irniq was appointed the first Speaker of the Keewatin Council, a position he held until 1983. Elected [president of the Keewatin Inuit Association, he served in this capacity for five years.
Irniq was re-elected to the Northwest Territories Legislature in the 1987 general election
for the Aivilik electoral district. He ran on a platform of encouraging Inuit to participate at higher levels in employment, education, and business. He ran again in the 1991 general election
; however, James Arvaluk
defeated him.
He was named the executive director of the Inuit Cultural Institute in 1992. A year later, he became director of communications for Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated
.
As a member of the Nunavut Implementation Commission, Irniq served on the Communication and Governmental Operations Committees and was a spokesperson for the Commission on Nunavut in Canada and overseas and was active in seeking justice for the former students of the infamous Joseph Bernier residential school in Chesterfield Inlet, who suffered physical and sexual abuse at the hands of school staff.
Irniq was assistant director, Nunavut, Heritage/Culture, Department of Education, Culture and Employment for the Government of N.W.T. where he was responsible for developing culture and heritage programs and services to meet the needs of the new territory of Nunavut, 1997-98. He became deputy minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, 1998-99. His mandate was to be the guardian of traditional Inuit culture and language.
In August 1999, Irniq was seconded to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut
to set up the offices of the Official Languages, Access to Information and Conflict of Interest Commissioners.
In addition, Irniq writes an Inuit perspective column for the Northwest Territories News/North
newspaper.
In 2003, he was made a Commander of the Order of St. John.
In 2005, he was appointed to the board of directors of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, who served as the second Commissioner of Nunavut from April 2000 to April 2005.
Biography
Irniq is an Inuit cultural teacher and has lived most of his life in the Kivalliq Region of NunavutNunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
, including Repulse Bay
Repulse Bay, Nunavut
Repulse Bay is an Inuit hamlet located on the shore of Hudson Bay, Kivalliq Region, in Nunavut, Canada.-Location and wildlife:The hamlet is located exactly on the Arctic Circle, on the north shore of Repulse Bay and on the south shore of the Rae Isthmus. Transport to the community is provided...
(Naujaat), Coral Harbour
Coral Harbour, Nunavut
Coral Harbour , is a small Inuit community that is located on Southampton Island, Kivalliq Region, in the Canadian territory of Nunavut. Its name is derived from the fossilized coral that can be found around the waters of the community which is situated at the head of South Bay...
(Salliq), Baker Lake
Baker Lake, Nunavut
Baker Lake , is a hamlet in the Kivalliq Region, in Nunavut on mainland Canada. Located inland from Hudson Bay, it is near the nation's geographical centre, and is notable for being the Canadian Arctic's sole inland community...
(Qamanit'tuaq), Chesterfield Inlet
Chesterfield Inlet, Nunavut
The community of Chesterfield Inlet is located on the western shore of Hudson Bay, Kivalliq Region, in Nunavut Canada at the mouth of Chesterfield Inlet. Igluligaarjuk is the Inuktitut word for "place with few houses", it is the oldest community in Nunavut...
(Igluligaarjuk), Rankin Inlet (Kangiqiniq), and Iqaluit. He has also lived in the Western Arctic (Northwest Territories), Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
and Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
Irniq was the executive assistant to the assistant commissioner of the N.W.T. from 1974 to 1975. He was elected to the 1975 Northwest Territories general election
Northwest Territories general election, 1975
The Northwest Territories general election, 1975 was the 13th general election in the Northwest Territories history. The election took place on March 10, 1975. This was the first general election since 1902 that all the members of the assembly were elected...
and represented the riding of the Keewatin Region
Keewatin Region, Northwest Territories
The Keewatin Region was a region of the Northwest Territories, in use as an administrative and statistical division until the creation of Nunavut in 1999...
for four years. He was the first Inuk to be made assistant regional director for the Department of the Executive in the former Keewatin Region (Kivalliq), 1979 until 1981.
As superintendent of renewable resources, he was the first Inuk to hold this position and encouraged the hiring of Inuit into the department. In 1982, Irniq was appointed the first Speaker of the Keewatin Council, a position he held until 1983. Elected [president of the Keewatin Inuit Association, he served in this capacity for five years.
Irniq was re-elected to the Northwest Territories Legislature in the 1987 general election
Northwest Territories general election, 1987
The Northwest Territories general election, 1987 was the 16th general election in the history of the Northwest Territories, Canada. The election took place on October 5, 1987.This was the last election in which Elections Canada would administer the elections....
for the Aivilik electoral district. He ran on a platform of encouraging Inuit to participate at higher levels in employment, education, and business. He ran again in the 1991 general election
Northwest Territories general election, 1991
The Northwest Territories general election, 1991 was the 17th general election in the Northwest Territories history. The election took place on October 15, 1991.Twenty four members were elected to the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly....
; however, James Arvaluk
James Arvaluk
James Arvaluk is a politician from Coral Harbour, Nunavut, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Northwest Territories from 1991 to 1995 and a member of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut from 1999 to 2003...
defeated him.
He was named the executive director of the Inuit Cultural Institute in 1992. A year later, he became director of communications for Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated
Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated
Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated is the legal representative of the Inuit of Nunavut for the purposes of native treaty rights and treaty negotiation and one of the four regional members that make up the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami...
.
As a member of the Nunavut Implementation Commission, Irniq served on the Communication and Governmental Operations Committees and was a spokesperson for the Commission on Nunavut in Canada and overseas and was active in seeking justice for the former students of the infamous Joseph Bernier residential school in Chesterfield Inlet, who suffered physical and sexual abuse at the hands of school staff.
Irniq was assistant director, Nunavut, Heritage/Culture, Department of Education, Culture and Employment for the Government of N.W.T. where he was responsible for developing culture and heritage programs and services to meet the needs of the new territory of Nunavut, 1997-98. He became deputy minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, 1998-99. His mandate was to be the guardian of traditional Inuit culture and language.
In August 1999, Irniq was seconded to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut
Legislative Assembly of Nunavut
The Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, Canada, is located in Iqaluit, and is the territory's parliament.The Legislative Assembly of Nunavut was opened by Queen Elizabeth II, as Queen of Canada, on 7 October 2002, during her Golden Jubilee tour of Canada...
to set up the offices of the Official Languages, Access to Information and Conflict of Interest Commissioners.
In addition, Irniq writes an Inuit perspective column for the Northwest Territories News/North
News/North
News/North is a newspaper based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, with offices in Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, and owned by Northern News Services. The newspaper is printed in two separate editions, Northwest Territories News/North and Nunavut News/North that reports on news throughout...
newspaper.
In 2003, he was made a Commander of the Order of St. John.
In 2005, he was appointed to the board of directors of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation.