Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share that on February 7th, I met with Ontario Premier Doug Ford for a bilateral meeting in Ottawa.
Nunavut is reliant on our southern neighbours for goods and services. This is especially true for specialized healthcare we cannot provide in our territory.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank my friend Premier Ford for vocalizing his support for Canada’s Territories at a national level, as together the provinces and territories negotiate healthcare funding with the federal government.
Premier Ford has never been to Nunavut. I have invited him to visit Iqaluit at his… read more.
Mr. Speaker on October 11 the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs and I, co-hosted the fifth annual Arctic and Northern Policy Framework Leadership Committee meeting in Iqaluit.
We were joined by Northwest Territories’ Premier R.J. Simpson, Indigenous and territorial leaders as well as federal, territorial, and provincial partners to the Framework. Minister Vandal’s federal colleague, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, joined the meeting in person while the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs; the Honourable Bill… read more.
Mr. Speaker, in April I had the privilege of accepting invitations from two members to visit their communities. I am so grateful to members Amittuq MLA Joelie Kaernerk and Kugluktuk MLA Bobby Anavilok for sharing their home communities with me.
Mr. Speaker, I believe there are few things more important for a politician to do than to meet with and listen to their electorate. There is no replacement for in-person connections.
In both Sanirajak and Kugluktuk, I met with the housing associations, district education authorities and the hamlet councils. I visited students in their schools, where… read more.
Mr. Speaker,
I rise today to provide an update on the Council of the Federation February 2025 mission to the United States to advocate for stronger ties between our neighbouring countries.
Mr. Speaker for the first time ever, all 13 of Canada’s Premiers travelled to Washington, D.C. during the week of February 10, to send a message to the newly elected administration and other American politicians that tariffs on Canadian goods would hurt workers and businesses on both sides of the border.
We met with bipartisan members of Congress, and American and Canadian business and labour… read more.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that Cabinet met with our federal counterparts in Ottawa on May 1st and 2nd for a set of meetings we called Nunavut on the Hill. Our ministers promoted the priorities of Katujjiluta in meetings with over 15 federal departments, including Health, Justice, Housing, Infrastructure, and National Defence.
Mr. Speaker, on May 2nd I met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and we discussed our efforts to build more housing, bolster healthcare, engage on Arctic Sovereignty and Security, and transfer authority over Nunavut’s lands and waters through devolution. The… read more.
Mr. Speaker,
The Government of Nunavut remains committed to protecting Nunavut’s economy and ensuring supply chain stability in response to the newly imposed 25% U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.
While Nunavut does not directly export to the U.S., the territory relies heavily on imports for essential goods, infrastructure, and services, making it vulnerable to rising costs and supply chain disruptions.
This is a time to be united. Our government stands with other territories and provinces in opposing unnecessary trade barriers between Canada and its largest trading partner, the United… read more.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge our frontline workers and service providers. They were the heroes who kept us going in difficult times. I also want to speak about the various supports the Government of Nunavut provided during this latest wave of COVID-19.
Mr. Speaker, Nunavut’s municipalities played an essential role in minimizing the spread of COVID-19 in our territory. Four million was allocated to municipalities to provide support for critical local services.
Community stations, which are essential to keeping Nunavummiut informed, received an additional $375,000 for ongoing… read more.
Today, Mr. Speaker, I stand here to extend thanks to my colleagues and counterparts, as well as the federal government and outside cybersecurity experts, for their generous support and guidance in bringing most of Qulliq Energy Corporation’s information technology operations back to a functional state. As many of us are aware, QEC was hit with a cyber-attack in January 2023, shutting down access to critical data and applications. In response, QEC and the Government of Nunavut’s Community and Government Services Information Management Information Technology department immediately began… read more.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share with my colleagues the very constructive discussions that took place during the Northern Premiers’ Caucus, on February 3.
Mr. Speaker, the territorial Premiers meet annually at the Northern Premiers’ Forum to advance northern interests, discuss issues of common interest and concern, and develop made-in-the-North solutions.
Mr. Speaker, this was my first Northern Premiers’ Forum as Premier of Nunavut. Our meeting focused on key northern priorities such as infrastructure, housing, the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework and climate change to name a few.
Mr… read more.
Mr. Speaker,
Each year, Canada’s premiers recognize the efforts made by a member of their province or territory to promote literacy. In Nunavut, we ask residents to nominate someone who champions the use of Inuktut. This year, I am presenting Nunavut’s Council of the Federation Literacy Award to Jeena Kadlutsiak of Igloolik.
Mr. Speaker, Ms. Kadlutsiak is a Kindergarten to Grade 3 teacher at Ataguttaaluk Elementary School. She is implementing Inuktut language curriculum in all her classrooms. She was a member of the team responsible for producing Nipittiavait Inuktitut. This is a phonics,… read more.