Carney, Inuit meeting wraps with pledge on new program to replace child funding

Prime Minister Mark Carney says Arctic sovereignty and affordability are top of mind as he attends an Inuit-Crown partnership meeting in Quebec.

KUUJJUAQ — A meeting between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Inuit leaders Tuesday wrapped with a commitment for a new program to replace the Inuit Child First Initiative, and for Ottawa to use its channels to get a proposed Inuit Nunangat University accredited.

Carney was in Kuujjuaq, Que., with six of his cabinet ministers for a meeting with Inuit leaders. He co-chaired the Inuit-to-Crown partnership committee meeting with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President Natan Obed.

The meeting also touched on Arctic sovereignty, defence and security, housing and food security, and Inuit health and wellness.

By day’s end, Ottawa had also promised Inuit leaders would have an opportunity to further discuss those issues at an “Inuit First Ministers meeting” in the fall — which is to be a new forum for Inuit to work directly with provinces and territories.

“I think in the days and months we’ll see the realization of some of those commitments,” Obed told reporters following the meeting.

“But as for today, it was a great step in the right direction.”

Carney took part in a community event with the meeting’s attendees later in the afternoon, but he was not made available for questions from reporters following the meeting.

Carney took five minutes of questions from reporters upon arriving in Kuujjuaq. On the topic of the meetings, he said Ottawa and Inuit were moving forward “on immediate priorities.”

In a joint statement after the meeting, the two sides affirmed a commitment to “finalize the framework for a program to replace the Inuit Child First Initiative.”

The current iteration of the program was launched in 2019 to ensure Inuit kids have access to health and social services without having to leave their communities. In Nunavut, the program has widely been used as a food voucher program.

But Inuit leaders raised alarms last year as the program was about to sunset — it had initially been introduced as an interim measure.

Ottawa has come through twice with funding injections to keep it going, with $121.7 million through 2025-26, and another $115-million boost announced in February to carry into 2027.

Ottawa also committed in Tuesday’s meeting to using its channels “to address governance and accreditation of Inuit Nunangat University.”

Earlier this month, Obed told The Canadian Press that Ottawa had not committed to working with ITK on certifications for the school’s degree programs, leading to him to say ITK could look to foreign partners for assistance.

“The government of Canada today pledged to work with us to try to understand that idea better, and work across jurisdictions in which the university will be granting degrees in Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut,” Obed told reporters Tuesday.

“We’re hoping that either federal legislation, or combination of different legislative supports facilitated by the federal government is what’s next.”

Carney and Obed kicked off the forum by agreeing there is room to improve the relationship between Ottawa and Inuit.

“We stand with Canada as proud Canadians. But as in any working relationship, there’s always room for improvement,” Obed said in his opening remarks.

“We feel like this is a moment in time where we do need to work together and we need to do work in a way that protects our interests in our homeland, but also Canada’s interests globally.”

“Let’s be clear, this is your homeland. You are the rightsholders,” Carney said in his opening remarks.

“And we need and will embed Inuit perspectives and knowledge in our approach, and partner with your businesses.”

The Inuit-to-Crown partnership committee brings Inuit leaders together with federal cabinet ministers three times a year. The prime minister typically attends one of the three meetings.

Energy Minister Tim Hodgson, Defence Minister David McGuinty, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty, Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty and Northern Affairs Minister Rebecca Chartrand joined Carney at the meeting.

Obed called the forum a “bright spot and model for nation-state diplomacy and co-operation with Indigenous Peoples” and noted that no other government has a similar forum between elected officials and Indigenous Peoples.

“We do not take Canada’s leadership or partnership for granted, in engaging with Inuit through ICPC, and are proud of the work we have been able to advance during the last nine years,” Obed said.

“ICPC is also an asset for Canada and for all Canadians. At a time of renewed geopolitical focus on the Arctic region, ICPC stands alone as the only bilateral mechanism co-ordinating work between an Arctic state and an Indigenous people within its Arctic territory.

“Inuit are the foremost experts on the Arctic. We know our lands, waters, environment and communities best.”

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Nick Murray, The Canadian Press