Dane Gibson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Feb 15/99) - Making decisions regarding Nunavut land claims is no small task.

So the board members responsible for addressing Inuit land claims are getting the training they need to competently make those decisions.

The Nunavut Implementation Training Committee (NITC) board of directors completed a Results Model of Governance course at Yellowknife's Trapper's Cabin, Thursday night.

"This training has been very beneficial to our board," NITC chair Peter Kritaqliluk said.

"One of the things I'm so proud of is we're the first Nunavut-Inuit beneficiaries to adopt this model."

Eight board members, representing five areas of the Eastern Arctic and the federal government, received diplomas recognizing their accomplishment.

After receiving his, Kritaqliluk said two main objectives were achieved through the training.

"The first was to establish and rewrite our mission statement. It's understandable, shorter and more memorable than what we had before," Kritaqliluk said.

The NITC mission statement now reads: To ensure full participation of Inuit in the implementation of the Nunavut land-claim agreement.

"The second motion was to accept a results-based model of governance -- it's just a matter now of starting the implementation process," he added.

Orion Group training facilitator Tony Chang said he teaches boards to clearly define the results they want to achieve, and to adhere to the policies they develop to accomplish those results.

"With this plan, they're stating clearly and specifically what they want and not reverting back to telling their staff how to do things," Chang said.

"It is a huge task but the board rose to the occasion."

Chang said after congratulating each grad that he's confident the board will succeed.

"They have a very unified board, a strong chair and an excellent executive director," Chang said.

The NITC itself consists of seven member organizations representing various government and land-claim interests.

"We will be making major decisions," NITC executive director Annie Tattuinee said.

"The objective is to ensure those responsible (for implementation) have the skills, knowledge and ability to carry out the duties required in the land-claim agreements."

The board was formed to steer the process in the right direction.

"The result of this training is the creation of an organization that knows where it's going and what it wants to achieve," Tattuinee said.

The NITC graduates are Peter Kritaqliluk, Arviat; Gabriel Nirlungayuk, Rankin Inlet; Johnny Manning, Cape Dorset; Simon Okpatauyak, Rankin Inlet; David Kattegatslak, Chesterfield Inlet; David Omilgoitok, Cambridge Bay; Kenny Adams, Edmonton, Alta., and Annie Tattuinee, Rankin Inlet.