Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 23/01) - More than four months before Inuit are scheduled to elect new executive members to their land claims organization, Nunavut Tunngavik employees are working hard to compile an up-to-date beneficiaries list.

Juanita Taylor, the enrolment manager for NTI, said last week that efforts are made around the territory and the country to put together a current list of land claims' beneficiaries.

The list has not been updated since NTI's predecessor, the Tunngavik Federation, first compiled it in 1993.

Inuit who want to benefit from the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement were required to enrol in the land claims and subsequently give up other Canadian aboriginal rights.

"Right now, we're updating and correcting our Inuit enrolment list in each community," said Taylor, from her office in Rankin Inlet.

To do that, southern cities with large populations of Inuit are being canvassed, letters are being sent to Inuit living in rural southern areas and community enrolment secretaries in each Nunavut community are updating local lists.

Taylor said the drive, scheduled to wrap up at the end of August, was necessary to reach beneficiaries with their programs, but also because of the pending election, scheduled for Dec. 10.

All Inuit, whether they've previously enrolled or not, are encouraged to contact their hamlet's enrolment secretaries to ensure the information is current and accurate.

"Everybody should check and make sure," said Taylor.

Inuit who have questions or would like more information are encouraged to call NTI's toll-free line at 1-888-236-5400.