Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Dec 17/01) - Cathy Towtongie's vision for Nunavut calls for a better standard of living for each and every beneficiary.

Towtongie has been driven for the past eight years by a burning desire to lead Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. towards a better Nunavut.

On Dec. 10, she became its first female president, and isn't going to waste any more time. "I haven't dedicated eight years of my life running in elections to play games," Towtongie told News/North last week.

"Let me set the record straight right now: I mean business."

Towtongie said her first order of business is to familiarize herself with NTI's staff so they're comfortable working with her. She wants her staff and executives to put aside any preconceived notions and work with her to help all Inuit.

"I know there has been some fear-mongering within NTI and some people there don't know what to expect from me," she said.

"They've been told I'm going to be this type of leader or that type of leader, but we have to come together and form a vision of how the Nunavut Agreement should be operating."

Towtongie said NTI has to ensure all beneficiaries -- including those with special needs -- benefit from the Land Claims Agreement.

Towtongie said the Land Claims Agreement is a doctrine of compensation for giving up aboriginal rights, one that comes with the responsibility to pave the way for a better future for all Inuit.

"The moral problems shown by some of our leaders in the past have been very disheartening," she said. "When they commit criminal acts, or behave inappropriately, it hits the headlines. It makes Inuit, who are simply trying to raise their children in a healthy environment, look bad to the rest of the country."

Visible leadership

Once Towtongie moves to Iqaluit and into her new office, she wants to see more of NTI's business and direction brought out of the boardroom and opened up to the public.

Beneficiaries, she said, need more information from their local newspapers and radio stations -- and from NTI itself.

"Our beneficiaries are tired of simple lip service. I've travelled extensively across Nunavut and I keep hearing the same complaints. 'NTI doesn't seek their input. NTI doesn't listen.'

"These communities have viable ideas on how they should be developing. We need to be more open and see how we can assist them in that development," she said.

"Beneficiaries can expect to see me. It will be an open-door policy with me leading NTI."