This year, NTI will be finger-pulling with the federal government, head tugging with Newfoundland, and even doing a little competitive tea boiling with other aboriginal organizations.

These aren't descriptions NTI president Cathy Towtongie would use, perhaps, but it doesn't take long to know that the soft-spoken but fiery-eyed woman is ready to take on all comers to make 2003 a success for her -- and her people's -- organization.

That fire of desire flashes up strongly when she talks of continuing to set the NTI house in order.

"We have a conflict of interest policy in place and a code of conduct policy," Towtongie says.

"We had training workshops that were helpful because they made us see that these are for our own protection."

Internally, measures have been taken to revamp how expense claims were tallied, as well as installing procedures to cut costs.

Although the gun registry deadline extension to Jan. 15 has passed, Towtongie says NTI continues to press to have the firearms act exempt Inuit. The next tussle is April 30.

Hunters shouldn't have to carry a permit or pay a fee to hunt.

"Hunters aren't criminals," Towtongie says.

Getting on the ice or onto the Barrens with a rifle to put food on the table is a staple of life.

"With the high cost of living in Nunavut, how can you afford to buy chicken in places like Grise Fiord," she says of an "inexpensive" food item Southerners take for granted.

Towtongie sees housing as another area where NTI will maintain a wrestling bout with the feds.

Housing can have many funding models, but the ones in place for Nunavut are based on other realities, Towtongie says.

"Housing standards developed for Nunavut are suited for summer cottages," she says as an example.

High fuel costs and other factors mean federal funding for public housing has to take that into account.

"I'm very keen to work with the housing minister to improve that," Towtongie says.

The Northern tax credit is one area that needs improving.

"It is designed for people in the south coming here, but it's not adequate for people living full-time here."

With the Nanisivik mine closure and a generally young population keen for work, NTI has to keep a major focus on economic development, Towtongie says.

That's where Newfoundland and the boat come in.

Nunavut needs a fisheries development agreement that gives the territory equal standing with provinces, the NTI president says.

But as with other types of sovereignty claims, occupancy is nine-tenths of ownership.

In the case of the Baffin Island fisheries, "we have to buy a vessel to establish our intent to use the fishery," Towtongie says.

Right now, that would mean taking fishing rights away from Newfoundland, the province claiming a historic interest in these waters.

The vessel would be operated under one of NTI's organizations such as Nunavut Eastern Arctic Shipping Inc.

More than just a power ploy, having the boat would open up training for running the ship and its on-board seafood processing capabilities, Towtongie says.

"It's an exciting time," she says of the venture.

Inuit may be aboriginals, but there seem to be aboriginals who get federal money and Inuit who get nothing. Here again, Towtongie wants Nunavut's share.

While millions in federal housing money went to Indian organizations, no part of that money went to Inuit, according to Towtongie.

"Inuit need to get our fair share of those funds," she says.

Problems to solve Social issues continue to be a demanding problem.

"We have high rates of infant mortality, suicides and sexually transmitted disease. The Inuit people have to ask ourselves, how are we to deal with these problems and come up with solutions," Towtongie says.

The conflict comes in trying to maintain the values of Inuit culture in the face of intrusions from the prevailing institutional authority, Towtongie says.

"We have to take what's good from our culture and what's good from other cultures and combine the two," she says.

As long as the institutional authority -- the RCMP, nursing, etc. -- reflects an outside culture, it "creates an element of fear," Towtongie says in relations with the Inuit majority culture. Recent entrance of eight Inuit into the RCMP goes far to redress that.

"I'm very happy. Steps have been taken, but further steps have to be taken so some young lives will be saved," Towtongie says.