INUVIK
The 42 members of community corporations across the Inuvialuit Settlement Region are heading to the polls next week to elect a new chair and chief executive officer.

Nellie Cournoyea, longtime Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) president and CEO will not be seeking another term, opening the nomination to five other hopefuls for the vote next week. - NNSL file photo

Vernon Amos of Sachs Harbour, Jackie Jacobson and Vince Teddy of Tuktoyaktuk, and Richard McLeod and Duane Smith of Inuvik are running for the position.

Longtime Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) president and CEO Nellie Cournoyea didn't submit nomination papers and isn't seeking another term.

"The toughest part of a land claim is the implementation," she told the Drum. "And that never ends."

Cournoyea said while she's stepping down as IRC chair, her work is far from over.

"It's a lifelong cause. It doesn't stop," she said, adding she and others had to fight hard at the start of the land claim process. "Lands were being alienated, it was necessary work. We had to do that, otherwise there would be no lands available of any economic value."

She's keen to point out while she is getting a lot of attention, the land claim process wouldn't have been possible without the efforts of many others.

"Most of what I do is a team effort," she said. "When you look back on the accomplishments, you can see who was involved and that it was a team. It wasn't just me."

Cournoyea said she has yet to choose her next steps.

"We all started on this pathway a long time ago," she said. "It doesn't stop because you're not in a certain position."

As for who will fill the position she is leaving, Cournoyea said she has to trust the electorate to chose wisely.

"It's got to be the strongest candidate you can get with the most experience, a proven track record," she said, noting that the IRC is a player in local, territorial, national, and international issues. "To keep up is a lot of work."

The Drum caught up with all five candidates before or during their tour of Delta communities.

Vernon Amos said his main goals include making the Inuvialuit more independent of government funding and encouraging the IRC to spend its own money first.

"The IRC should be expending its own funds and investing in our own people," he said. As the chairperson of a community corporation, he would also like to see those positions strengthened. If the position was made full time, he said, chairpeople could use their time to find more money and implement programs.

"We have a lot of resources, both non-renewable and renewable," Amos said. "We need to develop those resources and not rely on outside help."

Richard McLeod echoed Amos' sentiment about resource development.

"I want to get a liquid natural gas refinery built," he said. "That would affect the cost of living, and that's the one thing that affects everyone."

He said such a refinery would also have a domino effect on businesses, as well as perhaps spur the construction of a Mackenzie Highway.

Vince Teddy said he would like to see the IRC board more involved with the chairmanship and management, as well as secure more resources for individual community corporations.

"I would restructure and re-tool the Inuvialuit Lands Administration to make it more accountable to Inuvialuit interests," Teddy said, adding the business plan for NorTerra also has to be revisited in light of the economic downturn.

Current Inuvik Community Corporation chair Duane Smith said he was asked to step forward.

"I've been chair for over 10 years, I have the skills and the ability to be the next IRC chair," Smith said.

Smith also said that he would like to work with all six Inuvialuit communities to develop a plan to cover the next 10, 15 or 20 years. Such a plan, he said, would take into account local, regional, national and international matters and focus on education, housing and health.

Jackie Jacobson, the former Speaker of the legislative assembly, said he wants to return the IRC to the people it serves.

"All Inuvialuit should be able to vote in this election, not just the 42 directors," Jacobson said. "We need a new set of eyes, and to take it to the next level."

Jacobson said the contacts he has made in both territorial and federal politics would serve him well as IRC chair and that he would work hard to make the corporation more transparent.

"I'm a good listener and I'm fair," Jacobson said. "I just want what's best for my people, whether I'm elected or not."

The candidates have spent the greater part of the past week touring communities in the Beaufort, culminating in a forum in Inuvik at the community corporation Jan. 21. On Jan. 25, the directors of all the community corporations will vote for a new chairperson.