June 3, 2025 – Ottawa, ON
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami expresses concern with Inuit exclusion from the First Ministers Meeting in Saskatoon this week. It is imperative that Inuit be included as full partners in nation-building discussions currently underway, especially as they pertain to strengthening our economy and to security and sovereignty in our Arctic homeland, Inuit Nunangat, which we have occupied for millennia.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s June 2, 2025 statement at the conclusion of the meeting references unlocking “the North’s economic potential,” and says “Indigenous equity and participation will be pivotal to the success of these projects,” including to, “move quickly to improve Canada’s defence capabilities.” It is troubling that in 2025, the Government of Canada is so comfortable with empty rhetoric in place of rightful participation.
Inuit are proud Canadians and we look forward to working with Canada to support Arctic sovereignty and strengthen the Canadian economy. The Canadian Arctic is the most underdeveloped region in the circumpolar Arctic and offers substantial opportunities for long-term economic growth for all Canadians to share.
Inuit are Indigenous peoples with treaty rights protected in the Canadian Constitution. While the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples recognizes Inuit rights to development and self-determination, ITK remains concerned that the federal government has not complied with its statutory obligations to consult and cooperate with Inuit on its One Economy legislation.
The traumatic era of colonization – highlighted, in part, by colonial governments making unilateral decisions – is over. We must enter a new and mutually beneficial era of reconciliation and Inuit-Crown relations. We look forward to pursuing partnership through participation in order to build a stronger Canada.
