Peter Irniq
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Peter Taqtu Irniq (born: 1947, Lyon Inlet, Northwest Territories) is an Inuit Canadian and served as the second Commissioner of Nunavut from April of 2000 to April of 2005.
He is an Inuit cultural teacher and has lived most of his life in the Kivalliq Region of Nunavut, including Repulse Bay (Naujaat), Coral Harbour (Salliq), Baker Lake (Qamanit'tuaq), Chesterfield Inlet (Igluligaarjuk), Rankin Inlet (Kangiqiniq) and Iqaluit. He has also lived in the Western Arctic (Northwest Territories), Manitoba and Ontario.
Mr. Irniq was the Executive Assistant to the Assistant Commissioner of the N.W.T. from 1974 to 1975. He was elected to the 1975 Northwest Territories general election and represented the riding of the Keewatin Region for four years. He was the first Inuk to be made Assistant Regional Director for the Department of the Executive in the former Keewatin Region (Kivalliq), 1979 until 1981.
As Superintendent of Renewable Resources, the first Inuk to hold this position, he encouraged the hiring of Inuit into the department. In 1982, he was appointed the first Speaker of the Keewatin Council, a position he held until 1983. Elected President, Keewatin Inuit Association, Mr. Irniq served in this capacity for five years.
He was re-elected to the Northwest Territories Legislature in the 1987 general election for the Aivilik electoral district. He ran on a platform of encouraging Inuit to participate at higher levels in employment, education and business. Irniq ran for re-election in the 1991 Northwest Territories general election. His bid for another term in office failed and he was defeated by James Arvaluk. After his electoral defeat, he became the Executive Director, Inuit Cultural Institute in 1992. A year later, he became Director of Communications for Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated.
As a Member, Nunavut Implementation Commission, Mr. Irniq served on the Communication and Governmental Operations Committees and was a spokesperson for the Commission on Nunavut in Canada and overseas.
Mr. Irniq was Assistant Director, Nunavut, Heritage/Culture, Department of Education, Culture and Employment for the Government of N.W.T. where he was responsible for developing culture and heritage programs and services to meet the needs of the new territory of Nunavut, 1997-98. He became Deputy Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, 1998-99. His mandate was to be the guardian of traditional Inuit culture and language.
In August 1999, Mr. Irniq was seconded to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut to set up the offices of the Official Languages, Access to Information and Conflict of Interest Commissioners.
In addition Irniq writes an Inuit perspective column for the News/North.
In 2003, he was made a Commander of the Order of St. John. [1]
[edit] External links
- Government of Nunavut - Biography of Peter T. Irniq
- Peter Irniq's Coat of Arms as Commissioner of Nunavut
| Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by New District |
MLA Keewatin Region 1975-1979 |
Succeeded by District Abolished |
| Preceded by Tagak Curley |
MLA Aivilik 1987-1991 |
Succeeded by James Arvaluk |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Helen Maksagak |
Commissioner of Nunavut 2000-2005 |
Succeeded by Ann Meekitjuk Hanson |
