Birthday of John Amagoalik

Born today in Tasialuk in 1947 was John Amagoalik, Inuit leader, activist, politician, writer. Sometimes referred to as the Father of Nunavut, his leadership and involvement helped in the creation of the territory of Nunavut on 1 April 1999. He was instrumental in the signing of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement in 1993 and helped plan Nunavut’s consensus based government structure. As a child in 1953, his family was convinced by the RCMP to relocate to the high arctic from northern Quebec as part of the Inuit High Arctic Relocations. This program was coercive and exploitative, intended to use Inuit people as tools of Canadian politics by extending Canadian claims to sovereignty in the high Arctic. There is also evidence that the Canadian government and Hudson's Bay Company wished to 'get rid' of Inuit people with the declining fur trade. Amagoalik would go on to be instrumental in advocating for the federal government to apologize and compensate Inuit for damages caused by these forced relocations. He has also served on the Inuit Circumpolar Conference’s Executive Council. He also served on the Qikiqtani Truth Commission’s inquiry into the killing of qimmiit (sled dogs). Also a writer, he has contributed to Nunatsiaq News, Inuit Today, and written an autobiography.