Content area
Full Text
A CHALLENGE FOR INUIT LEADERSHIP
INUIT TAPIRISAT OF CANADA, ANNUAL REPORT, 1978-1979
This past year has been one of the most challenging times ITC leadership has ever faced. Our national organization become involved in many compelling issues on both a national and regional level to foster the cultural aspirations and political development of Canada's Inuit population.
As we are the national organization representing Inuit in Canada, the issues range tremendously as we worked to protect the concerns of Inuit in Labrador, the Northwest Territories and Northern Quebec.
Our struggle to hold onto our homelands, to safeguard our culture and to maintain our way of life becomes more difficult, more immense and more far-reaching every year.
The past year represented a turning point for many critical issues. In 1978, Inuit Tapirisat of Canada took advantage of what could be the most important opportunity available for Inuit to obtain self-determination.
The opportunity is the question of constitutional change for Canada. We view the process of Constitutional reform as an issue of highest importance to Inuit. We are planning to continue our participation at every opportunity available to bring about changes that will establish our right to exist as people within Canada.
[Graph Not Transcribed]
Our rights and constitutional standing have been far from adequate to support our continued survival as a people. Every aspect of our lives has been subjected to intrusions by outsiders. No matter where we live or what we do, decisions are made by some other authority. Although we are capable of running our own affairs, we are denied this basic right.
It is in the Constitution of Canada, where...