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MICHAEL AMAROOK: YOUR PRESIDENT
INUIT TAPIRISAT OF CANADA, ANNUAL REPORT 1980-1981
At this juncture in the ten-year history of the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, the prevailing political, economic and energy circumstances hold tremendous implications for the Inuit and our way of life. In all areas from northern communications, to hydrocarbon development on Canada lands, to Aboriginal claims in Nunavut and Labrador, the Inuit communities and their representative organizations will be faced with many important and often difficult decisions over this coming decade. Whether we regain control of our own affairs and succeed in preserving our unique lifestyle within the Canadian fabric will depend upon our actions today.
As President of ITC, I share with the Inuit of Labrador, Northern Quebec and Nunavut, a profound appreciation for the responsibilities we all must meet in the 80's, if our children's future is to be secured. This is a goal that ITC is working towards and one that I have actively supported since I was elected to the position of President in 1977, and more recently in 1979.
This past year marks a turning point in the history of Canada's Inuit in another very important way. One hundred years ago, on July 31, 1880, Her Majesty Queen Victoria declared that the islands of the Arctic Archipelago were to become part of the new Dominion. The centennial celebrations that marked this historic day served to remind us that all Inuit-occupied lands across the North cannot become a true part of Canada until we enjoy the democratic rights and opportunities of other Canadians.
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The key to this process in Nunavut, Labrador and Northern Quebec, remains a just...