Poverty reduction plan focuses on community self-reliance, collaboration and healing

February 24, 2012

The Makimaniq Plan: A Shared Approach to Poverty Reduction was released today as part of a long-term Poverty Reduction Action Plan for Nunavut.

Nunavut’s Minister of Economic Development and Transportation (EDT), Peter Taptuna, and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) Vice President, Jack Anawak, released the plan.

“This plan emerged directly from our communities, and from the vision and ideas of hundreds of dedicated Nunavummiut who participated in last year’s public engagement process,” said Minister Taptuna. “The Makimaniq Plan shows us the action we must take to support self-reliance in our communities, to strengthen the relationships between government and Inuit organizations, and to address the root causes of poverty.”“At the heart of our work to reduce poverty is the need to reconcile Inuit forms of governance with the governance model we use in Nunavut today,” said Vice President Anawak. “As it states in The Makimaniq Plan, we must heal the relationships between citizens and the organizations that serve them, and rely on our traditions of working together and helping one another.”

The plan was prepared at last fall’s Poverty Summit in Iqaluit.

“The GN made a commitment to introduce legislation for the implementation of the long-term Poverty Reduction Action Plan with the collaboration of our partners and this is now underway,” said Minister Taptuna. “A legislative proposal is being prepared for the consideration of MLAs later this year.”

The plan has been reviewed by the summit participants and partners have confirmed their commitment to the plan’s priorities. Participants agreed the Nunavut Roundtable for Poverty Reduction will provide leadership and oversight for The Makimaniq Plan. The plan also requires the Roundtable to continue discussions with communities on the implementation of the Makimaniq priorities. The Roundtable will meet for this purpose early this spring.

For further information:

Media Contact:

Matthew Illaszewicz
Manager, Communications, ED&T
867-975-7818
[email protected]

Kerry McCluskey
Director of Communications
Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated
Tel: (867) 975-4914
Toll-free: 1-888-646-0006
www.tunngavik.com