'Always working for Inuit:' Nunavut politician James Arvaluk remembered

Former Nunavut cabinet minister James Arvaluk, who died at the age of 68 Wednesday,is being remembered by friends and colleagues as a fierce advocate and tireless fighter for Inuit.

Arvaluk was bornin the Fury and Hecla Strait, alongside Baffin Island, in April 1948 and died in Winnipeg on April 27 after a long struggle with various health issues.

"He was always promoting Inuit, he was always promoting Inuit culture," says PeterIrniq, the Commissioner ofNunavutfrom 2000 to 2005."He was fearless in fighting the colonialism of the Canadian government."

As young men, Irniq and Arvaluk were schoolmates. They went on to becomecolleagues and later, some-time rivals inpolitics.

Irniq says he has memories of Arvaluk stretching back to the 1960s, including one of Arvaluk being interviewed on CBC's The National in the early 1970s.

"He wore sealskin boots on national TV and that made me very proud."

'Fought to have more Inuit say'

Arvaluk was raised in Igloolik, later moving to Pond Inlet with his family. He went to high school in Ottawa and trade school in Fort Smith, N.W.T.

He worked as a clerk in the hamlet of Igloolik and laterworked with Nordairto set up ticketing and cargo agents around the Baffin region.

In the 1970s Arvaluk was involved in the founding of Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, the national Inuit organizationnow called Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.

He was elected presidentin 1974 at age 26 and remained in politics ever since.

"He always fought to have more Inuit say in terms of running their own affairs instead of having things done from Ottawa," says Irniq.

In 1976, Arvalukmade a presentation to the Government of Canada that contained the first formal call for the creation of a new territory to be known as Nunavut, according to Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.

Arvalukalso served as president of the Baffin Regional Inuit Association and served as co-chair for the Inuit Concerns and Northern Issues commmitteecreated to deal with constitution consultations under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.

Territorial politics

Arvalukfirst ran for election in the Pond Inlet/Igloolikconstituency of the N.W.T.in 1985, but didn't win.

After moving to Coral Harbour for 15 years, he ran again, this timeagainst his friend Irniq. He won, and went on to representRankinInlet, Chesterfield Inlet, Coral Harbour, and Repulse Bay (now calledNaujaat) in Yellowknife.

"He defeated me at that time, but you know Inuit are Inuit, we always remained friends," Irniq says.

Arvalukserved in the N.W.T. legislature until1995, leaving after being convicted of sexual assault and sentenced to two and a half years in jail.

Elected to the Nunavut legislature in 1999, he became the territory's first education minister, butresigned again in 2003, this time after being convicted of assault, which resulted in a nine-month jail sentence.

Arvaluk was a survivor of residential school and struggled throughout his life with alcohol addiction issues.

Despite that history,Arvaluk was elected again as the Tununiq MLA in a 2006 byelection.

Several health issues, including a heart attack and a stroke in 2010, led to Arvaluk resigning from his post as Tununiq's MLA in May 2011.

Pioneering Inuktitut programming

In the late 1960s Arvaluk and Irniq worked with the CBC in Churchill, Man., alongside the young Peter Mansbridge.

Arvaluk and Irniqproduced aweekly, half-hour Inuktitut-language program was broadcast fromMontreal through shortwave radio.

Finding subjects to interview was not easy at that time.

"We were still living in a very nomadic way of life as Inuit," Irniq says. "Many people in 1969 and 1970 were still living in igloos and tents in the summer time and travelling by dog team."

Despite the challenges Irniq says the two made it work.

"We had to work twice as hard to get some Inuktitut programming in those days, but we had fun because we were both pioneering CBC programming in Inuktitut."

Flying the flag at half mast

The Nunavut legislature honoured Arvaluk Thursdayby flying the flag at half mast.

"Despite hardships he still stood up for Inuit," says former Nunavut politician Tagak Curley.

"I want him to be remembered for that."

Arvaluk's respect for elders and welcoming attitude are also traits remembered by Curley.

Nunavut's Premier Peter Taptuna expressedhis condolences to Arvaluk's family.

"During this difficult time, we remember and appreciate his contributions to the development and progress of our territory," Taptuna wrote in a statement.

NatanObed, the president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami also marked Arvaluk's passing.

"Arvaluk's legacy will live on through not only in the integral role he played in shaping Inuit governance and Nunavut, but through the Inuit he inspired to take on leadership roles to bring about meaningful change for their communities."

Arvaluk's work was not limited to Canada.

"He was also recognized as a leader from Canada from the other Inuit homelands within places like Alaska, Greenland as well as in Russia," says Irniq.