Nunavut’s Minister of Economic Development and Transportation George Kuksuk and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated President Cathy Towtongie have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the process for amending the Nunavummi Nangminiqaqtunik Ikajuuti (NNI) Policy.
The goal of the NNI Policy is to increase the participation of Nunavut, Inuit, and local businesses in Government of Nunavut contracting, as required by Article 24 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.
The MOU was signed during the Sivummut IV conference in Iqaluit.
“We want businesses in Nunavut to benefit from government contracts,” said Minister Kuksuk. “By partnering with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, we will revise the NNI Policy in a co- ordinated and co-operative manner ensuring the new policy includes input from both parties.”
“Our goal for the process is to have a revitalized policy that has a more strategic and meaningful impact for Inuit businesses that also promotes increased job opportunities and the overall enhanced hiring of Inuit in accordance with the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement,” said NTI President Cathy Towtongie.
The MOU sets out the process for proposing and creating revisions to the NNI Policy. The goal is to have a revised policy by spring of next year.
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For more information contact:
Matthew Illaszewicz Manager, Communications
Economic Development and Transportation Government of Nunavut
867-975-7818, 867-222-0122 (cell)
Kerry McCluskey
Director of Communications Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.
Tel: 867-975-4914 Cell: 867-222-2893
Toll-free: 1-888-646-0006
NNI Policy Backgrounder
The NNI Policy is the Government of Nunavut’s preferential procurement policy, developed co- operatively by the Government of Nunavut and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated.
Its objectives are: good value and fair competition in the procurement process; strengthening the territory’s economy; increasing Inuit participation; and education and training in Nunavut.
The NNI Policy was created from two documents: Article 24 of The Nunavut Land Claims Agreement (NLCA) and the Business Incentives Policy (BIP) of the Northwest Territories.
Article 24 of the NLCA outlines the government’s obligations to Inuit and Inuit firms with regards to government procurement. The BIP was Nunavut’s preferential contracting policy until the implementation of the Nunavut-specific NNI Policy on April 1, 2000.
The NNI Policy retains incentives for local and northern business and labour from the BIP. The NNI Policy is a combination of these two documents, and creates incentives for the use of local, Nunavut and Inuit businesses and labour.
Every five years, the NNI policy review committee performs a comprehensive review of the NNI Policy.
The current review is taking into consideration two reports: the law firm Borden Ladner Gervais’ 2012 External Report to the NNI Policy Review Committee and the NNI review committee’s 2012 NNI Comprehensive Review. Both were tabled in the Legislative Assembly in September 2013. They are available on the NNI Secretariat website: www.nni.gov.nu.ca.
