atjugoKatigek – stronger together
An inaugural meeting of the newly elected Governing Council of the NunatuKavut Community Council (NCC) took place on November 22-24, 2024. Councillors were fully briefed on the extensive work that NCC has been leading over the past number of years and the remarkable growth that NCC is experiencing. The new Council is fully committed to building on this work and continuing to fulfil NCC’s vision of “governing ourselves, providing and caring for one another, our families, and our communities while nurturing our relationship with our land, ice, and waters.”
The recent General Election of the new Council was the first election following the adoption of our new Constitution, Governance Law and Election Law. These laws and foundational documents reflect NunatuKavut Inuit values, traditions and ways of knowing. It demonstrates the strength of NCC as an Inuit governing body and the work being done to advance self-government.
At the meeting, an Executive Committee of Council was appointed. President Todd Russell is chair of the Committee and is joined by Central/Northern Labrador Councillor Jim Holwell as Vice President and Bolsters Rock to Spear Point Councillor Boyce Turnbull as the Member-at-Large. The President and Vice President are in place for the duration of the four-year term while the Member-at-Large position is up for renewal every two years. This Committee makes decisions on time sensitive matters in between Council meetings. Council will also be announcing a selection process for the appointment of Elder to serve on the Council.
The Council talked about the relationships that NCC has with other levels of government and the progress and challenges that NCC and our people face. While our Recognition of Indigenous Rights and Self-Determination process has been impacted by a negative targeted campaign being led by other Indigenous groups, we remain focussed on delivering on our priorities for NunatuKavut Inuit. This includes access to equitable health programming, infrastructure, education, energy sovereignty, climate change, the Mealy Mountain National Park and the fishery, to name a few. The Council also spoke about the importance of engaging youth and Elders in our work.
There was also discussion about NCC’s progressive relationships with industry and what lies ahead. This includes building upon our partnership with Search Minerals, which offers great potential for a successful mining operation in the heart of our traditional territory. It means implementing the amended and restated Community Participation Agreement that NCC and the Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) signed this past October. This agreement is improved in areas like procurement, employment and business opportunities for NCC’s business arm Nunacor and NunatuKavut businesses. It also includes enhanced language around consultation and environment and cultural heritage stewardship. Council talked about our relationship with Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro (NL Hydro). To that end, NCC is very pleased to announce that we recently signed a six-year Relationship Framework Agreement (RFA) with NL Hydro. Read the news release here.
The Governing Council was also brought up to speed on the changed relationship with Memorial University. While we have fostered some great research partnerships with them in the past and are an integral part of the Labrador Campus’ Constitution, their recent actions are reprehensible. In Memorial’s quest to develop a policy around Indigenous verification, they are deliberately seeking to exclude NunatuKavut Inuit. NCC will not allow Memorial University to exercise false authorities that impact the lives and well-being of NunatuKavut Inuit and communities. We will continue to call out this racist and discriminatory behaviour.
Other discussions centred around the critical work that NCC is doing around energy sovereignty. The agreement with NL Hydro is indicative of this work. The Governing Council learned about plans to enhance our energy portfolio through the building of an internal department dedicated to energy and other related developments. This will bring together the additional capacity and expertise that NCC and Nunacor needs to continue to advance this priority. It is vital that we ready ourselves for important developments like those being contemplated on the Churchill River, including 2041 negotiations on the Upper Churchill contract. The Governing Council of NCC, consistent with Annual General Assembly resolutions, was clear that recognition and accommodation of NunatuKavut Inuit rights and interests will ensure positive meaningful development can occur.
The NunatuKavut Governing Council, along with Nunacor, will be steadfast in ensuring that NunatuKavut Inuit will have what they need for improved socio-economic conditions and the sustainability of our communities. There is a great appreciation for the hard work ahead and there is also great hope and optimism for the future of NCC, our people and communities and our lands and waters.
Pictured below is NCC’s new Governing Council signing their oath of office.
President Todd Russell 
Vice President Jim Holwell (Area 5) 
Member-at-Large Boyce Turnbull (Area 3) 
Councillor Jessie Tobin (Area 6) 
Councillor Dexter Flynn (Area 1) 
Councillor Hughlett Williams (Area 5) 
Councillor Lorna Knee (Area 4) 
Councillor Roy Mangrove (Area 2) 
Councillor Cyril Campbell (Area 3) 
Councillor Jeanette Russell (Area 7) 
Youth Councillor Zoey Russell