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Nunavut Roundtable for Poverty Reduction
The Nunavut Roundtable for Poverty Reduction brings together those who fight to reduce poverty in our territory. Members share a vision of Nunavut with significantly reduced levels of poverty. We recognize that no organization has the mandate or resources to deal with poverty reduction on its own, and that we must work collaboratively to achieve our visions.
The Nunavut Roundtable for Poverty Reduction is participating in the preparation and implementation of a poverty reduction action plan for Nunavut. Our work is collaborative, involving roundtable members serving as partners. Collectively, the roundtable will provide the energy and effort necessary to complete the action plan, and will take ownership of the processes used to develop the plan, including providing leadership and expertise, and organizational and financial support.
Background
The Government of Nunavut is committed to the reduction of poverty in the territory, and has made a public commitment to “actively engage its partners, including Inuit organizations, other governments, nongovernmental organizations and our business community in the development of programs and policies to support Nunavummiut in their efforts at eliminating poverty.”
In the 2010 budget address, the government announced the establishment of the Nunavut AntiPoverty Secretariat to lead the preparation and implementation of a poverty reduction strategy. In response, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. VicePresident James Eetoolook announced “NTI will work closely with the GN and the other members of the Nunavut Economic Forum to develop the poverty reduction strategy...”
The commitment to work collaboratively on poverty reduction was strengthened in an exchange of letters between Premier Aariak and NTI President Kaludjak.
In June of 2010 exploratory meetings were held in Iqaluit between staff of the Nunavut AntiPoverty Secretariat and NTI’s Department of Social and Cultural Development. It was decided that the two organizations would convene a meeting of individuals and organizations with an interest in poverty reduction to discuss the issue and engage in the development of a plan for action to reduce poverty. This was the genesis of the Nunavut Roundtable for Poverty Reduction.
The roundtable has met monthly during the fall of 2010. Next steps in the development of a poverty reduction action plan for Nunavut include the conclusion of the community dialogue stage of public engagement, to be followed by regional roundtables on poverty policy in May and June. The action plan will be agreed at a poverty summit to take place in Iqaluit in the fall.
