November 14, 2003
Pauktuutit to ponder future at Yellowknife AGM
Annual gathering postponed
until February
NUNATSIAQ NEWS
Pauktuutit, Canada's Inuit women's association, has postponed its 2003 annual
general meeting until Feb. 16 to 18, 2004, to ensure that the organization has
enough money to send delegates to the gathering - which will be held in Yellowknife.
The AGM had been set for Nov. 24 to 26.
But Pauktuutit hadn't received written confirmation from the federal government
for funding agreements that would have covered the cost of booking airline tickets
for conference delegates, and other expenses.
Catherine Carry, a Pauktuutit staff member, explained that it's against the
organization's auditing procedures to book things like non-refundable airline
tickets before they receive official notice that they will get the money needed
to cover such costs.
In a press release last week, Pauktuutit President Veronica Dewar said Pauktuutit
wants to ensure that as many delegates and directors as possible attend the
Yellowknife AGM.
"It is a high priority for Pauktuutit to include community-based representatives
to network and workshop together. This AGM is particularly important, as we
are engaged in far-reaching discussions concerning the future of the association,"
Dewar said in the news release.
Those discussions include the creation of a stronger relationship with Inuit
Tapiriit Kanatami, environmental community action, and broader representation
for urban women and youth.
The delay also means that the nomination period for an election to fill two
executive positions - vice-president and secretary/treasurer - has been extended
until Feb. 6.
Any Inuk woman in Canada may nominate any other Inuk woman in Canada for each
of those positions. The seconder must also be an Inuk woman.
Mary Palliser of Inukjuak is the organization's current vice-president. Sharon
Edmunds of Happy Valley, Labrador, is Pauktuutit's current secretary-treasurer.
The nomination period for the "Inuit Woman of the Year Award" has
also been extended until Feb. 6.
The award honours an Inuk woman who has made an outstanding contribution to
her family, community or country during the previous year.
Nineteen delegates will represent Inuit women from around the Canadian Arctic
at the Yellowknife AGM.
That group is made of up Pauktuutit's 11-member board (three executive members
and eight directors) plus another eight regional delegates.
TOP
|