Kitikmeot Region

For the former region with similar but non-coterminal boundaries, see Kitikmeot Region, Northwest Territories.

Nunavut Territory with the Kitikmeot region highlighted

Kitikmeot Region (Inuktitut: Qitirmiut ᕿᑎᕐᒥᐅᑦ) is an administrative region of Nunavut, Canada. It consists of the southern and eastern parts of Victoria Island with the adjacent part of the mainland as far as the Boothia Peninsula, together with King William Island and the southern portion of Prince of Wales Island. The regional seat is Cambridge Bay (population 1,477).

Before 1999, Kitikmeot Region existed under slightly different boundaries as Kitikmeot Region, Northwest Territories.

Transportation

Access to the territorial capital of Iqaluit is difficult and expensive as there are no direct flights from any community in the region. For example, Iqaluit is approximately 1,069 km (664 mi) from Kugaaruk, the closest Kitikmeot community. A one way flight to the capital costs about $2212 (as of October 2009) and involves flying to, along with an overnight stay in, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, approximately 1,310 km (810 mi) southwest of Kugaaruk. In total a trip of about 3,627 km (2,254 mi).

Politics

The region is home to the only two communities in Nunavut that voted "no" in the 1982 division plebiscite: Cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk (Coppermine).

The region has four electoral districts;

• Akulliq, which covers Kugaaruk and Repulse Bay in the Kivalliq Region. It is the ony electoral district in Nunavut to cross two regions. The seat is held by John Ningark.
• Cambridge Bay, which covers Bathurst Inlet, Cambridge Bay and Umingmaktok. The seat is held by Keith Peterson.
• Kugluktuk, which covers Kugluktuk. The seat is held by Peter Taptuna
• Nattilik, which covers Gjoa Haven and Taloyoak. The seat is held by Enuk Pauloosie. The previous incumbent is the federal Minister of Health, Leona Aglukkaq.

In 2007 at their AGM, Bob Lyall, a board member of the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, suggested the formation of a political party called the Bloc Kitikmeot to run in the next general election and to advocate for a separate Kitikmeot Territory. Bobby Lyall, along with his brother Kitikmeot Corporation president, Charlie Lyall and delegates Martina and Connie Kapolak, argued that the Government of Nunavut had spent most of the infrastructure money available from the federal government in the Baffin Region (Qikiqtaaluk Region). However, the party was not formed and consequently no members ran for a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut which continues to run as a consensus government.

Communities

• Hamlets

• • Cambridge Bay (Iqaluktuuttiaq)
  • Gjoa Haven
  • Kugaaruk (Pelly Bay)
  • Kugluktuk (Coppermine)
  • Taloyoak (Spence Bay)

• Other

• • Bathurst Inlet
  • Umingmaktuuq (Bay Chimo)
  • Kitikmeot, Unorganized

Protected areas

• Ovayok Territorial Park
• North West Passage Territorial Park
• Kugluk/Bloody Falls Territorial Park
• Queen Maud Gulf Bird Sanctuary

Demographics

The Kitikmeot Region also doubles as one of three census divisions in Nunavut, the others being the Kivalliq (also known as the Keewatin) and the Qikiqtaaluk (also known as the Baffin) regions. Of the three the Kitikmeot is the second largest in size being 1,618.33 km (1,005.58 mi) bigger than the Kivalliq. It has the smallest population and is the least densely populated of the three. The population is predominantly Inuit (88.3%) with 1.3% other aboriginal peoples, 0.6% North American Indian and 0.7% Métis, and 10.3% non-Aboriginals.

Canada 2006 Census

• Population: 5,361
• Population change (2001–2006): +11.3%
• Private dwellings: 1,540
• Area: 446,727.70 km² (172,482.53 sq mi)
• Density: 0.012 inhabitants per square kilometre (0.031/sq mi)
• National rank in terms of population: 285th out of 288
• Territorial rank in terms of population: 3rd out of 3

Further reading

• Bromley, Robert Graham H., and Bruce D. McLean. [ Raptor Surveys in the Kitikmeot and Baffin Regions, Northwest Territories, 1983 and 1984]. Yellowknife, NWT: Dept. of Renewable Resources, Govt. of the Northwest Territories, 1986.
• Gunn, A. Polar Bear Denning Surveys in the Kitikmeot Region, 1977–86. Coppermine, NWT: Dept. of Renewable Resources, Govt. of the Northwest Territories, 1991.
• Inuit Gallery of Vancouver. Kitikmeot Land of the Spirits. Vancouver: Inuit Gallery of Vancouver, 1991. ISBN 0-9693315-6-8
• Kassam, K.-A. S. 2002. "Thunder on the Tundra: Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit of the Bathurst Caribou, by Natasha Thorpe, Naikak Hakongak, Sandra Eyegetok, and the Kitikmeot Elders". Arctic. 55: 395.
• Kitikmeot Education Resource Centre. Living and Teaching in the Kitikmeot Region. [Cambridge Bay, N.W.T.]: Kitikmeot Education Resource Centre, 1984.
• Kitikmeot Inuit Association. Central Arctic Regional Land Claims Proposal for Social, Education Self-Determination. [Cambridge Bay, N.W.T.?]: Kitikmeot Inuit Association, 1979.
• Northwest Territories. Economic Facts, Kitikmeot Region. [Yellowknife]: N.W.T. Dept. of Economic Development & Tourism, 1989.
• Northwest Territories. Kitikmeot Health Care. [Yellowknife]: Northwest Territories Health, 1982.
• Sato, Riki. The Directory of Community Groups, Inuvik and Kitikmeot Regions. Inuvik, N.W.T.: NOGAP Steering Committee, 1988.
• Todd, John. North Slave Kitikmeot Mineral Development. Yellowknife, N.W.T.: Govt. of the N.W.T.], 1993.
• West Kitikmeot Slave Study Society. West Kitikmeot Slave study. Yellowknife: West Kitikmeot Slave Study Society, 2002.

External links

• Kitikmeot Region information at Explore Nunavut
• Kitikmeot Heritage Society
• Kitikmeot Inuit Association
  • Kitikmeot Corporation, economic development
  • Kitikmeot Economic Development Commission, education and training
• Kitikmeot School Operations
• Kitikmeot information