QARJUIT YOUTH COUNCIL
MISSION
The QYC team exists to represent Nunavik and Chisasibi Inuit youth aged from 15 to 35.
The organization provides youth with opportunities and information in order to improve their quality of life, to empower themselves and to explore their full potential as responsible citizens and future leaders. All initiatives of QYC are grounded in Inuit culture, language and identity.
VISION
We aim for Nunavik youth to be empowered and have the space, support and resources from all partners in Nunavik and beyond to express their needs, their issues and their wishes. Youth are in a position to mobilize themselves through their cultural resiliency and knowledge in both environments: modern day society and their root identities.
About our Name
The name ‘Qarjuit’ is the result of reaching out to the population with a name contest back in 2016. Since it was essential to identify the organization with a tool that our ancestors have used to survive and to get to where we are today as proud Inuit youth, the idea of an arrow (translated as ‘qarjuit’ in Inuktitut) caught the attention of the team because of its nice movement to pull back and let it go to hit the target point. Indeed, an arrow has a strong meaning for all of us since we have to do the same: go back to our roots and traditions in order to fling ourselves to a brighter future.
WHO DO WE REPRESENT ?
YOUNG AND DYNAMIC COMMUNITIES
In Nunavik, 50% of the Inuit population was under 35 years old and 27% was between 15-34 years old. Median age in Nunavik was 35-years-old. (Statcan, census 2021)
Youth are a massive force for hope in Nunavik.
Qarjuit Milestones
September 2015
QYC is created as an ethnic, non-for-profit organization.
February 2016
February 2016 – QYC hosts its first public consultations in Kuujjuaraapik, Salluit and Kuujjuaq.
September 2016
1st Annual General Meeting
March 2017
QYC signs a five-year funding agreement with the Quebec Government.
January 2018
Headquarters are moved to 809, Airport Road in Kuujjuaq. The official opening ceremony occurred on February 19, 2018.
April 2018
1st Elders & Youth Gathering in Kangirsujuaq
September 2018
15th birthday celebrations. Every Youth in Nunavik and Chisasibi who turned 15 from January 1 – December 31, 2018 received a gift from Qarjuit Youth Council. This was the beginning of a great tradition within QYC to welcome new members every year.
December 2018
First Inuit Youth Day
September 2019
15th birthday celebrations. Every Youth in Nunavik and Chisasibi who turned 15 from January 1 – December 31, 2018 received a gift from Qarjuit Youth Council. This was the beginning of a great tradition within QYC to welcome new members every year.
April 2021
QYC was granted an official voting seat as a QYC Board under Makivvik.
May 2021
Official grand opening of our new headquarters in Kuujjuaq at 448, Ford road.
September 2021
First Annual General Meeting in Chisasibi, reuniting with the Cree Nation Youth Council and establishing new ways of collaborating between Cree and Inuit youth.
August 2022
Attended for a first time the Cree Nation Youth Council Annual General Assembly in Nemaska.
October 2022
Held for the first time a Regional Youth Treaty Simulation on the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA) in Kuujjuaq.
November 2022
Nunavik Inuit youth participated in the international COP-27 Conference, in Sharm El-Sheik, Egypt.
March 2023
Held, in collaboration with Makivvik and Exeko, a workshop on the preparation of the new Canadian Action Plan under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
July 2023
Attended, with Inuit Circumpolar Council delegates, an Arctic Peoples’ Conference, where QYC participated in the drafting committee for the declaration form under “Our future” and moderated the youth roundtable discussion in Ilulissat, Greenland.
GOVERNANCE
Role and Powers of
the Executive Committee
Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act and of the Council’s By-Laws concerning powers which shall be exercised exclusively by the Members at General Meetings and by the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee may make or cause to be made for the Council any kind of contract which the Council may lawfully enter into and may exercise all other powers and do all other acts and things as the Forum is authorized to exercise and do.
Each Executive member shall submit an activity report at each Board of Directors meeting.
The Board may reverse or modify the Executive Committee decisions on the condition that such action does not affect the rights of third parties.
The quorum for Executive Committee meetings is a majority of the voting members, or two (2) of the three (3) voting members.
No business shall be transacted at any Board of Directors meeting unless the quorum is reached at the beginning of the meeting.
The quorum for meetings of the Board of Directors shall be a majority of the total number of Directors, or six (6) of the eleven (11) Directors.
THE BOARD
Janice Parsons (Kuujjuaq)
President
About me
- My favorite country food is boiled seal meat with mustard pickles!
- My dream for the youth and the next generation is to have more after-school activities in all aspects, with educational programs in Inuktitut provided all year round and a healing space for youth to gather.
Alison Mesher (Kuujjuaq)
Vice President
About me
- I absolutely love caribou tuttuvinik fried, boiled and dried, with lots of tunnuk
- I would love to see the youth of Nunavik dream big, reach their goals big or small, take risks that will help benefit personal and professional growth to help better our communities. I would love to see our generation take space and own it. I also have many personal life goals but I would love to learn how to sew iqaqtilik and naluaq kamiik. I also want to build my own home one day!
William Ningiuruvik (Quaqtaq)
Secretary-treasurer
About me
- My favourite country food is Pitsiit (Dried fish)
- My dream from the uvikkait of Nunavik is for them to have better services in all aspects, health, education, justice and many others. I also hope they have continuous advocacy and support they need even if it’s not through QYC, because it is very important to have a better and brighter future for the generations to come.
William Ningiuruvik (Quaqtaq)
Secretary-treasurer
About me
- My favourite country food is Pitsiit (Dried fish)
Ungava Bay Representatives
Anita Annanack (Kangiqsualujjuaq)
About me
- My favourite country food is fermented beluga skin.
- To see Inuit leaders thriving in big organizations!!
Elena Mesher (Kuujjuaq)
About me
- My favorite country food: Tuttuvinik
- One of my dreams: For the youth to have access to good education!
William Ningiuruvik (Quaqtaq)
Secretary-treasurer
About me
- My favourite country food is Pitsiit (Dried fish)
William Ningiuruvik (Quaqtaq)
Secretary-treasurer
About me
- My favourite country food is Pitsiit (Dried fish)
Hudson Bay Representatives
Linda Kowcharlie
Vacant Seat
Hudson Strait Representatives
Lena Ezekiel Pagé
(Quaqtaq)
Levina Arngak
(Kangirsujuaq)
Nikita Johannes (maternity leave)
Community Project Agent
About me
- My favourite country foods are frozen caribou and fresh clams with seaweed.
- The dream I have for the Youth in Nunavik is to have them finish school and go on to anything in life. (Everything is possible, believe in yourself).
My personal life goal is to achieve anything that comes along my way.
Elder’s Appointee
Jessica Arngak (Kangiqsujuaq)
Levina Arngak
(Kangirsujuaq)
Daphne Calvin
Project Manager
About me
- I love frozen char, caribou and mattaq! Including rolled tunnu, stomach lining and caribou! I grew up eating freshly caught Seal ribs and took it from hunters at the age of 2 and would run to the top of a rock to eat it! When it comes to traditional food I cannot refuse.
Nikita Johannes (maternity leave)
Community Project Agent
About me
- My favourite country foods are frozen caribou and fresh clams with seaweed.
- The dream I have for the Youth in Nunavik is to have them finish school and go on to anything in life. (Everything is possible, believe in yourself).
My personal life goal is to achieve anything that comes along my way.
Makivik Representative
Alicia Aragutak (Kuujjuaq)
About me
- What’s your favourite country food? Freshly caught ptarmigan, with seal fat.
- Dream: My dream is to see more Nunavimmiut who are confident in themselves. When you know who you are, you become more comfortable to learn, to be ok to make mistakes and to try again.My personal life goal is to be the best mom possible for my girls.
Levina Arngak
(Kangirsujuaq)
About me
- My favorite food is fermented beluga.
- My dream for Nunavik is for all the schools to have extracurricular activities lol.. I don’t know. As well as more mental health resources.
Daphne Calvin
Project Manager
About me
- I love frozen char, caribou and mattaq! Including rolled tunnu, stomach lining and caribou! I grew up eating freshly caught Seal ribs and took it from hunters at the age of 2 and would run to the top of a rock to eat it! When it comes to traditional food I cannot refuse.
Nikita Johannes (maternity leave)
Community Project Agent
About me
- My favourite country foods are frozen caribou and fresh clams with seaweed.
- The dream I have for the Youth in Nunavik is to have them finish school and go on to anything in life. (Everything is possible, believe in yourself).
My personal life goal is to achieve anything that comes along my way.
The Staff
Nancy Kasudluak (Inukjuak)
Administrative Assistant
About me
- My favorite food is fermented beluga.
- My dream for Nunavik is for all the schools to have extracurricular activities.. I don’t know. As well as more mental health resources.
Daphne Calvin (Kuujjuarapik)
Project Manager
About me
- I love frozen char, caribou and mattaq! Including rolled tunnu, stomach lining and caribou! I grew up eating freshly caught Seal ribs and took it from hunters at the age of 2 and would run to the top of a rock to eat it! When it comes to traditional food I cannot refuse.
Nikita Johannes (Kuujjuaq) (maternity leave)
Community Project Agent
About me
- My favourite country foods are frozen caribou and fresh clams with seaweed.
- The dream I have for the Youth in Nunavik is to have them finish school and go on to anything in life. (Everything is possible, believe in yourself).
My personal life goal is to achieve anything that comes along my way.
Karen Ferguson (Ontario)
Human Resources Officer
About me
- Caribou
- My dream is that the youth proceed forward with positive change and a bright future and maintain the beautiful culture of Inuit.
Caroline Martel (Quebec)
Advisor
About me
- I love boiled, fried and dried caribou and seal brain! Got the chance to taste it once, and it tastes like mint! Yummy
- I hope to see more youth in Nunavik getting out of their comfort zone, and positively influencing each other! On a personal level, I wish to continue opening the path for young leaders to dream big. Everything is possible with time, support and courage!
Charlotte G. Paradis [maternity leave] (Montreal)
Executive Advisor
About me
- Favorite country food: frozen caribou!
- My dream would be to see youth working in solidarity, with open minds, open hearts, bringing each other up and empowering each other through life. It is so beautiful to see people working together and helping each other, it brings peace to my soul.
OUR FUNDERS
Makivvik Corporation (through the Sanarrutik Agreement)
Government of Quebec (through the Secrétariat à la Jeunesse)
Government of Canada (through the Youth Hope Fund)
PARTNERS
Kativik Regional Government (Sustainable Employment Department)
Air Inuit
Canadian North
OUR COLLABORATORS
- Apatakaa Translations – Inuktitut Translation
- LMG Communication Graphique – Visual
- Production & Design
- Spektrum Media – Web Development
- La Clique – Web Development
- Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton – Bookkeeping
- Simply Voting – Online Election
- Tumiit Media – Printing
- CIUSSS – Youth team – Training
- Kativik Ilisarniliriniq – Treaty Simulation
- Nunavik Regional Board on Health and Social
- Services – Treaty Simulation
- Nunavik Parks
- Nunami’s Program
- Force Jeunesse
- Lorraine Brooke – English Revision
Our Special Thanks & Appreciation of Our Precious Collaborators!
2022-23 ANNUAL REPORT
