With Qikiqtani Inuit Association celebrating a milestone of 50 years in 2025, we profile some past and existing Board Members and Presidents on our website and social media pages.
We appreciate the people that have freely given their time and information as to how QIA began and how much it has grown from the early years.
Enjoy reading!
Liza Ningiuk – Grise Fiord
Liza Ningiuk has been involved with the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) since its earliest days, serving on and off the Board across many years. At times she was elected, and in other years she stepped aside, but her dedication to Inuit representation and advocacy has remained constant to this day.
Liza was the only woman to serve on QIA’s Executive Committee and held four different portfolios, including Chair of the Social Committee. She recalls when QIA was still a small organization with a limited operating budget and few resources. Watching QIA grow over the decades into a strong and respected Inuit organization is something she is deeply proud of.
In the early years, Board members represented only their individual communities, bringing forward local issues to the table. Over time, as QIA’s responsibilities expanded, the Board evolved to represent Inuit across the entire Qikiqtani region. Liza says this shift strengthened QIA’s role, and today the organization is recognized as a leading advocate for Inuit advancement through its economic arm, Qikiqtaaluk Corporation, and its training and employment arm, Kakivak Association.
She has witnessed first-hand how much QIA has expanded and how its programs—such as Nauttiqsuqtiit Inuit Stewardship—are making meaningful contributions in communities, particularly in the High Arctic. She highlights QIA’s growing involvement in addressing Nunavut’s chronic housing shortage as another important step toward improving Inuit well-being.
Liza emphasizes the importance of balance on the Board, noting that Inuit women and men bring different perspectives, but together can achieve great things. She wants young people to be given more opportunities to participate in QIA’s work and encourages them not to be discouraged by limited formal education: “If there is will and passion, Inuit can do so much to help other Inuit.”
She believes more employment and training opportunities must be created for Inuit, instead of relying on hires from outside the territory. Too often, she says, the western style of governance and hiring practices create barriers that block Inuit from the workforce. She calls for more flexible approaches that recognize Inuit strengths and knowledge.
Liza points out that Inuit once lived self-sufficiently, providing their own leadership, governance, and even medical care through midwifery. Much of this knowledge has been stripped away, but she says it should be reinstated while elders are still here to share traditional laws and teachings. She also reflects that if boards like Inuusilirijit, which once focused on social issues, could be revived, they could provide vital support to Inuit facing challenges such as incarceration or homelessness.
Through it all, Liza remains committed to QIA’s role as a true advocate for Inuit: “When the Board and QIA work together, great things happen.”
