About the Department

Mission Statement

The Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth will achieve its mission through: providing leadership within the government on Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit approaches to work; promoting the use of Inuit languages in the workplace and within the territory; assisting non-profit, community based individuals and organizations in cultural, language and heritage activities; and encouraging ongoing dialogue between elders and youth and the government.

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Critical Issues
Listing of Directors

Culture, Language, Elders and Youth - Completing the Circle

Unlike any other department in any other provincial or territorial government, the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth was created to meet the challenge of protecting and promoting Inuit culture, heritage and language. A big part of traditional Inuit society, and a major focus of this department, is maintaining the role of elders within the community and the concept of governing using Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), or traditional Inuit knowledge. The Department is responsible for ensuring IQ is implemented throughout the Government of Nunavut. The Department serves the public and the Government with headquarters based in Iqaluit and offices in Igloolik and Kugluktuk.

More importantly, the Department works to provide Nunavummiut with the tools required to achieve the Inuit aspiration to live, work and play in an environment that respects Inuit culture, language and heritage. One of the key tools the Department provides Nunavummiut is funding in the form of grants and contributions to help non-profit organizations and individuals develop projects that protect and promote Inuit culture, heritage or language.

Legislation:

Vision

The Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth recognizes that to achieve the aspiration to live and work in an environment that respects Inuit culture, language, and heritage, we must foster continued learning between all Nunavummiut and government. This means encouraging the participation of elders and youth. By being inclusive in our decision-making and by respecting the values and beliefs of Nunavummiut, we can bring the Inuit way of life and language into the workplace.

Principles and Values

- A work life that reflects Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit

- Nunavummiut having the ability to communicate in any official language they choose,
  both at work and when accessing government services

- Promoting decision-making that is developed through consultation and a commitment
  to consensus building

- Working in partnership with other departments to support growth of community
  capacity and self-sufficiency

- Being open to participation and input; having respect for the views of others

- Easily understood programs and services that are accessible to all Nunavummiut

- Protecting individuals' and organizations' rights to fair treatment in the review and
  approval of funding requests

- Expending public dollars efficiently and effectively

- Viewing all elements of the Department's budget as a potential training budget

- Respecting and building on the Bathurst Mandate

Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ)

Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit is the Government of Nunavut's most important initiative. It encompasses all aspects of traditional Inuit culture including values, world view, language, social organization, knowledge, life skills, perceptions and expectations.

It is the Department's mandate to coordinate the incorporation of IQ in the delivery of the Government of Nunavut's programs and services.

Our policies and practices must be consistent with Inuit beliefs, customs, values and language.

The Inuit have a long-lasting code of behavior based on time-honored values and practices. These values were communicated to younger Inuit at a very early age through stories, songs, direct modeling of behavior and legends that spoke of the success associated with remembering them.

Today this system and the past methods for communicating these values are under increasing pressure and have been interrupted by outside influences and new institutions. As a result, we must find ways to build these beliefs into what we do today so that once again these beliefs provide Nunavummiut with a solid value system, which includes:

Connection Values - sharing, generosity, family, respect, love, listening, equality, significance and trust.

Working Values - volunteer, observe, practice, mastery, teamwork, corporation, unity, consensus and conservation.

Coping Values - patience, endurance, improvisation, strength, adaptability, resilience, resourcefulness, moving forward, take the long view, survival, interconnectedness and honesty.