MINISTER

Honourable Louis Tapardjuk

The Honourable Louis Tapardjuk was elected to the 2nd Nunavut Legislature in the February 16th, 2004 Territorial Elections. He was subsequently elected to Cabinet by his colleagues and was appointed as Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth (CLEY) and Minister of Human Resources (HR).

Louis was born on January 30, 1953 in an igloo out on the sea ice off Aggu Bay to the west and north of the Hamlet of Igloolik. While still a small child, his family moved to Igloolik where he has grown up with the community. He is former Councillor and Mayor of Igloolik. Louis was first sent out to the Chesterfield Inlet Residential School in 1959 where he finished his elementary schooling.

Louis started his public service with the Igloolik Co-operative at the age of 12 as stock boy and eventually became the Manager. Later on, he was elected to the Igloolik Co-op Board of Directors which he represented on the Arctic Co-operatives Limited (ACL) and was President for some time during ACL's formative years.

Louis was very active with the Nunavut Land Claim process as both negotiator and Board Member for the then Tungavik Federation of Nunavut, as he was President of the Baffin Region Inuit Association (BRIA, now QIA). He has been very outspoken on Inuit Culture and Language and is acknowledged to be the spokesperson for the Inuit on the issue by his contemporaries.

Louis currently resides in Igloolik with his wife, Lucie, and their three children. They also have two sons who are now raising families of their own and who also reside in Igloolik.