The Kivalliq Inuit Association (KIA) wrapped up its annual general meeting (AGM) in the middle of a firestorm of controversy on social media aimed at KIA president David Ningeongan this past week in Rankin Inlet.The AGM ran from Oct. 2 to 4.
The controversy was ignited by Richard Connelly, who raised numerous concerns on social media questioning NingeonganSA国际影视传媒檚 business practices as president of the KIA, the effectiveness of the Inuit Impact Benefit Agreement (IIBA) with Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM) for the Meliadine gold project near Rankin, and why Sakku Investments SA国际影视传媒� the investment arm of the KIA SA国际影视传媒� seemed to be competing with local Inuit-owned companies that employ more Inuit than the companies being awarded the contracts.
Sakku has preferred-contract standing through the IIBA, a fact Connelly claims cost his company work at Meliadine, which left many of its Inuit employees out of a job.
Ningeongan declined to comment on anything of a legal or personal nature but said he thinks a lot of the concerns raised by Connelly were clarified during the community concerns addressed at the AGM on October 4.
SA国际影视传媒淲e had a full house of people at the meeting interested in hearing what Mr. Connelly had to say and how I answered his questions, but I think a lot of it was miscommunication, misinformation and third-hand information shared that shouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 have been.
SA国际影视传媒淚 did own a business when I first ran for KIA president, but I indicated to the communities of the region that if I were elected my only priority would be to represent the communities. But, of course, you cannot just sell a business overnight and, once I was elected, it took a while to sell the business.
SA国际影视传媒淏ut the business was sold back in 2014 and I was under a blind trust at the time, as well, so I did not have any dealings with it, nor management of it while I was the KIA president.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淚 do not make any other salary anywhere outside of KIA, and I do not have any personal interest in any business anywhere.SA国际影视传媒�
He said the online comments may have damaged his reputation.
SA国际影视传媒淎ny other person who has gone through what I have in what was put on social media... it definitely had an impact on their political career.
SA国际影视传媒淪o, yes, it has had that kind of an impact on my chances of running again for my position, for sure.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e got about a year to think about whether ISA国际影视传媒檓 going to run again or not SA国际影视传媒� I canSA国际影视传媒檛 say for sure at this point SA国际影视传媒� but we still have a lot to do during the next 12 or 13 months and what we achieve will dictate how we move forward.
SA国际影视传媒淲e had hoped by this AGM we would have completed our Kivalliq tour to start providing programs for the communities, but we had to deal with these social media issues and that basically sidetracked the schedules we had moving forward.SA国际影视传媒�
Connelly was contacted and invited to meet with Kivalliq News to discuss some of the concerns posted on social media, but could not be reached before press time.

Manitoba hydro project
Ningeongan said the 43rd KIA AGM went as well as could be expected given the situation.
He said every item on the agenda was dealt with, noting that among the most important to highlight are the KIA moving ahead with the Manitoba fibre/hydro project through discussions with potential partners, and a marine-protected-area proposal put forward by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
SA国际影视传媒淭he proposal is for the Kivalliq region, but more so specifically between Coats Island and Coral Harbour, so thatSA国际影视传媒檚 one item I would see as interesting news for the people of Coral Harbour to see,SA国际影视传媒� said Ningeongan.
SA国际影视传媒淏ringing hydro into the Kivalliq region from Manitoba has been talked about for many years but, during the past four years, weSA国际影视传媒檝e really started concentrating on that project and weSA国际影视传媒檝e included fibre optics as part of the transmission line that weSA国际影视传媒檙e proposing to bring from Sundance, Gillim or Churchill into the communities of Arviat, Baker Lake, Chesterfield Inlet, Rankin Inlet and Whale Cove.
SA国际影视传媒淲e really want to get fibre optics into the Kivalliq, so it just made sense to include it in this proposal, which is now, for me, the most interesting aspect of the project.
SA国际影视传媒淚t would be a phenomenal upgrade that would allow us to get true high-speed Internet into all seven Kivalliq communities in the future.SA国际影视传媒�

Past regrets
Ningeongnan said when the KIA SA国际影视传媒� long before his time as president SA国际影视传媒� negotiated the very first IIBA ever signed in connection with the Meadowbank gold mine near Baker Lake, the KIA received $3.8 million in royalties from a multi-billion dollar operation.
He said it was a horrible deal for Kivalliq Inuit.
SA国际影视传媒淚nuit got a whole lot of nothing,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淪o when I became KIA president, I made sure that we can take as much out of our resources for ourselves and move ahead that way, including to support our business arm (Sakku), which is representing 10,000-plus beneficiaries in the region.
SA国际影视传媒淚f our business arm is doing well, the communities will do well in dividends coming into the KIA which, in turn, we give to them in programs, services, scholarships and what have you.
SA国际影视传媒淵es, there are business opportunities within the IIBA that are under the preferred contracts for Sakku because we got a whole lot of nothing from the first IIBA, but the next two IIBAs we signed, we got a 1.2 per cent royalty rate for Meliadine, which improved to 1.4 per cent for the Whale Tail project.SA国际影视传媒�
Ningeongan said Sakku was not included in the first IIBA signed for Meadowbank.
SA国际影视传媒淎s far as ISA国际影视传媒檓 aware, we have the best IIBAs within the territory, which we hope to further improve upon, and, with preferred contracts, if ISA国际影视传媒檓 not mistaken, both the Qikiqtaaluk Corp. and the Kitikmeot are looking to incorporate those provisions into their IIBAs, as well, so their subsidiaries can get work through the mines to give back to their communities.SA国际影视传媒�
NingeonganSA国际影视传媒檚 current term as KIA president runs until Dec. 20, 2019.