Makivik Corporation


Makivik Corporation is the legal representative of Quebec's Inuit, established in 1978 under the terms of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, the agreement that established the institutions of Nunavik. As such, it is the heir of the Northern Quebec Inuit Association, which signed the agreement with the governments of Quebec and Canada.
Its principal responsibility is the administration of Inuit lands and the over in compensation funds it has received under the terms of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement of 1975 and the more recent offshore Nunavik Inuit Land Claims Agreement that came into effect in 2008. It has a mandate to use those funds to promote the economic and social development of Inuit society in Nunavik. Makivik Corporation is also empowered to negotiate new agreements with governments on behalf of the Quebec Inuit and to represent them on bodies like the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Inuit Circumpolar Council.
The corporation is run by a five-member executive committee including a president, and a 16-member board of directors. Members of both bodies are elected by the Inuit of Nunavik. The executive committee and board of directors together appoint a board of governors to act as an elders' council. Makivik's president is Charlie Watt. It is headquartered in Kuujjuaq, Quebec, and has offices in Inukjuak, Quebec, Montreal, Quebec, Quebec City, Quebec, and Ottawa, Ontario. It has roughly 100 employees.
Makivik has donated some to non-profit and cultural institutions in Nunavik, including funding the construction of recreation facilities in each of Nunavik's communities. However, the bulk of its financial activities have been in the form of investments, both in Canadian and international markets and in economic activities directly relevant to Nunavik.
On April 11, 2014, Makivik Corporation and Norterra, owners of Canadian North, announced that they were in negotiations to merge the two airlines. According to a website set up the same day, the new airline would be owned equally between the two companies and "a merger would create a stronger, more sustainable business, provide better service to customers and lead to new economic development opportunities across the North. We believe the two companies would complement each other’s strengths." In October 2014, it was announced the merger would not go through.
It has a number of wholly owned subsidiaries and joint ventures active in Nunavik:

Subsidiaries

Makivik's joint ventures are primarily firms co-owned with other Inuit development funds.