View source for Eva Aariak

{{Short description|Canadian Inuk politician|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix= [[The Honourable]]
| image = Ambassador David L. Cohen Travel to Nunavut (53122707267) (cropped).jpg
| caption = Aariak in 2023
| honorific-suffix ={{post-nominals|country=CAN|size=100%|CM|ONu}}
| name = Eva Aariak
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|1|10}}<ref>E-mail from the Office of Premier Eva Aariak ([[WP:OTRS|OTRS]] #2012082010009087)</ref>{{Better source needed|date=September 2023}} 
| birth_place = [[Arctic Bay]], [[Northwest Territories]] <small>(now [[Nunavut]])</small>, Canada<ref name="CBC">{{cite news |date=September 24, 2008 |publisher=[[CBC News]] North |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/former-nunavut-languages-commissioner-joins-iqaluit-east-race-1.751355 |title=Former Nunavut languages commissioner joins Iqaluit East race |access-date=May 1, 2020}}</ref> 
| residence = [[Iqaluit]], Nunavut
| office1        = 6th [[Commissioner of Nunavut]]
| term_start1    = {{start date|2021|01|14}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://orders-in-council.canada.ca/attachment.php?attach=40165&lang=en|title = Orders in Council - Search}}</ref>
| term_end1      = 
| primeminister1 = [[Justin Trudeau]] 
<bR />[[Mark Carney]]
| premier1       = [[Joe Savikataaq]] <bR />[[P. J. Akeeagok]]
| predecessor1   = [[Rebekah Williams]] (acting)
| successor1     = 
| office2 = 2nd [[Premier of Nunavut]]
| term_start2 = {{start date|2008|11|19}}<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.assembly.nu.ca/honourable-eva-aariak |title=The Honourable Eva Aariak |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120707073952/http://www.assembly.nu.ca/honourable-eva-aariak |archive-date=7 July 2012 |access-date=22 September 2013}}</ref>
| term_end2 = {{end date|2013|11|19}}<ref>{{cite web|last=Murphy|first=David|title=MLAs choose Peter Taptuna to serve as Nunavut premier |url=http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674mlas_choose_xxxxxx_to_serve_as_nunavut_premier/ |publisher=Nunatsiaq News |access-date=January 27, 2024|date=November 15, 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131119234357/http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674mlas_choose_xxxxxx_to_serve_as_nunavut_premier/|archivedate=November 19, 2013}}</ref>
| 1blankname2     = Commissioner 
| 1namedata2      = [[Ann Meekitjuk Hanson]]<br />[[Edna Elias]]
| predecessor2 = [[Paul Okalik]]
| successor2 = [[Peter Taptuna]]
| office3 = [[Legislative Assembly of Nunavut|Member of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut]]
| constituency3 = [[Iqaluit East]]
| term_start3 = {{start date|2008|10|27}}
| term_end3 = {{end date|2013|10|28}}
| predecessor3 = [[Ed Picco]]
| successor3 = riding redistributed
| party = [[Consensus government|Independent]]
| religion =
|birth_name = Eva Qamaniq Aarik
| spouse =
| children = 
| occupation = CBC reporter, teacher, Languages Commissioner of Nunavut}}

'''Eva Qamaniq Aariak{{ref|1|a}}''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|CM|ONu}} ({{langx|iu|ᐄᕙ ᐋᕆᐊᒃ}}, {{IPA|iu|iːva aːʁiak|IPA}}; born January 10, 1955) is a Canadian [[Inuit|Inuk]] politician, who was elected in the [[2008 Nunavut general election|2008 territorial election]] to represent the [[Electoral district (Canada)|electoral district]] of [[Iqaluit East]] in the [[Legislative Assembly of Nunavut]]. She was subsequently chosen as the second [[premier of Nunavut]], under the territory's [[consensus government]] system, on November 14, 2008.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081114.wnunavutpremier1115/BNStory/National/home |title=Nunavut names new premier |publisher=[[The Globe and Mail]] |date=November 14, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081115010639/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081114.wnunavutpremier1115/BNStory/National/home |archive-date=November 15, 2008}}</ref> Aariak was the fifth [[List of female premiers in Canada|woman to serve as a premier]] in Canada.

In January 2021, Aariak became the sixth [[commissioner of Nunavut]].<ref>[https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2021/01/12/prime-minister-announces-new-commissioner-nunavut "Prime Minister announces new Commissioner of Nunavut"]. [[Office of the Prime Minister (Canada)|Office of the Prime Minister]], January 12, 2021.</ref>

==Background==
Prior to her election as an MLA, Aariak was the first Languages Commissioner for Nunavut.<ref name=nnews/> Originally appointed to a four-year term beginning in 1999, her term was later extended for another year until December 2004.<ref>{{cite web |title=Legislative Assembly Bids Fond Farewell to Languages Commissioner Eva Aariak|url=http://action.attavik.ca/home/langcom/attach/aariak_engl.pdf |date=November 22, 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020171627/http://action.attavik.ca/home/langcom/attach/aariak_engl.pdf |archive-date=October 20, 2007 |publisher=Office of the Languages Commissioner of Nunavut}}</ref>

In her capacity as Languages Commissioner, she was asked to choose an [[Inuktitut]] language word for the [[Internet]]; she settled on ''ikiaqqivik'' ({{IPA|iu|ikiaqqivik|IPA}}), which literally means "travelling through layers" and refers to the ''[[angakkuq]]'', the traditional Inuit concept of a [[shaman]] or [[medicine man]], travelling through time and space to find answers to spiritual and material questions.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Katharina |last=Soukup |title=Travelling Through Layers: Inuit Artists Appropriate New Technologies |url=http://www.cjc-online.ca/index.php/journal/article/view/1769/1889 |journal=[[Canadian Journal of Communication]] |volume=31 |issue=1 |date=2006|doi=10.22230/cjc.2006v31n1a1769 |access-date=May 1, 2020|doi-access=free |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

After stepping down as Languages Commissioner, she then went on to teach Inuktitut at the Pirurvik Centre in [[Iqaluit]], and later owned and operated Malikkaat, a retail store in Iqaluit which sold Inuit arts and crafts.<ref name=nnews>{{cite web |title=Malikkaat: For all things Inuit |url=http://www.nunatsiaq.com/archives/61110/news/features/61110_01.html |publisher=[[Nunatsiaq News]]|date=November 10, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090418161203/http://www.nunatsiaq.com/archives/61110/news/features/61110_01.html |archive-date=April 18, 2009}},</ref> She was later reappointed as acting commissioner in December 2007 after the resignation of then Languages Commissioner, Johnny Kusugak.<ref name="CBC"/>

She also served as coordinator of the Baffin Divisional Education Council's Inuktitut language book publishing program,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://socrates.acadiau.ca/COURSES/pols/nunavut@5/aariak.htm |title=Biographies: Eva Aariak |website=Nunavut @ Five |archive-date=July 6, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706164106/http://socrates.acadiau.ca/COURSES/pols/nunavut%405/aariak.htm}}</ref> as president of the Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce<ref>[http://www.baffinchamber.ca/ Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce]</ref>{{Better source needed|date=May 2020}} and as chair of the Nunavut Film Development Corporation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gov.nu.ca/news/2006/nov/nov24.pdf |title=Nunavut Film Makers Receive Support for Projects |publisher=Nunavut Film Development Corporation |date=November 24, 2006 |archive-date=March 20, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090320051733/http://www.gov.nu.ca/news/2006/nov/nov24.pdf}}</ref>

Her daughter Karliin was named Nunavut's new languages commissioner in 2020.<ref>[https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/karliin-aariak-to-be-named-nunavut-languages-commissioner/ "Karliin Aariak to be named Nunavut languages commissioner"]. ''[[Nunatsiaq News]]'', February 3, 2020.</ref>

==Political career==
Aariak was the only woman elected to the Legislative Assembly in the 2008 election. She subsequently expressed her disappointment with that fact, suggesting that improved [[daycare]] services in Nunavut might be needed to help women participate more actively in the political process<ref>[http://nnsl.com/northern-news-services/stories/papers/nov3_08iqheds.html "Daycare needed to tip scales, says sole female MLA"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714190456/http://nnsl.com/northern-news-services/stories/papers/nov3_08iqheds.html |date=2011-07-14 }}, [[Northern News Services]], November 3, 2008.</ref> and that the territory should revisit the failed proposal to have a smaller number of electoral districts, each of which would choose one man and one woman as MLAs.<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/reconsider-gender-parity-says-lone-female-nunavut-mla-1.725649 "Reconsider gender parity, says lone female Nunavut MLA"], [[cbc.ca]], October 29, 2008</ref>

Two other women, [[Jeannie Ugyuk]] and [[Monica Ell-Kanayuk]], were subsequently elected to the legislature in [[by-election]]s.

At the Nunavut Leadership Forum on November 14, 2008, Aariak was chosen as the new premier over incumbent [[Paul Okalik]] and MLA [[Tagak Curley]].<ref>[https://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5gbolJ2f76GzKY319tDBpKi-vh6IQ "Eva Aariak chosen by MLAs as Nunavut's new premier and first woman leader"]{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, [[Canadian Press]], November 14, 2008</ref> She was the sixth woman, after [[Rita Johnston]], [[Nellie Cournoyea]], [[Christy Clark]], [[Catherine Callbeck]] and [[Pat Duncan]], to hold a premiership in Canada, and the sixth female First Minister in the country, including former Prime Minister [[Kim Campbell]].

On September 5, 2013, Aariak announced that while she would seek re-election as an MLA for the new electoral district of [[Iqaluit-Tasiluk]] in the [[2013 Nunavut general election|2013 election]], she was not interested in the second term as premier when the new Legislative Assembly took office.<ref name="2013elect">[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/eva-aariak-won-t-seek-2nd-term-as-nunavut-premier-1.1340165 Eva Aariak won't seek 2nd term as Nunavut premier]. [[CBC News]], September 5, 2013.</ref> On October 28, 2013, Aariak was not re-elected as an MLA, losing by 43 votes to [[George Hickes (Nunavut politician)|George Hickes]].<ref>[https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/10/29/nunavut_premier_loses_seat_by_43_votes.html "Nunavut premier loses seat by 43 votes"]. ''[[Toronto Star]]'', October 29, 2013.</ref>

She was appointed a [[Order of Canada|Member of the Order of Canada]] on November 19, 2018, for her dedication to promoting [[Inuit culture]] and [[Inuit languages|languages]], as well as her political impacts regarding poverty reduction and the promotion of equity and gender equality.<ref>[https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/146-3300 "Ms. Eva Aariak: Order of Canada"]. ''[[Order of Canada]]'', November 19, 2018.</ref>

== Honours and awards ==
{|
|+Ribbon Bar of Eva Aariak
![[File:CAN Order of Canada Member ribbon.svg|100x100px]]
|[[File:CAN Order of Nunavut ribbon.svg|100x100px]]
|[[File:QEII_Diamond_Jubilee_Medal_ribbon.svg|98x98px]]
|[[File:UK_King_Charles_III_Coronation_Medal_BAR.svg|100x100px]]
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|Ribbon
|Description
|Post-nominal letters
|Notes
|-
|[[File:CAN Order of Canada Member ribbon.svg|100x100px]]
|Member of the [[Order of Canada]]
|CM
|<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Biography |language=en |access-date=2024-05-26 |website=Commissioner of Nunavut |url=http://www.commissioner.gov.nu.ca/en/bio.aspx}}</ref>
|-
|[[File:CAN Order of Nunavut ribbon.svg|100x100px]]
|Member of the [[Order of Nunavut]]
|ONu
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
|[[File:QEII_Diamond_Jubilee_Medal_ribbon.svg|98x98px]]
|[[Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal]]
|
|<ref name=":0" /> Canadian version
|-
|[[File:UK_King_Charles_III_Coronation_Medal_BAR.svg|100x100px]]
|[[King Charles III Coronation Medal]]
|
|Canadian version
|}

==Notes==
{{refbegin}}
* {{note|1|a}} Aariak is occasionally seen as '''Arreak''', which was the original spelling and was due to non-Inuit mishearing the pronunciation of names.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.turtletrack.org/Issues02/Co07132002/CO_07132002_Nunavut_names.htm |title=In Old Names, a Legacy Reclaimed |access-date=2008-11-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150517023601/http://www.turtletrack.org/Issues02/Co07132002/CO_07132002_Nunavut_names.htm |archive-date=2015-05-17 |url-status=usurped }}</ref>
{{refend}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{official website|http://www.commissioner.gov.nu.ca/}}

{{CanViceroy}}
{{Commissioners of Nunavut}}
{{NUPremiers}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aariak, Eva}}
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Premiers of Nunavut]]
[[Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian women politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century indigenous leaders of the Americas]]
[[Category:21st-century Inuit women]]
[[Category:Female first ministers of Canada]]
[[Category:Canadian Inuit women]]
[[Category:Inuit politicians]]
[[Category:Women MLAs in Nunavut]]
[[Category:People from Iqaluit]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of Canada]]
[[Category:Inuit from the Northwest Territories]]
[[Category:Inuit from Nunavut]]
[[Category:People from Arctic Bay]]
[[Category:Commissioners of Nunavut]]
[[Category:20th-century Inuit women]]
[[Category:21st-century Inuit people]]
[[Category:20th-century Inuit people]]