Makivik saddened by the passing of Greg Fisk

Kuujjuaq, Nunavik-December 2, 2015 Makivik Corporation is sad to hear one of its negotiators from the 1975 James Bay Northern Quebec Agreement is dead.

Greg Fisk, 70 year old, was found dead in his home in Juneau Alaska this week. He was a negotiator for Makivik’s predecessor the Northern Quebec Inuit Association in the early 1970’s and helped to negotiate Canada’s first comprehensive land claims agreement.

The Inuit of Nunavik are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the agreement.

Senator Charlie Watt was then the President of the Northern Quebec Inuit Association. He hired Greg Fisk during a trip to Alaska to study the Alaskan Eskimo Land Claims in the early 1970’s.

“I’m in shock . When I met Greg more than 40 years ago I saw a person who was motivated and not a submissive person. He’s definitely in the history books of the Inuit of Nunavik,”says Mr Watt.

Jobie Tukkiapik, President of Makivik says it’s a sad day for Nunavik and Quebec.

“Many of our youth are just learning about the trail blazers who negotiated our land claims agreement in 1975. To hear one of the negotiators has died during this time is unexpected and we want his family in Alaska to know his legacy in Canada will live on.”

Makivik Corporation released a documentary movie last month about a group of young Inuit who took on Quebec and Hydro Quebec in the 1970’s that made Nunavik into what it is today. Greg Fisk flew to Montreal last summer for the filming, a lasting showing of his legacy.

For more information contact:

William Tagoona
Communications Coordinator and Media Relations
wtagoona@makivik.org
819-964-2925

NT5