The federal government is planning to review how it has been doing on Inuit employment commitments under the Nunavut Agreement, according to a recent procurement posting.

A request for proposals from Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada is looking for someone to carry out an independent review of Article 23 of the agreement, which is meant to increase Inuit employment in government jobs in Nunavut.

The contract is worth up to $225,000 and would run until March 2027, with the option to extend. Bids were open until April 27.

The review would focus on what federal and territorial departments have done to increase Inuit employment between 2016 and 2023, and evaluate how those programs have worked

Whoever gets the contract would be expected to collect and analyze employment data, review programs and policies, and make recommendations based on what they find.

The procurement is also tied to the federal government’s Nunavut Directive, which is meant to increase Inuit participation in federal contracts and economic activity in the territory.

As part of that, bids will be partly judged on the bidder’s Inuit Benefits Plan, which is evaluated based on commitments around Inuit employment, ownership and local participation.

The Nunavut Agreement, signed in 1993, is one of Canada’s largest modern treaties and includes commitments related to land, governance and economic participation.

Inuit employment in the federal public service has been a long-standing issue. Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. has repeatedly raised concerns about gaps between hiring targets and actual representation, including in a 2023 arbitration case over whether governments are meeting their obligations under the Nunavut Agreement

Nearly half of Inuit say rising prices are affecting their ability to meet daily expenses, showing the broader economic pressures in the territory.

The contract also requires bidders to have experience in areas like Indigenous consultation, policy evaluation and Crown-Indigenous relations, as well as work related to employment practices in Nunavut.

The review is expected to lead to recommendations that could shape how the federal government approaches Inuit employment going forward. The ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

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