Aluki Kotierk, president of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., looks towards Marc Miller, Minister of Crown–Indigenous Relations, as they make an announcement, in Ottawa, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023. The organization responsible for enrolling Inuit under the Nunavut agreement says it has removed twin sisters from its enrolment list. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
IQALUIT, Nunavut – The organization responsible for enrolling Inuit under the Nunavut Agreement says it has removed twin sisters from its list in what is calls a first-of-its-kind case.
Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated announced on March 30 it was investigating alleged fraud involving the enrolment of Nadya and Amira Gill.
The organization says the women were enrolled in 2016 after their mother claimed she adopted them from an Inuk woman.
That woman’s family recently disputed the claim and says they have no biological relationship to the twins.
The organization says the twins did not respond when asked to provide evidence they have an Inuk birth parent, and it has also asked the RCMP to investigate.
Neither sister responded to requests for comment and the allegations against them have not been proven in court.
The Nunavut Agreement is the largest Indigenous land claim settlement in Canada.
Registering under the agreement grants Inuit benefits and rights, including health care and use of Inuit-owned lands.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 13, 2023.
