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Welcome to a unique part of the Makivvik website. This is what we’re calling the “Makivvik Employment Universe”, and just like the universe, ours is always expanding as well.
Before we get into the various parts of our universe, if you’re here to look for our career listings this link will get you there
Our Story: The Fight for Inuit Rights
Makivvik’s roots go back to the early 1970s, when a group of young Inuit leaders formed the Northern Quebec Inuit Association (NQIA) to fight against Hydro-Québec’s James Bay project. They took the battle to court—and won—forcing Quebec and Canada to negotiate a treaty. This led to the signing of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA) on November 11, 1975.
But the agreement was signed under immense pressure. Our leaders faced an impossible choice: accept foreign laws that disrupted Inuit land and culture or risk losing everything. The JBNQA changed our lives forever.
Makivvik: Building on a Legacy
The signing of the JBNQA set in motion the creation of Makivvik and other regional organizations dedicated to protecting Inuit rights and working toward true self-determination. Our mission is clear: to reclaim the land and rivers taken from us, and to shape Nunavik’s future on our own terms. We work every day to ensure that Inuit traditions, values, and authority remain at the heart of our homeland.
Want to learn more about this history? Watch Napagunnaqullusi: So That You Can Stand
Navarana Kleist was born and raised in Kuujjuaq. She started at Makivvik in 2017 as Coastal Justice Committee Coordinator. Her career included stints at Saqijuq, Raglan Mines, and KI before returning to Makivvik in 2020 as Justice Initiative Coordinator.
The department supports Inuit in various stages of the justice system. “Inuit have always had their own sense of law. There’s history behind Inuit law.”
She is one of a handful of Makivvik employees taking a McGill University program – Public Administration and Governance - that will lead to a certificate.
She became Director of the Justice Department in 2021. On a typical workday, Navarana says, “It’s never a dull day, I can tell you that. I honestly never know what kind of email or phone call I’m going to get. On a regular day I’m pretty much in back to back meetings.”
“Inuit do have the capacity and power to accomplish anything and everything once they put their mind to it,” she says.
Your Future with Makivvik
There’s still so much to do, and we need passionate people like you to join us.
You don’t need a degree to make a difference—many of our founders didn’t have formal education, but they started something huge. With Makivvik, you can learn on the job, get training, and even earn academic certificates.
Start small. Go big. Get your foot in the door with a summer job—it could lead to something much bigger