Ottawa, Ontario
Mr. Peter Irniq has occupied a number of senior positions within the Government of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. He is well-known for his knowledge of Inuit culture and the building of inuksuit. During the Year of the Veteran, Mr. Irniq was a member of the Aboriginal Veterans Working Group, which provided guidance to Veterans Affairs Canada in planning and organizing the Aboriginal Spiritual Journey which took place in October 2005. A significant component of this journey was the construction of an Inuksuk at the Juno Beach Centre in Normandy, France. Mr. Irniq was commissioned to build this tangible marker to recognize the contribution and sacrifice of Aboriginal Canadians who served during the Second World War.