Herb Nakimayak elected president of Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada

Herb Nakimayak elected president of Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada

Nakimayak was previously serving as the acting president of the organization

Herb Nakimayak was elected president of the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) Canada in Iqaluit on Tuesday.

Nakimayak, originally from Paulatuk, N.W.T., has been acting president of ICC Canada since September 2025. He was previously the ICC Canada's vice president from 2022.

He also held that position between 2014 and 2018, and was the MLA for the N.W.T. riding Nunakput from 2015 to 2019.

Nakimayak won with 11 of the 13 votes, defeating Kilikvak Kabloona, former chief executive officer of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated.

The victory comes after a lengthy voting process with electronic issues forcing attendees to go by paper.

“I don't take credit for nothing. But what I do is I look at the team around us and I want to continue to build ICC Canada strong with yourselves and your leadership and your direction,” he said after the results were announced.

"I want to say thank you all for your trust."

Nakimayak will be sworn into the role on Saturday with the rest of the executive council.

Iqaluit is hosting the ICC’s 15th General Assembly. According to the ICC website it’s an event that is held every four years and brings together the 66 Inuit delegates from Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland), Chukotka, Alaska, and Canada.