Hon. Leona Aglukkaq PC, has spent many years serving her community, Territory and her Country in various capacities. Prior to entering politics, she served as the Deputy Minister for the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth for the Government of Nunavut. In this capacity she worked with extraordinary people to preserve and promote the Inuit culture, traditional knowledge, language and art. In 2004 she decided to put her name forward to run in the Territorial election for the Nattilik riding and was elected and appointed Minister of Finance and House Leader and later Minister of Health and Social Services and Status of Women.
In 2008 she decided to leave Territorial politics and ran for the Federal riding of Nunavut and was elected. She became the first Inuk in Canadian history to be appointed as a Federal Minister. She served as the Minister of Health (Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Institute of Health Research) and Regional Minister for the North. In 2011, she was reassigned to the portfolios of Minister of Environment (Parks Canada), Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, Regional Minister for the North and Minister of the Arctic Council.
Despite the challenge of being from a remote region of the country she demonstrated considerable determination and passion to make a meaningful contribution to public life on behalf of all Canadians but at the forefront of her public life, her heart always remained in addressing the challenges faced by Indigenous People and the opportunities.
Currently she serves on various Boards in the private sector.