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November 24, 2006

Makivik ignorant of Nunavik beneficiaries in Montreal

In April of this year, Nunavik beneficiaries heard from Quebec, the Raglan Mine, and the Makivik Corp. that healthy amounts of money will go to all beneficiaries this year and that Nunavik is getting $9.3 million from its profit-sharing deal with the Raglan mine.

According to Makivik, all the Nunavik beneficiaries received some money through the co-ops or by cheque – except for Inuit in Montreal who are beneficiaries.

Inuit Montrealers like myself who have lived at least five years in Montreal are still partly beneficiaries, even though we may not be working for Inuit organizations. On behalf of Inuit living in Montreal, I decided to write to Nunatsiaq News to speak for them about Makivik’s ignorance of those Inuit Montrealers.

Inuit beneficiaries in Montreal need to be heard on how difficult it is to live in the city. Some Inuit in the city may be collecting welfare or working for non-Inuit employers here or anywhere else in Canada.

More and more Inuit have decided to live in the cities, especially Montreal, not knowing what their future will hold, and consequently, homelessness and addiction become the only solutions.

I myself ask: when will Inuit Montrealers get what they deserve? Is it so hard to understand that some Inuit moved to the cities because there is no housing? Is it so hard to understand that so many women moved to southern cities because they were abused by their husbands? Isn’t it time to clean up the mess in Nunavik caused by all the abuse that is going on?

I am trying to get us Montrealers recognized by Makivik since we have not been treated fairly or equally, although we are beneficiaries.

What I’m trying to say is that Inuit beneficiaries in Montreal need help socially. They have needs, such as a place for women to start step-by-step in dealing with their past abusive relationships and addictions.

I’m writing this because I feel isolated from my own governmental organizations. We Montrealers need help and I am speaking for them that it is very difficult to find jobs here because of language or lack of education.

Some become drug dealers because of the lack of jobs. And some have tried to work, but only get fired because of behavioral problems. I myself would like my own child to have a better future with the organizations in Nunavik.

Raingi Uqaittuq
Montreal

November 24, 2006

Thank you to Iqaluit

As we celebrate and honour children at home and abroad today on National Child Day, I would like to thank Canadians for their heartfelt and generous support of children worldwide.

National Child Day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of the Child on this day in 1959, and the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989. On this special day, I applaud and encourage Canadians to continue to be engaged in initiatives to improve the lives of all children. I would like to especially thank the 82 donors in Iqaluit, who are among 218 Nunavut donors and 566,084 Canadian donors supporting children through World Vision Canada.

Your continued support helps to give these children the basic rights and privileges that we are embracing today on National Child Day – the right to be free from exploitation, the right to education, health care and economic opportunity, and most importantly, the right to life in all its fullness.

It is uplifting to know that so many Canadians are doing their part to help children in a world where more than 10.5 million children under the age of five die of hunger and preventable diseases each year. For those children around the globe whose futures are brighter because of your generosity, thank you.

Dave Toycen
President & CEO, World Vision Canada

November 24, 2006

Elders buy own heating fuel

Last year I learned that the elders of Bay Chimo were paying for their own heating costs for homes that were given to them by the Government of Nunavut.

It is my understanding that the elders were asked to pay about $170 per barrel for heating fuel, which only lasted about a week. With the rising price of fuel, they are now paying about $245 dollars per barrel. They were told to pay for their fuel and keep receipts, as they would be reimbursed in the future once the politicians decide how to treat this matter.

It has been one year and nothing is being done to help these elders. Their only source of income is old age pension, which is clearly not enough to assist them in heating their homes. They don’t have enough money to heat their homes and no one is doing anything about this situation.

I am asking our leaders in government to look into this matter. The elders are entitled to be reimbursed for the cost of purchasing their own fuel for the past year and they also need to be given some sort of fuel subsidy to help them live in their home town.

This is a very urgent matter because they are unable to continue heating their homes and will be forced to move. There is not enough housing in Cambridge Bay or Kugluktuk as it is, so where will these elders go? We all know there is a shortage of housing in Nunavut already, and the last thing we need is elders with nowhere to go.

Please lets not let our elders suffer anymore, I am pleading with someone to take charge and assist them.

Rosabelle Aknavigak
Cambridge Bay

November 24, 2006

Thank you for helping family

We would like to show our gratitude in this letter of thanksgiving.

On Oct. 31, 2006 our mother was making popcorn for Halloween, unfortunately, her popcorn maker caught fire and destroyed her home and belongings.

We, as a family, have been awed by all the giving that people have showed. It is beyond words.

We thank you for your prayers, thoughts, and giving.

We thank each and everyone of you donors to the loonie-toonie sale, and those who bought all those raffle tickets.

We would like to name all the people, but if you do not see your name, we will not forget you. We thank each and every person in our community of Pangnirtung.

Thanks again to: Samo Arnakaq, Daisy Dialla, Lucy Young, Meeka Alivaktuk, Dave Goulding, Sheila Kilabuk, Leah Naulalik Kilabuk, Henry Poisey, Attagoyuk School and staff, Alookie School and staff, Lena Angnako, Geela Akulukjuk, Parks Staff, GN staff, Mary Ann Mike, Julia Tautuajuk, Pangnirtung Housing Association, Pangnirtung firefighters, Oloota Noah, QIA, Malaya Akulukjuk, Marlene Arnakaq, Rebecca Kanayuk, Daisy Keenainak, Becky Akulukjuk, Margaret Nakashuk, Jeannie Alivaktuk, Raygelee Angnako, the people of Qikiqtarjuaq, Elisapee Kopalee, Lucy Netser, Tina Eetuk, the people of Coral Harbour, Roposie Alivaktuk, the Hamlet of Pangnirtung, the Pangnirtung hunters and trappers, Leetia Kilabuk, Ann Marlene Kilabuk, the women’s Auxilliary, Jose Pootoogook, Lena Metuq, Pangnirtung health centre staff, Annie Ittoshat, Alice Ittoshat, Georgina Baldwin, the Pangnirtung Co-op, MLA Peter Kilabuk, your families, and the whole town.

Thank you, may God bless each and everyone of you.You brought light and hope and the love of God.

From the family of Mosesie
and Oleepa Qappik
Pangnirtung

November 17, 2006

Men’s health project at BCC a success

I’m a recent nursing graduate from the Nunavut Nursing Program and hope to be nursing in Nunavut very soon.

I would like to thank people in my community who were instrumental in helping me with a health promotion project that I completed this past spring for the Katak Program at Baffin Correctional Centre. This was a project that I completed through my health promotion course in the nursing program.

The focus of this project was to promote men’s health, specifically through education about healthy lifestyle management, adequate nutrition, screening for disease, and prevention of diseases through health teachings and behaviours.

The workshops for the participants were tailored to their level of understanding with presentations, videos, and written material taught in English and Inuktitut. Providing culturally appropriate health information was a key factor in delivery of this project.

The topics that were covered were: Hypertension – what is high blood pressure? (prevention, teaching and screening); sexual health ( prostate and testicular cancer and self-examination techniques, sexually transmitted infections, prevention, screening, signs and symptoms) and overall, who to ask or approach about their health concerns.

This type of learning environment also supported an interactive way for the participants to learn and ask questions about their health.

Qujannamiik, thank you, to Jim Curry of Iqaliut Enterprises who generously donated about $200 worth of country food from his store, along with nutritional information fact sheets for distribution. Qujanamiimarialuk!! The food was so tasty!

Your donation helped me to promote healthy lifestyle and diabetes and hypertension prevention using the Nunavut Food Guide for the group that I was teaching. This was the most enjoyable part of the project!

Kelly Loubert was the Tobacco Reduction Coordinator with Health and Social Services who provided me with tobacco reduction kits free of charge. Every participant really enjoyed all of the health promotion goodies in this bag and will help those who want to quit smoking or stay smoke free.

Lastly, I’d like to thank Sue Strader, the institutional nurse at the Baffin Correctional Centre, for her support as well as Todd Slaney, the case worker for the Kataq Program at BCC, who also helped me to identify some of the learning needs of this special group, and finally John Fuller, who was involved in evaluation of the project.

The participants expressed appreciation for these sessions and walked away with a better understanding of various aspects of their health.

This was an excellent learning experience and I hope that community organizations and the government continue to support health promotion activities in their communities.

Thank you all for your much needed support. You’ve helped a group of people learn how to become healthier through your support.

Becky Lonsdale
Iqaluit

November 17, 2006

Governments deserve praise for syllabic materials

I think a huge vote of appreciation is due to all those Government departments and agencies who work diligently to insure that information materials are available in English, Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun and French across Nunavut.

This morning I went looking for teaching materials for young adults working to enhance their abilities in syllabics.

Visits to just two Government of Nunavut offices and one federal government office here in Iqaluit turned up class sets or partial class sets of more than a dozen different 100 per cent syllabic orthography Inuktitut documents.

The business plans of the Government of Nunavut are available in syllabics either in hard copy or on line. The business plans run to nearly 350 pages. For anyone studying Inuktitut what a fantastic resource for both the study of the syllabics orthography and the information content of this document.

I hope our teachers working at the senior high school level are aware that the Government of Nunavut and Canada are wonderful resources for materials in the languages of Nunavut. Best of all, these are prepared for adults, so are very suitable for use with our older high school students and are available free for the asking!

Thanks for this continued commitment to the preparation of these materials by our territorial and federal governments!

T. Bert Rose
Iqaluit

November 17, 2006

Response to Jack Anawak’s letter

I like the points that Jack Anawak brought up in his letter (Nunatsiaq News, September 29) about how women in Nunavut are being let down by this government, both federal and territorial.

I think that our school system should have some kind of programs early on, teaching subjects like anger management, mutual respect and the old concept of co-operation between men and women that was essential to Inuit culture.

They should teach life skills in general, instead of the crap on television that I see, which seems to glorify violence toward women and show younger women accepting this as normal, lowering their self-esteem, therefore making the younger males think this is cool and acceptable.

Well, it’s not and unless they’re shown differently, it will continue.

As Jack said, these are our mothers, daughters, aunts, nieces, cousins, taking this abuse. Let’s try harder to change things. Quana.

Howie Jones
Cambridge Bay

November 17, 2006

All DMs and ADMs should resign?

Let me applaud the GN Department of Health and Social Services’ new recruitment and retention strategy.

Last week’s letter to the editor from Clara Evalik gives the undeniable message that non-beneficiaries are not wanted. Those who are robbing the Inuit who solely deserve these opportunities should tender their resignations and allow the millions of dollars, and I mean millions they are being paid to be returned to the Inuit.

I would like to thank Ms. Evalik for finally having the guts to do something about this horrendous injustice and this blatant mis-hiring of non-beneficiaries into jobs with decision-making power.

It is time we beneficiaries took a stand and make it known that this is unacceptable! The hiring of people who are obviously not qualified to hold these positions and who make poor decisions on our behalf, must be stopped.

We will be expecting a number of high-placed officials to tender their resignations immediately. Let’s start with the DMs, ADMs, then the directors, managers, etc. You are holding positions of power and do not have the permission of the people of Nunavut to do so.

Let all qualified beneficiaries step forward to claim these decision-making power positions. After all, an injustice has been done. (Note: Only those beneficiaries who are proficient in both spoken and written Inuktitut need apply).

(Name withheld please)
Iqaluit

November 10, 2006

Arvaluk election a farce

The election of James Arvaluk clearly proves there is a big problem with the whole voting system in Nunavut.

I simply cannot believe we have a convicted criminal holding a seat in this territory. Gee, how nice it is that Arvaluk feels the past is behind him and he can simply skip merrily along on his way.

I wish the same were true for the victims of his crimes. Arvaluk may represent the constituents of Tunnuniq riding, but he obviously can’t get it through his head that as an elected official he also represents all Nunavummiut.

After reading an interview with Arvaluk in another newspaper I found myself becoming increasingly angered and frustrated at the man’s arrogance.

Will he meet with the Qullit Council for the status of women? Of course not. Then he would be held accountable for his actions and oh my, we can’t have that now, can we? I hope he realizes that all of Nunavut, not just residents of Pond Inlet, are watching him.

I throw out an open challenge for Arvaluk to come and speak with my social studies class in Arctic Bay on the importance of honesty and trust in our elected officials.

Perhaps he may also want to speak to the young women in my class about the importance of treating woman as people and not as chattels. If he doesn’t show up... the man is a coward. You can’t hide on election day.

Darcy Steele
Arctic Bay

November 10, 2006

Zero tolerance for violence in Nunavut?

This letter is in support of Jack Anawak’s letter to the editor, a couple of weeks ago, challenging our members of the Legislative Assembly to speak out and establish zero-tolerance for violence against women.

On Oct. 31, 2006 I read in the Globe and Mail, an article by Kirk Makin, justice reporter, that “residents of the Canadian North are three times more likely to be victims of sexual assault, physical assault or robbery than their southern counterparts — yet they are no more likely to report these crimes to police, a Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics study has found.”

The traditional Inuit culture taught against wife beating. My father taught me “never to beat your wife.” My father was a very wise and knowledgeable elder in the outpost of Naujaat-Repulse Bay in the 1950s and 1960s.

I disagree with my fellow-Inuit who say, it is in our culture to beat women. I ask, where in the world, did you grow up?

Nunavut society must make a greater effort to address the issue of physical violence against women and the reasons behind the anger that is expressed in this way.

The Inuit leadership, members of the Legislative Assembly, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., and regional Inuit organizations should begin talking about this and finding ways to stop it. Municipal leaders should also talk about it and discuss ways to stop it at the community level.

Those of us who are sitting on the sidelines can speak about it publicly, but the leadership of Nunavut, should have the guts to discuss it and only you have the authority to help stop it.

This issue is about rights of individuals. No one has a right to live in fear for the rest of his or her lives. No one has a right to bully another person. Our elected leaders should start making members’ statements inside the Legislative Assembly to establish a zero-tolerance for violence against women.

The creation of Nunavut was to have helped reduce stress for all residents of Nunavut. It seems things have changed from the original dream of Nunavut.

Peter Irniq
Ottawa, Ont.

November 10, 2006

Qimaavik a vital safe haven

Thank you for writing about the financial tribulations of the women’s shelter.

The shelter is vital safe haven for mothers and children in a society with self respect.

Rannvá Erlingsdóttir Simonsen
Iqaluit

November 10, 2006

No jobs for beneficiaries?

I’m writing this because I finally have the guts to do it, about my concern for how our Inuit beneficiaries are not being hired for jobs throughout Nunavut, mainly jobs with decision-making authority.

If you take a good look throughout our government and our hamlets and communities, all positions with decision-making power are held by non-beneficiaries who continually make decisions on Nunavut’s behalf. I disagree with that.

It is time we beneficiaries took a stand and make it known that this is unacceptable! Nunavut was created to give opportunities to the beneficiaries of the Nunavut land claims agreement.

Governments at the federal, territorial, and municipal level are not holding to the agreement that was signed in 1993. We Inuit gave up a lot of land for promises that have not been kept by these governments and hamlets. I’m frustrated with how we continuously have to take a step back for non-beneficiaries who make poor decisions on our behalf.

Perhaps things would be different if our leaders in the legislative assembly, hamlet councils, Inuit associations and IPG’s realize the implications of hiring non-beneficiaries, and look out for the betterment of Inuit.

Your board, your government, or your council may have the prerogative to hire whoever they want. However, you are also robbing the Inuit who solely deserve these opportunities. Our beneficiaries are losing millions of dollars a year, and I mean millions, because our beneficiaries are not being hired into positions they solely deserve, be it entry level right up to management, and senior management.

Shouldn’t beneficiaries with the right qualifications, who know our communities and Nunavut as whole, possess that right to govern our people?

Why are we holding on to these individuals who make poor decisions for our communities? It has been 13 years since we signed our land claims agreement, and yes, we have made progress, but if we continue to hire non-beneficiaries for jobs, then our territory is not benefitting anyone, especially the Inuit.

Clara Evalik,
Iqaluit

November 10, 2006

Letter to Heritage Minister Bev Oda

This letter expresses our deep concern and disappointment at the government’s decision to withdraw its promise to increase funding to protect and enhance aboriginal language and culture.

In December 2002, Sheila Copps, then the minister of Canadian Heritage, announced an increase in funding of $162 to $170 million as a response to the threat of “loss of culture and language” as part of the settlement of the residential schools class action suit.

It is universally acknowledged that the government’s residential school system – regardless of what other abuses occurred – was expressly designed to cause aboriginal children to lose their language and culture. Now that the government publicly accepts responsibility for this tragic result, it would be irresponsible again to repeat the tragedy by reneging on its promise to increase funding to protect what language and culture remains today.

Igloolik Isuma Productions is Canada’s first Inuit film company dedicated to protection and enhancement of Inuit language and culture.

Our films including Atanarjuat The Fast Runner (2001) and The Journals of Knud Rasmussen, which was the opening night film at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival, introduced by you, make a national contribution to promoting aboriginal language and culture to a national and international audience.

We are proud to receive support from Telefilm Canada, Canada Council and other programs of your department. That makes it all the more shocking to discover that while we make small advances in the film industry, government is retreating from its larger promise to redress the deliberate effacement of language and culture over many years.

We urge you and your Prime Minister to honour the promise made by the minister in December 2002, and honour the aboriginal people and cultures of Canada by keeping this modest but necessary promise today.

Norman Cohn
Zacharias Kunuk O.C.
Igloolik Isuma Productions
Igloolik

Editor’s note: Of the $172.5 million announced in December of 2002, $12.5 million has been spent: $2.5 million for a language and culture task force, and $5 million to the Aboriginal Languages Initiative for each of the fiscal years 2003-04 and 2004-05. The remaining $160 million was held for the creation of an aboriginal languages centre. Oda’s Heritage Department removed that money from their budget, replacing it with $40 million over eight years in “guaranteed” funding.

November 3, 2006

Opposed to Tory cuts

It is not right that the Government of Canada cut most of the needed funding for Nunavummiut across the North. All the people of Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut who use those programs use them because they need them to succeed in a healthier life style. Our premiers know this.

Since the visits to Iqaluit and a few other communities in the North, your government has cut funding all over the place, monies that help Nunavummiut, Nunatsiamiut and Yukonmiut.

After you saw the happy faces greeting you and the other dignitaries, you should know we are and probably will always be like that, but that does not mean we are rich in resources, money and infrastructure; you probably thought that funding for the social programs is not needed here so you cut them. Shame on you.

This cutting of funds always seems to happen only after special important dignitaries and officials visit the North and see happy people. The very same people greeting all of you who are “happy” to see them, maybe to see that you, the decision makers, can help out in each region.

When being greeted by Canadians, would you rather see happy people or would you like to be greeted by faces that look otherwise, who really need your support and assistance to carry on living a healthier life style? Do you need to see the actual overcrowding of houses, the overcrowded outpatients area, the homeless, and the number of people who use social assistance within the community?

Do you need to see this in order to continue the funding to northern Canadians? As well, your government is activating the long time unused military buildings in the North and you are still cutting the funds that are used to assist in helping out your staff? Are the northerners supposed to cater to your military people in the state of social living conditions and lack of training the northerners already do not have?

Yes, some of the northerners own their own homes and are doing well, but they had to work hard to get to that point. The Inuit of the North, if not working, live from carving sales or social assistance with the housing and hydro being subsidized.

As stated in many reports on social issues such as housing, they have found there is a lot of overcrowding leading to sicknesses, alcohol and drug abuse, family violence and the biggest problem, as you all may have read in the statistics, suicide.

If the Conservative government can cut the plan that was created at Kelowna, they can cut all the aboriginal funding just like in the United States. I believe that all the people of the North should re-think who they vote for in the next federal election.

Mary Alainga-Fraser
Ottawa

November 3, 2006

Nanook school thanks Santa

Does a school receive an early magnanimous gift? Yes, it does!

Shawn Thomas of Iqaluit was Santa Claus to Nanook School. His magnificent gift of high quality photocopying paper is deeply appreciated by the children and teachers of Nanook School. His charming elf, Walter Hess, assisted Santa in delivering this gift, worth more than $5,000.

Our thankful words are a mere expression of our gratitude. Shawn and Walter know how our hearts feel. Thank You!

Teachers and Students of Nanook School
Iqaluit

November 3, 2006

Alberta school kids want to talk to Iqaluit class

We are a Grade 1, 2 and 3 class in Whitelaw, Alberta.  Our school is located in a small rural community and has a population of 43 students. 

We are presently learning about Iqaluit in Social Studies and would love to hook up with a Grade 1 or 2 class in Iqaluit. 

Would you be able to point us in the right direction?

Paula Smith
cp.smith@telus.net
Teacher, Grades 1, 2 and 3
Whitelaw, Alta.

November 3, 2006

Roman orthography could save Inuktitut

I do some translations from Inuktitut to English. I enjoy doing the work wholeheartedly. I feel that I’m preserving the language when I do some translations.

I believe the only way to preserve the Inuktitut language is to stop using syllabics and just simplify it and use Roman orthography, much like our neighbors, the people from Greenland. They are more fluent in their Inuktitut language and still use most of the original Inuktitut words. Both Inuit and non-Inuit are very fluent in Inuktitut in those communities.

The Roman Catholic missionaries were very fluent in Inuktitut and were more eager to learn, because they were using the Roman orthography writing system, which they could actually read and learn on their own.

If the Government of Nunavut wants to promote our Inuktitut language to the next level, they should honestly strike out all the syllabics that a guy named Edmund Peck created. It could also save the GN a lot of money by cutting the cost of Inuktitut publications without trying to keep up with the Inuktitut fonts in computers.

The Inuktitut language would again become more popular within both the Inuit communities and of those non-Inuit alike. It would open doors for people who want to learn the Inuktitut language; it would definitely be more convenient for everyone.

I believe it could interest the young people and people who want to learn the language, both written and verbally. It could help with both the Inuktitut and English reading, because they are learning the same sounds and letters.

Almost everyone I know who is bilingual, prefers to read English text rather than Inuktitut syllabics, because it is much faster to read. Symbols and syllabics make it slower for the human brain to comprehend.

We could still preserve the Inuktitut language tradition with a different writing system.

Angela Nutarak
Iqaluit

November 3, 2006

Apathy played role in Arvaluk election

Those of us with some sense of political acumen knew that, should this candidate win, that this is exactly what would happen. Nothing but bad news about Pond Inlet. (Letter to the Editor, Oct. 27, “Do Pond Inlet voters feel the shame?”)

Voter apathy is partially to blame, as over 200 voters did not bother to vote. Unlike a lot of opinions related to the election of this man, we the voters who voted for other candidates, must now live with our peers’ choice. Even with all of the political backlash, what is poignant to me is that over 200 voters were willing to live with the consequences of their actions.

Far be it from me to say to them “I told you so,” but this was a by-election and for only a two-year period.

Perhaps the voters preferred the MLA’s experience over his sordid past since it will only be for two years. I cannot speak for those voters, but I wanted to respond to the Iqaluit concerned citizen and state that, just like Iqaluit and other places, the most qualified individual does not always win.

After all, it is not sports but politics, thus whoever convinces the most people will be elected.

Malachi Arreak
Pond Inlet

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