Anawak, Jack - Suicide is Not the Inuit Way

7/29/2019 Anawak, Jack - Suicide is Not the Inuit Way

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http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/archives/nunavut021018/opinionEditorial/opinions.html Warning: include(/magma/users/u42/nunatsia/php/mainheader.php) [function.include]:failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/web/nunatsiaqonline/html/

archives/nunavut021018/opinionEditorial/opinions.html on line 25Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening '/magma/users/u42/nunatsia/php/mainheader.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/share/pear:/home/web/nunatsiaqonline/html/pub/php') in /home/web/nunatsiaqonline/html/archives/nunavut021018/opinionEditorial/opinions.html on line 25October 18, 2002Suicide is not the Inuit wayFrom Oct. 8 to 10, Jack Anawak, the minister of culture, language, elders and youth,

took part in an elders gathering in Igloolik. Below is an excerpt of a speech he gave onways elders can improve the lives of Inuit youth.The accumulation of strength, insight and wisdom gathered in this room todayrepresents the long and ongoing struggle for our people during challenging times tothink through things, to cope, to search for solutions, to keep peace, to guide, tomotivate each other and to cooperate to survive.These attitudes and behaviours were based on our cherished Inuit values and beliefsthat made clear to all that there was an "Inuit Way" that would see us through thedifficulties and keep us going until easier times came again. These values served to be

a calming influence that kept us all together, connected and moving forward. It is theonly way we could have survived.We progressed. We kept moving ahead, adapting, getting through hard times withpatience and forward thinking. We were successful in an environment that would havebeen too challenging for anyone else.People were told there would be hard times, that they would go through difficulties sothey would not think life would be easy. This understanding, aided by the Inuit copingstrategies, meant that they had a firm foundation to fall back on when situations werenot easy. They had the mind-set to cope, to get through it and to hold on to life.They were encouraged to take the long view, to know that in one way or other, thesituation would resolve itself or that other people could be counted on to help.They listened to elders speaking of hard times, how people managed to develop waysof working together, being creative and resourceful and overcoming adversity andhardship. They grew up knowing they were part of this rich history as a capable, caringand connected people.


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Survival at all levels and in all situations that is what was taught. We survived, wekept our eye on the future and did what we could to help others get there too. We have this rich history, these valuable traditions, these successful stories and

important memories, but today there is a deep uneasiness among our people and asense that these ways should continue to be passed on at all levels yet for manyreasons they are not.If we take a look at Nunavut today, there are many indicators that the social fabric in ourcommunities is crumbling that the problems people are facing as individuals, familiesand groups are becoming too large and are beginning to overwhelm them.Many people now feel these values and beliefs that kept us in harmony with oneanother are not being communicated regularly, clearly and loud enough to be heard byyouth.There is a great fear out there that the traditional leadership, that of the elders, ishesitant to step in and straighten everybody out by stating the rules that must befollowed if people are going to live in peace with each other.Young people complain that they are not really being taught the values and beliefs.Many report they do not know the Inuit way. Many are frightened that these new,challenging times need to be addressed by the elders who have previously faceddifficult times.Youth are hungry for help. They do not always say so. They do, however, speak of

feeling alone, disconnected and afraid.Under these conditions in the past, respected people, key influencers in the camps,would have known what to do and gone and done it.People would have been approached, guided, helped, listened to and provided withsurvival strategies to deal with their difficulties. They would have been closely monitoredby the group. They would have been intervened upon, challenged, strengthened,encouraged, comforted and motivated.Older people knew back then that it was their job to provide help when help was

needed. It is therefore quite noticeable now that something has changed. Rather thanactively encouraging living, we seem to be surrounded by death and our people arequitting life.Something is going on in Nunavut. Inuit are choosing to give up, to escape theirproblems and die.


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Our young people are deciding, without us, not to cope, not to work through theirproblems, not to reach out for help and, worst of all, not to live.Fear is gaining a grip. Some are simply beginning to accept this strange behaviourpattern rather than organizing to do something about it. Young Inuit are beginning to

define themselves by this kind of thinking. As the numbers grow and the death tollmounts, some who dont know any better are starting to think this is normal, when thereis nothing normal about it.You know that and I know that. However, young people do not know that giving in totheir problems is not the Inuit way.Why dont they know? The answer is simple: because we are not working hard enoughto reach them, to teach them, to comfort them and to provide them with the values andbeliefs that are based on living and surviving hard times. They are beginning toinfluence each other in these new, deadly behaviours because we have not gone out

there to stop them, to show them the Inuit way of coping.Many people blame changing times and being exposed to many different mixedmessages from other cultures, but I believe the problem is much simpler. If we do notpass on the knowledge of how to survive, if we do not fight back against death, if we donot become forceful in our teachings, and if we sit back and expect someone else thenurse, the social worker, the counsellor to do it for us, we give up our responsibilityand our place as older people.We blamed the governments. We blamed TV. We blamed rock music. We blamedwhoever we could find. We did not always stop and think what it was we werent doing

ourselves that may be the problem.We sometimes thought money could fix it, that programs and projects could fix it, thatsomehow they could make death stop. We always looked outward for solutions ratherthan looking inward to our own knowledge base, to our own teachings, our ownterminology and to our own understanding.We have made mistakes of thinking schools should teach it or cultural projects shouldbe doing it or someone else, somewhere else should be addressing this.We forgot how people learn best from those they know, from those they trust, from

those who have been through the things they speak about. In that regard, older Inuit arethe best and the most natural teachers to guide our young people away from choosingdeath over life.The tears we shed over every suicide will not make things right. Our pain will not makedeath stop. Living in fear will not make the problem go away. Staying silent about theproblem will not make it stop happening. Being afraid to do our job will not help.


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Younger Inuit need to see around them people who are calm, involved with them andable to reassure them that they will get through the hard times. We cannot continue tofail them by being unsure, confused or hesitant to do this.We must start to share with them the unique words and phrases that were used in our

language that were effective, which counselled others. We must use, once again, theInuktitut ways and actively tell the stories of facing all difficulties and overcoming them. We must not be shy or afraid to challenge them to live. We must promote Inuit pride. We must win them back and demonstrate in our words, inour stories, in our art, our songs and our daily discussion with them how we arecapable, caring people they should be proud to be a part of. We must learn that talking only among ourselves keeps us far way from them. We mustdevelop a new way of seeking them out on an ongoing basis, finding ways to approach

them and hold their attention.I know we are not used to taking a loud stand with other people. We like to wait to beinvited or we prefer to be approached. But in times like these, where our younggeneration is dying, we have to get used to moving quickly and in newer, more activeand direct ways to get the message out that it is not the Inuit way.TOPOctober 4, 2002Literacy development begins at home All parents can help their children succeedKIM CROCKATTLiteracy is a complicated issue. Nunavut has a full Kindergarten to Grade 12 schoolsystem, dedicated teachers, a good college system with Adult Basic Upgrading andother literacy programs.Why then do we still have such low literacy levels?It is easy to blame these problems on our formal education system or by blaming people

themselves for their own disadvantages. However, this blame would be sorelymisguided.Language- and literacy-rich environments at home are the most significant factors inhelping to promote childrens reading competence. Homes with a variety of readingmaterial available and children with parents who read to them and who read themselvesare major factors in improving literacy levels.


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Research also shows that reading patterns are well-established by the age of nine.Given this, it is clear that the earlier the intervention, the better.Literacy skill development begins during infancy. As our parents talk to us, read to usand sing to us, we develop the language and literacy skills that we will need in order to

become strong readers and analytical thinkers. When we grow up in homes with literateparents, surrounded by books, healthy food, stable relationships and opportunities totravel and explore, we are able to develop the basic literacy skills we need in order tosucceed in school.Canadians who have grown up with literate parents who have encouraged them andtaught them to read may have difficulty understanding why other parents arent able tohelp their children. Poverty plays a significant role in literacy development. Children whogrow up in families where inadequate food and shelter is an on-going issue willundoubtedly have difficulty learning. Books, magazines and other reading materials areexpensive in the North and not all communities have access to public libraries.Literacy is not just a Nunavut problem; it is a wide-spread, national problem. On anational level, 22 per cent of Canadians have serious literacy challenges. Another 26per cent do not have the skills they need in order to participate in the new, knowledgeeconomy.There are things that parents, and we as citizens of Nunavut, can do to help improveliteracy levels. However, people must understand literacy and see it as the education,health and wellness issue that it is.Parents need to know that whether they can read or not, whether they can speak

English or Inuktitut they can help their children succeed. Nunavut Literacy Week is apart of this on-going promotion and education. Social change takes time, but if wecontinue to promote and educate, we will make change at the individual, family andcommunity level.Nunavut Literacy Week is about celebrating reading, celebrating the rich oral traditionsof Nunavummiut, and most of all, about promoting a love of reading, learning andunderstanding in all of our languages and cultures.If each of us can use this week to celebrate literacy by reading to a child, donatingbooks to a womans shelter and volunteering to help in our childs classroom rather than

trying to affix blame, then we will have accomplished what we set out to do.Kim Crockatt is executive director of the Nunavut Literacy Council.TOPAugust 30, 2002


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Journey to the top of the worldOn Aug. 15, 17 high school students embarked on a 16-day journey to the High Arcticas part of Students on Ice. Below is an excerpt of the detailed logs and journalsstudents and instructors have been keeping of this adventure of a lifetimeDay 1: OttawaFor a few, the adventure began early. Brian from Rankin Inlet and Shauna and Derekfrom Cambridge Bay were supposed to meet the group in Iqaluit. Unfortunately, badweather in Iqaluit prevented the plane from landing, forcing it to continue to its nextdestination - Ottawa. Lucky for them this meant that they could participate in the tours,barbecue and "ice-breaking" activities with the rest of the squad. A true reversal offortune! There was even a surprise appearance by Keith Peterson, the mayor ofCambridge Bay.Day 2: Ottawa and Resolute BayThe troops were roused at 6 a.m. sharp to get ready for the trip to the airport to catchtheir First Air charter flight to the High Arctic community of Resolute Bay where theywould meet their ship, the Kapitan Khlebnikov. During a refuelling stop in Iqaluit, thegroup was joined by scientist Alain Fontaine and student expeditioner PauloosieAudlakiak.True to its reputation, the High Arctic greeted the expeditioners with an icy embrace. Asignificant difference from the balmy morning they had left behind in Ottawa a few hoursbefore.I never knew ice could be so breathtaking. Reining on the water, it has a regal grandeur

that I tried to capture in several clumsily taken photographs.The lack of vegetation here - the tree line is long gone - reminded me nostalgically ofmy dearly beloved petunia and spider plant. Please water them, Dad! - Liz FinkWe've landed in Iqaluit for refuelling and to pick up the remaining passengers. Everyoneis leaning over each other to look out the windows. It's like an entirely different worldhere - there are no trees! However, it is very wet and foggy. From what I could seethrough the fog, there are a lot of small lakes scattering the countryside. I can't believehow different it is! Barren rock is everywhere! There's not much soil to speak of. We stillhave a lot farther north to fly, as we're landing in the northernmost Canadian airport! I

can't imagine how different the environment will be there! - Becky DaybollDay 3: Lancaster Sound and Dundas HarborFollowing an all-night sail across the southern shore of Devon Island, the ship anchoredat Dundas Harbour. After breakfast and a briefing by the expedition team, everyonedonned their gear and prepared for their first Arctic landing. Small groups were ferried toshore on the trusty Zodiacs, disembarking in the austere beauty of Dundas Harbour.


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Walruses, an Arctic fox and an abandoned RCMP outpost built in 1924 were some ofthe highlights of this landing. Botanist Lynn Gillespie instructed students on manyaspects on plant life during their exhilarating hike over the treeless hills and plains.Day 4: Cape York, North GreenlandDuring the night, the Kapitan Khlebnikov emerged from the protected waters ofLancaster Sound into the open sea of Baffin Bay. For many, the icebreaker's pitchingand rolling in the open water was a new experience and was the first real test of their"sea legs."The turbulent night, which tossed a few from their beds and sent others on midnightwanders to relieve their lightheadedness, ended with the well-earned reward of thestunning Greenland coast. The Khlebnikov sailed into Melville Bay, where Greenland'sextensive glacial cap spills into the ocean, creating a literal factory of icebergs.Day 5: Thule (Qaanaaq)After a restful night's sleep and a relatively late start (7:30 a.m.), passengers weregreeted by a clear, calm and sunny Arctic morning. Breathtaking glacial landscapes ofice fingers pushing through valleys and the uninterrupted splendor of Greenland'smountain-punctuated ice cap could be seen in every direction. Icebergs continued todrift by as the ship anchored near the town of Qaanaaq, Greenland's most northernvillage, nestled amid monuments of ice and rock.Zodiacs ferried the groups to shore, where they were welcomed by nearly the entiretown. The town's mayor and also principal of the school led the group on a tour of theschool and answered questions about life in the northern community. Prompted by thestudents from the school, students signed their hosts' hands and had their own hands

signed in turn. The tour ended with some playful romping with a litter of baby huskies.The most interesting experience that I have ever had was when all the children in thetown came to us with pens and started printing their names on our hands and in returnwe were supposed to put ours on their hands. This was really cool. - Andrew Dargie Day 6: Coburg Island and Grise FiordTo everyone's relief, Baffin Bay remained calm for the voyage back into Canada fromGreenland. However, the night's rest ended with a 5:45 a.m. wake-up to prepare for anearly landing at Coburg Island National Wildlife Area. Located at the mouth of JonesSound, this island is inhabited by nearly half a million birds comprised mostly of Thick-

Billed Murres and Black-Legged Kittiwakes, but is also home to 25 other species.The morning fog quickly cleared as the trusty Zodiacs cruised along the breeding cliffoffering a spectacular view of the Murres and Kittiwakes. Resident ornithologist AlainFontaine, who has closely studied a variety of birds in environments all across Canada,was in awe and self-admittedly having "the day of his life." As many participants agreed,it is no small wonder to witness a colony of nearly half a million birds breeding, feeding,flying and interacting on an entirely uninhabited island.


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Not long after lunch, the Khlebnikov positioned itself by Grise Fiord and groups wereferried to land, where they were warmly greeted on the beach by the town's mayor.Once everyone was gathered on shore, the mayor led them on a visit of the school anda tour of the community. Many marvelled at the mountains that completely surrounded

the village. Polar bear and sealskins stretched out to dry, freshly hunted walrus corpsesand even a walrus head evinced recent hunting activity.Day 7: Hells Gate and Norweigian BayA night of calm sailing through Jones Sound brought the ship to the narrow passage ofHells Gate, whose currents are so strong that they prevent the water from freezing,even at the height of winter. As the early Arctic sun rose, the passage gave way to theheavily iced waters of Norwegian Bay, where the Kapitan Khlebnikov was finally grantedthe opportunity to showcase its icebreaking prowess. The ship effortlessly tore a trailthrough the first-year sea ice that whitened the landscape in every direction.After breakfast, students were assigned to polar bear watch. This, along with lectures,

seminars, meals, journal writing and the polar panorama, would keep them occupied asthe ship crunched its way from Norwegian Bay into Eureka Sound and onward to theirmost northern destination on Ellesmere Island.It wasn't long before the first polar bear was spotted in the distance! Excited passengersgathered to watch and photograph the bear as the ship followed it along the ice until itarrived at a beach and disappeared over the horizon.Polar bears! The king of the Arctic was sighted twice today. The first time theannouncement came on the PA system and I made a mad dash from my cabin, flinginga coat over my arm and camera around my neck, out onto the deck outside. Squinting

for a while, it took a while to spot the oatmeal-coloured ice that, upon closer inspection,was clearly moving. The wake in the water was what allowed it to be spotted. Thesecond time was at lunch in an almost bedroom farce (without the bedroom) of a setupwhere we kept dashing out in between courses as the ship got progressively closer tothe bear, this one lumbering on the ice instead of swimming. Of course, I took picturesall the while.So when I proudly point to a picture of ice and focus on a faintly yellowish spec the sizeof a grain of rice, yes, you can believe me that it is, indeed, the mighty polar bear. I havebear-watching duty tonight. - Liz FinkDay 8: Tanquary Fjord and Lake HazenNo longer inhibited by ice, the Kapitan Khlebnikov sailed through Greely Fjord andentered the waters of Tanquary Fjord and the northernmost destination of theexpedition. By noon students were well above the 80-degree mark and inside theboundaries of Ellesmere Island National Park.Day 9: Eureka Sound and Axel Heiberg Island


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Anchored in the calm waters of Tanquary Fjord, the group passed a most restful sleep,thoughtfully dreaming about their adventure in a world so far away. It was so interesting. I didn't really know what to expect. It was really interesting howpeople lived. It was quite shocking for me. I'm from New York, and it was like - wow -

there is so much isolation. But the people really live in harmony with all this great stuffaround them. The Grise Fiord School was amazing! It was really nice, they live in suchpeace. For me it was so much different. They kill a seal, and they eat everything, this ishow they live with nature. - Liz FinkFor a complete list of diary entries, and the continuation of the trip, which ends on Aug.29, visit the Students on Ice Web site, www.studentsonice.com.August 23, 2002The Kuujjuaq DeclarationAqqaluk Lynga, outgoing president of the ICC, proudly presents the signed declaration.(PHOTO COURTESY OF THE KRG)ICC delegates from Canada, Russia, Alaska and Greenland agree to set their sites onhuman rights and work for the betterment of all InuitRecalling the early vision of Eben Hopson Sr. and other Inuit to found, maintain, andfoster a strong organization dedicated to Inuit unity and collective international Inuitaction;Further recalling that the Principles and Elements for a Comprehensive Arctic Policypublished in 1991 by the Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) is a wide-ranging guide forInuit, governments and others to follow;Having studied the ICC Presidents report on activities for the period 1998-2002, andthe reports from the Chairs of the Inuit Language Commission, the InuitCommunications Commission, and the ICC Task force on Arctic Trade;Having heard the deliberations of delegations and input from observers and guests atthis 9th General Assembly on several important matters, including those of the UnitedNations (UN), self-government, human rights, cultural and intellectual property rights,

environment, sustainable development, language, communications, economy and trade,youth and elders;Recognizing with gratitude the enormous efforts of the ICC executive council and staffover the past four years in their input to historic achievements such as theestablishment of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the internationalagreement to eliminate persistent organic pollutants (The Stockholm Convention);


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Greatly affected by the forced relocations suffered by Inuit in many parts of the Inuithomeland, the dislocation from their traditional areas, the lack of apologies andadequate compensation by governments;Acknowledging that new known and unknown challenges are facing Inuit over the next

four years and well into the new millennium;Deeply encouraged that the newly elected and committed ICC Executive Council andChair are ready to meet the challenges of the next four years in representing Inuit onvarious matters of international importance;HEREBY:1. Welcome and adopt the ICC Presidents report on activities for 1998-2002;2. Strongly welcome the recommendations contained in the report from the Chair of the

Inuit Language Commission and, if adequate funding can be raised, direct theCommission under the guidance of the executive council, to seriously consider theserecommendations;3. Receive with appreciation and understanding the report from the Chair of the ICCTask force on Arctic Trade and her strong message of the importance of all Inuitassisting each other on matters of both trade opportunities and barriers;4. Instruct the new executive council to seriously consider and monitor therecommendations outlined in the report from the Chair of the Inuit CommunicationsCommission, including those related to facilitating the establishment of a pan-Arctic

news agency and Arctic television network;5. Reaffirm the commitment to maintaining a strong ICC presence in Alaska, Canada,and Greenland, and to further strengthening the ICC regional office in Chukotka throughfinancial and other forms of assistance;6. Urge the ICC Executive Council to consider the guidelines set forth in the document."Maximizing Efficiency and Delegating Responsibility within ICC" in order to maximizeefficiency and avoid duplication in implementing mandates of importance to all Inuit onan international basis;7. Strongly promote the need to keep the Arctic environment safe from trans-boundarypollutants and heavy metals, rapid climate change and, generally, unsustainabledevelopment; and therefore:* Call upon government to enact domestic legislation and promote and implementmultilateral agreements to reduce and/or eliminate harmful environmental damage andresulting human health problems in the Arctic;


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* Mandate regional ICC offices to lobby their respective governments to immediatelyratify the 1998 POPs Protocol to the UN/ECE Convention on long-range TransboundaryAtmospheric Pollution, 2001 Stockholm Convention on POPs, and the 1997 KyotoProtocol pursuant to the 1992 Framework Convention on Climate Change;* Instruct ICC to work in partnership with Arctic and other governments and appropriateNGOs to develop global initiatives to combat climate change in general, and an ArcticClimate change program in particular;*Direct ICC to protect the interests of Inuit initiatives in international forums such as theWorld Summit on Sustainable Development.8. Reaffirm the importance of the Arctic Council as an institutional vehicle to protect theenvironment and promote culturally and environmentally appropriate sustainabledevelopment in the Arctic;9. Direct ICC to use its status as a "permanent participant" to the Arctic Council tofurther the environmental and sustainable development interests of Inuit and, whenappropriate, work cooperatively with other permanent participants to the Council andactively seek funding for Arctic Council activities, including involvement in ministerialsummits, meetings of Senior Arctic Officials and Council programs and working groups;10. Strongly support the ICC executive council in the new and major undertaking ofworking within the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and commit to providingdirect assistance to ICC when called upon;11. Support the UN Advisory Committee composed of executive council members and

others to provide ongoing advice to ICC on all UN matters of importance to Inuit andother indigenous peoples;12. Urge the new ICC Executive Council to continue to promote, with other indigenouspeoples, the adoption of the UN Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoplesin the language acceptable to them;13. Again call upon national, provincial, and state governments to recognize theinherent rights of Inuit with respect to sustainable hunting, co-management, and othersubsistence activities, and direct ICC to assist Inuit through advocacy, education,litigation and empowerment on these matters;14. Promote the removal of international and national trade barriers that affect all formsof Inuit livelihood, in consultation with affected Inuit, at the same time ensuring that therights of Inuit to their intellectual and cultural property, traditional knowledge, and accessto capital, employment, contracts, financing, royalties, local revenue, and other financialbenefits of development are enhanced in the process;


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15. Greatly encourage ICC to undertake a comprehensive study on how best to addressglobal forces, such as the "animal rights" and other destructive movements that aim todestroy Inuit sustainable use of living resources, and to report back to the next GeneralAssembly on its findings;16. Instruct ICC, when requested, to assist the various local, regional, and national Inuitorganizations in pursuing the matters of forced relocations and dislocations as mattersof human rights violations;17. Establish an "ICC Decade on the Promotion of Self-Determination" that will includea program of exchanging experiences and mutual encouragement among regions, andinstruct the Executive Council to develop a framework for such a Decade;18. Direct ICC to represent Inuit by promoting their rights and protecting their interestsin the World Intellectual Property Organization, European Union, Organization ofAmerican States, North American Free Trade Agreement, the Free Trade Agreement of

the Americas, the International Whaling Commission, the Convention on BiologicalDiversity, the World Conservation Union and the World Trade Organization and otherrelevant organizations;19. Encourage the ICC executive council to prudently expand its internationaldevelopment activities with the aim of assisting Inuit and other indigenous peoplesglobally;20. Reiterate the need for ICC to act as a facilitator for Inuit trade and economicdevelopment in a supportive role to Inuit-owned companies and individuals undertakingbusiness development;21. Mandate the ICC Executive Council to intensify its support to Yupik and otherindigenous peoples in Chukotka by building upon the 2001 memorandum ofunderstanding signed by the governor of Chukotka, the ICC president, and theAssociation of Indigenous Peoples of Chukotka;22. Receive with appreciation the important recommendations from Inuit youth at thisGeneral Assembly and direct each ICC office to offer support and advice to Inuit youthas they reorganize their international efforts, and to expand existing scholarships foryouth;23. Welcome with gratitude the guidance received from Inuit elders at this GeneralAssembly and urge the ICC executive council to intensify its efforts in seeking fundingfor elders meetings and activities until 2006;24. Request the Executive Council to begin updating ICCs Principles and Elements fora Comprehensive Arctic Policy, the first activity of what should be a comprehensiveInuit-wide consultation process to accurately determine the nature and scope ofrequired changes;


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25. Remind the Executive Council that ICC is fundamentally an internationalorganization dedicated to the promotion of human rights and, as such, request theCouncil members to integrate the human rights dimension into each mandate, programand activity of ICC.TOPAugust 2, 2002A response to the City of Iqaluits falsehoodsKENN HARPERSpecial to Nunatsiaq NewsThe falsehoods stated by Iqaluits mayor, John Matthews, in a letter published in the

July 19 edition of Nunatsiaq News, cannot go unanswered.On June 25, the council of Iqaluit voted 5-1 to turn down the Nunavut Suitesdevelopment project for purely subjective reasons that bore no relation to the zoningbylaw. Matthews has been scrambling since then to try to put a good face on this stupiddecision, unsuccessfully.The city of Iqaluit has a demonstrable housing shortage. The Government of Nunavut isunable to fill badly needed staff positions because it cannot find sufficient housing for itsemployees. No one else is able to find adequate housing either. GN jobs go unfilled. Inuit houses are bursting at the seams because relatives arrive from other communitieslooking for work. Keith Irving and Stu Kennedy, who voted against the proposal, live inattractive, uncrowded houses. They are comfortably housed; their constituents are not.Nunavut Suites would have provided the following benefits to the community of Iqaluit: an attractive building; 48 apartment units; 16,000 square feet of office space; approximately $85,000 of annual tax revenue (the buildings currently on the sitesprovide only a small fraction of that amount); employment to many workers during the approximately nine months that constructionwould have taken;


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the increased support of local businesses that the housing of 48 additional residents/families would have provided, and; the increased territorial tax revenue that the provision of jobs to additional residentswould have provided.Matthews is dead wrong when he says that Ninety North Constructions proposal did notmeet all the conditions of the bylaw.He talks about the companys application for a height variance. In fact, the companysplans met the height requirements of the bylaw 12 metres. We made it clear to thecity that we could build the building to the satisfaction of all codes, within the bylawsrequirement of 12 metres.But the company also asked, in a separate application, for a variance to increase theheight of the building by one metre, to 13 metres. We said we would appreciate the

chance of a little flexibility in making the units that much more appealing, by raisingceiling heights, if we were granted a variance.We considered this a reasonable request: because the neighbouring Igluvut Building was granted a variance of 2.4 metres; because the draft zoning bylaw that has been discussed for some years althoughnever passed because of Iqaluit Councils inability to be decisive recommended aheight of 15 metres in the commercial core of the city, and; because recent consultants reports have recommended higher density in thedowntown core.Protocol requires that the variance be voted on after the main motion, and that motionwas defeated, so the variance died. The city was not advised that the company had nointention of building the project without a height variance. Matthews is grasping atstraws.Matthews says the building detracted from the character of the neighbourhood, and inparticular the area of the legislature. He says that "when asked, Urbco was unable todemonstrate to council how their building would complement or enhance our unfolding

capital city core."That is a falsehood. Ninety North (not Urbco) provided ample information to the city onhow this development would have contributed to, not detracted from, the city centre.The information provided was convincing and valid, as evidenced by the fact that thecitys professional staff, in the person of the development officer, wrote a five-pagereport to council recommending approval of the project.


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In that report, she provided a lengthy list of conditions that the citys professional staffwas recommending, all of which Ninety North had agreed to, so she was able to saywith certainty that the developer was willing to abide by certain desires of the city, eventhough the desires were not spelled out in the bylaw.As for detracting from the legislature, it is perhaps significant to note that thegovernment of Nunavut did not oppose the project and had inquired more than onceabout how many apartment units would be provided in the building.Legislators with whom I have spoken since the project was turned down are extremelydisappointed with the short-sightedness of city council. Further, the GN appropriatedmoney in its current budget to study a site for a new legislature, meaning that thepresent legislature will likely be just another office building some day.Matthews is also incorrect in stating that city council voiced concerns over the lack of

requisite parking spaces to meet bylaw requirements. Such a concern was neverexpressed to us or in any public meeting. The development officers report stated thatthe parking proposed met the bylaw requirements.Matthews also refers to the absence of a drainage plan for the project. The drainageplan was shown clearly on the plans provided to council.The only councilor to express this concern is the only councilor who is a professionalengineer, and therefore presumably able to read a set of plans; he has demonstratedeither his ignorance or his unwillingness to give our plans fair consideration.Matthews then presumes to speak on behalf of our company when he says that "theNunavut Suites project was likely intended for government and commercial housing."Matthews knows nothing of the internal workings of our company and therefore has noknowledge of whom the housing was intended for. In fact, the building was to be built onspec, knowing that there is a desperate demand for housing from a number of sources.Matthews is correct on only one point: that the city needs to budget and plan for landdevelopment. This is, however, tantamount to an admission of dismal failure on his partas mayor, because council has not done the requisite planning. And Iqaluit continues toburst at the seams as a result.The initiative to turn down Nunavut Suites was led by two councillors: Keith Irving, anarchitect, who along with others at council meetings said one of his principal objectionswas that the building was ugly; and Stu Kennedy, a developer.The record shows that Kirt Eegeesiak, Linda Gunn and Simon Nattaq also voted againstthe project, Glenn Williams voted in favour, and Chris Wilson was absent.


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Perhaps citizens have noted that, in the midst of a housing crisis, there are few, if any,multi-unit residential starts this summer. When taxes rise or water rates or garbagerates or user fees as yet undreamed of voters should remember that Nunavut Suiteswould have provided much needed tax revenue to the city.The fact that we met every condition of the bylaw should have meant approval. Whenone follows the law, one expects a favourable outcome.A correction to Matthews assumptions about our corporate structure. Ninety North wasdeveloping Nunavut Suites, but Ninety North is not a subsidiary of Urbco.As a result of a recent reorganization, what was once Urbco Inc. is now NorthernProperty Real Estate Investment Trust (trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange underthe symbol NPR.UN) and NewNorth Projects Ltd. (trading on the Toronto VentureExchange under the symbol NNP).Ninety North is a subsidiary of NewNorth Projects. Both companies have dozens ofshareholders in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.I stand by my earlier statements that, for all practical purposes, Iqaluit is closed forbusiness. Matthews and his colleagues have proven themselves unworthy of the publictrust that was given them by the voters of Iqaluit.They should resign.Kenn Harper is a shareholder of Northern Property Real Estate Investment Trust andNewNorth Projects Ltd., and was a proponent of the Nunavut Suites development.TOPJuly 26, 2002Nanisivik was where I came of ageA eulogy for a unique communityRichard MatthewsSpecial to Nunatsiaq NewsIt is with fond memories and sadness that I read in your paper about the final days ofNanisivik.What to do with it? So much of its infrastructure and buildings are still useful, not tomention unique: the multicolored duplexes with oddly curved roofs and bubble windows,set against the stark and rugged Arctic hillside; the all-inclusive government services


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building; and the little church, complete with meeting hall, bathroom, ministers studyand even a bedroom.And all that equipment too expensive to ship out left only to be buriedunderground? I imagine that these preserved metal relics of pre-millennium technology

will be studied by future students of the 20th century, on an archaeological dig. Alas, I believe the true legacy of Nanisivik rests not with its physical remains, nor evenwith is rather significant environmental "footprint." The story of Nanisivik, as with anycommunity, lies within its people.Nanisivik is unlike any other mining community in Canada because of its extremelocation on northern Baffin Island. Even the recently closed Polaris mine on LittleCornwallis Island never dared to be what Nanisivik is a real town, with detachedbuildings, roads, a ball diamond, a school and children. And Nanisivik is unlike any othercommunity on Baffin Island, not close to any decent hunting grounds and at least two

kilometers, by steep road, from the sea which is, for every other Baffin community,the traditional Arctic highway.I first came to Nanisivik in 1981 and quickly learned that this community was unique inother ways as well. A city kid from Victoria, B.C., and just out of high school, I landed a

job as a janitor the way that most people land their first job my father knewsomebody who knew somebody.Ill be honest, I went to Nanisivik for the cash $511 a week to start great coin for a17-year-old in the early 1980s who hoped to save money for travel and university. I leftNanisivik for the last time four years later and, indeed, I was able to pay for my

education without ever drawing on a student loan, and had a new car to boot. But thereal wealth I gained in Nanisivik cannot be measured in dollars.Nanisivik collected Canadians from all corners of the country. Plumbers and teachersfrom the Maritimes, heavy equipment operators from Ontario, electricians from Alberta,mill operators from Yellowknife, carpenters from Arctic Bay, and miners from all points inbetween.English, French and Inuktitut were all spoken in "the dome," Nanisiviks landmarkcafeteria and the heart of the community. There I learned that the best antidote fordepression was the quick wit of a Newfoundlander who knew about much harder times

than this. I learned that sharing a coffee and a smoke with my Qubecois neighboursalways ended with a delightful salut and did more to bridge the nationalist divide thanany unity campaign ever could.I learned about the practical ingenuity of the Inuit way, through the patience andcreativity of a mechanic who kept my motorcycle running, despite the fact that thenearest Kawasaki parts were thousands of miles and a very expensive air-freightedpackage away, in Montreal.


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Like all communities, Nanisivik had a dark side and I dont just mean long winter nights.Mining is a dangerous occupation, and a few lives were tragically lost in the pursuit ofzinc ore. Loneliness, isolation, and alcohol took their toll on many relationships butthere were positive outlets for stress as well.The Nanisivik Broomball League was played with a passion not seen outside theStanley Cup finals. Nanisivik was filled with colourful characters, like the loud and zanyItalian cook who refused to take a day off for more than two years and colourfulevents, like the Midnight Sun Marathon which brought runners, either really tough orreally crazy from all over North America just to run the 32-kilometer road from ArcticBay. Of course there was a big party afterward.I have mentioned the church building it was the only one in town. There, Baptists,Anglicans, Pentecostals, and Catholics worshipped together, and I learned that puttingaside differences and traditions for a common purpose was worthwhile.I fell in love for the first time in Nanisivik, as did many a young qallunaat. Teenaged boysfrom the south met teenaged girls from the north but of course hormones know nogeographical boundaries. We would steal away from the prying eyes of the minemanagement, who disapproved of our courting, and into the Rec Center, which was oursanctuary.Even though my girlfriends parents did not speak English, I was welcomed into herfamily and home with an openness and lack of inhibition that defied my ratherconservative British upbringing, and a window into a completely new world was openedto me.My girlfriend and her friends had to grow up Inuk in a town that was run by whites, amicrocosm of the reality the north had become for all Inuit youth in that era. Betweentwo languages, between two identities, there lay a painful emotional struggleunimagined by her ancestors, and misunderstood by me and most southerners, whoonly had to cope with growing into expectations laid out quite plainly by our society. Yet, in the crucible of this rapid change, there was also excitement and optimism, and Iwas inspired to be involved with Inuit youth, returning north in the late 1980s to teach inPond Inlet for six years.It seems the fate of any mining town is to one day become a ghost town. But even ifthey do bury the material evidence of its existence, I sincerely hope that Nanisivik willbe remembered for more than its reason for being, because it was so much more than amine. I bid an affectionate farewell to Nanisivik "the place where people find things" because I found so much more than money there. I came of age in Nanisivik. Richard Matthews lived at Nanisivik from 1982 to 1983, and again in 1985. He alsotaught in Pond Inlet from 1987 to 1993.


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TOPMay 10, 2002Were shamans the first prospectors?If shamans first discovered Nunavuts oil and gas deposits, do Inuit now own them?Nunatsiaq NewsMr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was falling asleep. Thank you.Mr. Speaker, Id like to direct this question to the minister responsible for SustainableDevelopment about these reports that he tabled with all these nice photographs.There are application forms in this document that you have to request. In respect to

these reports, Im very happy that there is about $5 thousand that individuals canrequest from the department for their proposals. Perhaps if I could ask this questionfirst, I recall a time when there are a lot of people who were prospecting in and aroundthe communities, way back from my youth all the way to today.Perhaps there are all sorts of secret deposits that have been found that are now justbeing opened up. There are a lot of prospectors that come out to the communities andthere must be a lot of minerals that are out there in Nunavut. It seems like thisdocument is a little bit late for people to do prospecting although it has been around forabout three years.The minerals that have been discovered previously that are in Nunavut, do thesedeposits have specific places where the maps and sites are located and does thegovernment know their whereabouts? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Speaker: Minister Akesuk.Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Some of the mineraldeposits that have been previously discovered are listed in the report. They are locatedin documentation that is not translated, and it shows which communities are closest tothese finds. We have the information in the English version, it is written where theseminerals have been discovered. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Speaker: Supplementary. Mr. Iqaqrialu.Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps, I will make a mistakeand if I err, please let me know. Its just that I want more information and furtherclarification.


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Non-renewable resources such as oil and gas, and other mineral deposits, years agothe shamans knew where they were located although they didnt know what uses theyhad. It is also designated in this book, whereabouts these finds are. We discoveredthose years ago and I think the prospectors and the people that look for oil and gashave stolen our birthright. Have you looked into this issue and how it relates to these

mineral claims? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Speaker: Minister Akesuk.Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The shamans, if theywere able to write down where they discovered those things it would have been a loteasier because we would know where they were located.In this day and age, we have to look for them ourselves or the prospectors and thepeople who explore for oil and gas. As many shamans have died off, we wont be ableto get any direction from them. Im sorry Mr. Speaker. Thank you.Speaker: Oral Questions. Supplementary. Mr. Iqaqrialu.Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am starting to get hot under thecollar, but Ill try to make it clear; it is not really related to the question that I posed, butthis is background material. Inuit had reached the moon quite some time ago during theshamanistic ages, prior to the Americans reaching it with their machines and finding outit wasnt what they thought it was. Those are the types of things that Im talking about,non-physical discoveries.Looking at the pictures and the maps in this document, its got symbols of men and

other things within the applications. Do those little symbols identify where theres been adiscovery, or are they just symbolic? They dont state what kinds of minerals that havebeen discovered, due to all the competition, I know that, but I would like to know howthis will be dealt with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Speaker: Minister Akesuk.Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have to look at thepictures in order to clear up any misunderstandings. The symbols and the approximatelocations where the minerals have been discovered are written within the document.You can see by looking at it approximately where those mineral finds are within

Nunavut. It just shows the types of rocks that are in the area. It doesnt state whose landit is and whose mineral rights those are at this time. We just provided symbols of wherethe discovery has been made. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Speaker: Oral Questions. Supplementary. Final supplementary. Mr. Iqaqrialu.Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My last question is about miningactivities in Nunavut. If somebody thinks that theyve found something in a place where


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there has already been a discovery, does that mean that it doesnt belong to them. Theprospectors used to walk for days and all they had was a little hammer and magnifyingglass to help them look.Like today, how they prospect is with geophysical and geochemical exploration, either

via plane or helicopters and they have new equipment to search for minerals. Thetowed arrays and their radiation we dont know about as Inuit people and their effect onhuman or vegetation matter. So, what is going to happen in Nunavut, whereby therehave already been discoveries of mineral deposits? Can we as Nunavummiut use thesesame technological marvels to look for further deposits?The discoveries in Nunavut of minerals are the birthright of persons born and living inNunavut as it is one of our only means of economic development, therefore the benefitsof these minerals should not only accrue to the exploration companies with all theirexpensive equipment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Speaker: Minister Akesuk.Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I realize that. But thegovernment of Nunavut and the government of Canada have an agreement to see thatmineral exploration undertaken in Nunavut has to follow the regulations and the rulesgoverning exploration in Nunavut. Yes, we realize that there is a lot of exploration andthat this has been ongoing for three years, and the future looks bright.I realize that there are a lot of people in Nunavut that have just begun to do explorationand prospecting. So, I think they should be protected and we would like to help thepeople of Nunavut follow the rules and the act, in regards to mineral exploration, so

these types of things will not be taken away from the people who have already staked aclaim or know the location of a mineral outcrop that they have discovered.So even when the legislative session is not going on, these types of concerns felt by theprospectors are all things related to my department. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Source: The Nunavut Hansard for May 6, 2002TOPMay 3, 2002"Why do we want to rush this new Education Act?"MLA finds flaws in education billIqaluit Centre MLA Hunter Tootoo greeted the Nunavut governments recent educationbill with the following critical comments last week.


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What are the principles on which this bill is based? One central principle behind this bill,it seems to me, is to remove control and authority from community-based electedbodies and put it all in the hands of the minister and departmental bureaucrats.Some of my constituents have already asked me, "Under this new bill, what is the point

of having a District Education Authority at all?" I believe that the roles andresponsibilities of District Education Authorities deserve very careful consideration.Under the current act, DEAs have the power to monitor, evaluate, direct and deliver thedelivery of school programs. Under Bill 1, it is the minister who directs or approves anysuch activity. Under the current act, DEAs can enter into agreements for the delivery ofprograms and services, supervise the employment, discipline and dismissal of staff,administer and manage the educational affairs of the education body.Under Bill 1, these responsibilities are no longer the purview of the DEAs. Instead, theDEAs are left the task of assuring attendance at school an area DEA representatives

could not possibly have any control over.I fear that under the new act our DEAs will just end up being scapegoats. They will haveno real control or authority over what goes on but when things go wrong they will be leftholding the bag.Mr. Speaker, to the merits of the bill. Nunavuts Education Act is one of our mostimportant pieces of legislation. I dont think that any of us can afford to underestimatethe importance of a good, sound education system. The success of this piece oflegislation affects our future tomorrow because it affects our children today. Education covers a wide spectrum. Pre-school programs should be in place to prepareyoung children to enter the school system when they reach the appropriate age.Resources must be available for programming in the classroom. Schools must beadequately funded to deliver their programs. Class sizes should not overwhelm ourteachers and pupil-teacher ratios should be set to a manageable number. Why do wecontinue to fund per capita when this government has been arguing against that kind offormula on many other fronts?Students must have the opportunities to attain the level of education that will allow themto follow their dreams whether they wish to follow a trade program or continue on topost-secondary academic studies.Language issues cannot be overlooked. I am concerned that one of the objects of Bill 1,to address the language needs specific to Nunavut, does not go far enough. Not onlymust our Education Act provide for first language education needs for the Inuktitut,Inuinnaqtun, English and French speaking communities, it must also address secondlanguage needs.


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Bill 1 does not adequately address the needs of second language learners of English,Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun and it does not provide at all for the second language learningof French. We may discover that this bill, because of that, could end up beingunconstitutional.Rule 67 of the rules of the Legislative Assembly says we can talk about the expediencyof the bill in second reading. Why do we want to rush this new Education Act? Or, tophrase it another way, can we afford to rush this act through to reach a short-termobjective and risk getting it wrong in the long-term?By hastily adopting something now we run the risk of throwing out something thatworks, recognizing that it needs improvement, and replacing it with something that isworse. I feel that it is crucial to take the time to consider this bill very carefully. Mr. Speaker, the Education Act is a statute and it is accompanied by a great number ofregulations. For every community there is at least one set of regulations relating to a

DEA. So for 26 communities, there are 29 regulations. There are a further 13regulations dealing with technical aspects of the delivery of educational services.Newly drafted regulations will be required to accompany the new act. Members of theLegislative Assembly and stakeholders such as DEAs should have an opportunity tohave input on the review and review any changes to the regulations that may result fromBill 1.Mr. Speaker, I am concerned that the consultation process followed by the Departmentof Education to develop Bill 1 has been somewhat less than transparent. For example,despite the very public announcement of a GN-NTI working group to review the

Education Act, the only consultation input they made available has been a list of theworking groups recommendations.Why is that? The ability to consider the results of all of the departments consultationswould at least help to inform us why and where changes were made to the current act.In sum, Mr. Speaker, I have some very serious concerns with Bill 1. However, I fullysupport the development of a made-in-Nunavut Education Act. I will vote in support ofsecond reading. I encourage members of the standing committee to be innovative andbroad-minded during the review process. I look forward to contributing my views andopinions and I encourage all Nunavummiut to participate in the consultation process in

the coming months.I encourage parents to take the time to look through Bill 1. Discuss it with each other,other parents, educators and DEA representatives. Members of the LegislativeAssembly will be asking for your views and opinions and it is important that constituentsare ready to present them.TOP


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April 5, 2002Inuit health needs are starkly different than non-Inuit needsMany Inuit still struggle for access to basic health careJose Kusugak, President,Inuit Tapiriit KanatamiSpecial to Nunatsiaq NewsOTTAWA The debate in southern Canada regarding the health-care system appearsto be a decidedly urban one. Discussing a two-tier system is a distant luxury for us. Inthe Arctic, we are still working to get to the first tier of health services in manycommunities.Thus, the perspective Inuit bring to the interim report on health care by Roy Romanowwill necessarily be different. Our initial comment, though, is that it is a fair report thatidentifies issues common to all Canadians.Access to the health-care system is one of the most important issues for Inuit in theArctic. For example, cancer patients living in Salluit and Montreal both have a life-threatening disease.The patient in Salluit must travel thousands of kilometers and live away from home,sometimes for months on end, frequently away from family, in order to get treatment.We are aware that even in large urban centers, speedy access is also difficult, and that

urban Canadians, in sheer frustration, are going to the United States for quicker service.This is not an option for Inuit.Many issues related to access must be considered, including better diagnosticequipment, developing broadband technology in Arctic communities, and the reality thatin small remote communities there is frequently only one nurse, and no doctor.Language is also a barrier to access in the Arctic. Many Inuit are unilingual Inuktitutspeakers. When faced with the sole community nurse who speaks only English orFrench, communicating about a health problem becomes much more difficult. Even ifindividuals speak English, medical terminology is complex.Romanows report reveals that more money is spent in the health-care system on drugsthan on physicians. The situation in the Arctic is that more money is spent on airtransportation to get patients to health services in regional hospitals, or to the south.Among the 40 academic papers the commission ordered, there is not one thataddresses specific Inuit issues regarding health. The health issues in the Arctic areamong the most serious in the country and require distinct assessments.


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A report titled Evaluation of Models of Health Care Delivery in Inuit Regions, publishedby Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami in 2000 indicates that the priority health-care issues in allArctic regions are suicide prevention and mental health. As well, life expectancy amongInuit is a decade less than the average Canadian, infant mortality rates are five times

higher, and deaths from unintentional injuries are more than twice as high.The ITK health department is the main contact between the commission and the Inuit ofCanada. We were consulted briefly leading up to the production of this interim report. Aclose examination of the appendices in the report reveals that no Inuit were furtherconsulted, and that the most northern community visited, Whitehorse, does not reflectInuit health concerns.We recommend that the commission take the "means required," as outlined in the orderfrom the Privy Council to properly consult Inuit regarding the delivery of health servicesin the Arctic. For example, at the planned hearings scheduled in Iqaluit on May 8, 2002,

we have discussed with the commission the importance of providing Inuktitutinterpretation of the hearings.Similarly, when the commission chooses 40 Canadians at random to participate inworkshops, all these events are planned for the biggest urban cities in Canada. A visit toa small Arctic community, such as Salluit, would be an enlightening experience for thecommission, and would immediately illustrate the vast differences in the way healthservices are delivered in the Arctic and in southern Canada.The Inuit of Canada live in over 50 Arctic communities, covering the largest geographicregion of Canada. From Labrador in the east to the Northwest Territories in the west, the

area covers over two million square kilometres, equivalent to the 10th largest country inthe world.We look forward to contributing our perspective at the public consultations in March andApril. We are told well get five to 10 minutes to make a presentation. As full tax-payingcitizens of Canada, Inuit want to make a meaningful contribution to the debate onimproving health care in Canada. We hope to start by expressing the stark differencesin health-care delivery in the Arctic.Qujannamiimmarialuk. TOPJanuary 11, 2002Reflections and memoriesA veteran land-claim negotiator recalls the successes and failures of the Nunavut landclaim agreement


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MALACHI ARREAKI have made a new start this year, and I want to adhere to my late mothers advice torespect and care for relatives, and to never spite anyone in case I do the same thing I

spited them for.It has come to pass that I have not respected my mothers wishes and this has hurt mysiblings and relatives. I apologize. It came to a point where alcohol was affecting my

judgment. I would like to lead a sober life now.Enough of my personal reflections, I am writing to fulfill the promises I made to mymother regarding a sober life, as well as to pass along the knowledge and experience Ihave accumulated over the years.I have reflected on all of the memories churning around my head and will attempt to

convey some of the optimistic dreams Inuit negotiators had, while contemplating thebalance between undefined rights and a set of land and resource provisions.The government had and still has no intention of including any social provisions in aland claim. The one socially related article ended up outside of the Nunavut Land ClaimAgreement because of the insistence of the government. It was accepted by the leadersonce they received assurances of the creation of Nunavut.Five issues still haunt me today ones I knew would lead to some of the more difficultclashes after the agreement was ratified. But my politicians threw these issues out thedoor once the creation of the territory of Nunavut was confirmed.The five issues are: free government access to Inuit-owned land in less than two years,IIBA coverage of the whole territory (the selections of large known deposits hardenedthe governments heart), the percentage of the interest accruable to the capital,selections of lands within the Queen Elizabeth Islands (government would not acceptarchaeological evidence that showed occupation during the past 100 years, due to thevast petroleum resources), real property taxation and the Contwoyto Lake boundarychange. (we knew there were diamonds there, but didnt know of the deal to excise LacDe Gras so that the Northwest Territories and Canada would develop the first diamondmine.All of the archaeological evidence collected showed Copper Eskimo sites, so JohnParkers deal was the more surprising. It almost led to the collapse of the agreement.This, again, is a historical perspective of one who was there, fighting like hell forancestral lands, but being so young that my opinion wasnt always accepted. Oh well.This is about what we dreamed of as we negotiated the lands and the provisions for theInuit of Nunavut.


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VisionsI started in the stages of the land-selection process, although I kept my visitations to themain table negotiations ongoing while in school. I would make some arguments to thenegotiators during the caucuses, and it was always a thrill to hear it stated to the feds. I

have always enjoyed debates.During the two years it took to compile and record all of the areas of interest to the Inuit,it was the actual work with the elders and the people in the communities that was themost eye-opening for me. I had left for the South during the beginning of my teenageyears because the education in the North was not challenging enough and a bursarybeckoned at Trinity College School in Port Hope, Ontario.I guess the youth of today have not had the opportunity to know of the varied visionsand dreams that their fathers, mothers, aunts and uncles had for Nunavut and thereasons why Inuit selected the lands. I would like to convey just some of the Inuit

visions for development, so that this generation may plan their education for the nextfive to 10 years.Some of the visions held by the Inuit in the communities were far encompassing, both intheir breadth and length. Others were selected only for their job-creation possibilities. Alot of the visions related to the money Inuit would receive, which could then be used fordeveloping the lands. All of the politicians to date have only created their own littlefiefdoms, with the majority of the positions held by non-beneficiaries.Tourism, infrastructure development, non-renewable development, cultural centres,private schools and future agricultural possibilities were discussed. These also included

areas that Inuit could use as platforms for federal responsibilities, such as SAR (searchand rescue), fisheries patrols and boundary patrols.As well, the idea was that 20 years down the road, we could have Inuit pilots, SARtechnicians, rangers, doctors and lawyers to deal with these responsibilities. Weenvisioned that we could use the latest technology, such as the V-22 Osprey, hovercraft, GPS, satellite phones, ports for ships and fishing vessels and Inuit languagecomputers.We also envisioned the development of Inuit-owned land parcels, which would involvethe largest number of employees and allow the communities to become more self-

sufficient by developing their own economic opportunities. An example is the proposedIsabella Bay national wildlife area. The Inuit selected an area for the creation of a road,a whale watching site, a lodge site and an area for kayaks and boats. Most of thevessels envisioned would be non-polluting.Certain parcels were selected for non-renewable resources, mainly on speculation,since there were no geological maps of certain areas. This was due to the magneticanomalies experienced in these sites by the Inuit vessels.


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As well, Inuit knew of the basic minerals and, therefore, when a geologist pinpointed therelationships between them and the sought-after minerals, Inuit would state where theyhad found those types of outcrops and indicator minerals.The majority were chosen for conservation and continued use by the Inuit. Most if not allof these sites had been occupied for generations. The other usages envisioned werecultural centres and private schools cultural centres to teach the youth and practisetraditional life for the viewing of others, including areas where visitors could make asmall tool.Private schools were envisioned for the best of the Inuit youth, away from thedistractions and vices of the communities, where they could learn InuitQaujimajatuqangigit.For all of you QQers, this meant learning social history, sociology, ideology, philosophy,

biology, behavioural biology, palaeontology (ancient bones), astronomy, meteorology,psychiatry, botany, geology, archaeology, physiology and my favourites: mythology andgenealogy. All of these would be on top of Western educational requirements. I amprobably forgetting some-ologies.Inuit were never really specialists like the agrarian cultures of the West. Of course, weknew about things like geology, which related to the environment, as well as what typesof rocks would induce the greatest growth. The education would not only be theoretical,but also physical. It would include traditional family secret training, such as martial arts,hunting skills, secret techniques, traditional caching and curing techniques.The possibilities we foresaw, not only for Inuit development, but also within thebureaucracy, were for positions such as doctors, nurses, lawyers, teachers, counsellors,mechanics, pilots, electricians, surveyors, biologists, botanists, environmentaltechnicians, scientists, chemists, geologists, computer programmers, orthodontists, GIStechnicians, wildlife officers, police officers, patrol officers, welders and other technicalpositions.The onus is on Inuit youth to get educated, because the negotiators knew that we wouldhave to wait a generation before we could have our own bureaucracy. Good educationalplanning is important for everyone, but we are still a Third World territory in one of thewealthiest countries in the world.The educational system has vastly improved from the time of my youth, but there is stillnot enough emphasis on academic curriculum during the younger grades. Only inGrade 10 do they introduce science. In my youth, science was an everyday affair,especially biology, astronomy and meteorology from the elders.Inuit would have liked to have had more hard-line provisions in relation to governmentpositions, to be forced to apprentice Inuit, so that after two or three years, we could get


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rid of the transients, including all technical positions within NTI and the RIAs.Unfortunately for our young Inuit, we could not overturn the Constitution and imposesevere training requirements, nor could we force other social changes that, ifimplemented, would have completely changed the entire government structure. All ofthem are imported and it will take several years to change them to meet our challenges.Change is slow, especially within a bureaucracy such as the federal government andparticularly DIAND. (Dept. of Imbeciles, Agrarians, Nitwits and Dinosaurs, is how wereferred to them. Even dinosaurs must eventually die, as an asteroid proved 65 millionyears ago.) Change can only happen when there is a revolution, such as we attemptedto incite among our youth more than 10 years ago. But revolutions do not happen whenpeople do not believe the ideology.With all of the distractions today, it is hard to get our youth to vote. We should imposesome sort of repercussion for not voting, especially among our youth, perhaps changethe voting age to 19. Pierre Trudeau awoke my civil responsibilities, because he stated

that voting is not a right, but a privilege.As for Nunavuts infrastructure problems, we knew that government would eventuallybalk and that is why we envisioned Inuit money providing infrastructure for a price,better known later as the P-3 policy. As well, we envisioned Inuit developinginfrastructure within the communities, but that is already happening with the newAtuqtuaqvik program.The most important use for this money may be in developing the Inuit-owned landparcels that have the best chances of succeeding and which can lead to job-creation forour communities.TOPNovember 23, 2001Is the Inuit future secure?A veteran land claims negotiator discusses how the Inuit of Nunavut might regaincontrol of the Nunavut process.ALLEN MAGHAGAKSpecial to Nunatsiaq NewsAs we approach another Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. election for the President and VicePresident of Finance on Dec. 10, 2001, and begin the last five-year march towards thefinal compensation payment of $1.2 billion being paid by the federal government to theInuit under the Nunavut land claims agreement, we have to begin to ask ourselves if ourclaims agreement is working for us and providing the security that we fought for.


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Better yet, are the benefits getting down to the beneficiaries and not getting caught upthe middle of all the management systems that are in place for NTI, the RIAs, thebirthright development corporations, and yes, the government of Nunavut?If we say our youth is our future, then why are we giving them such a hard time in

getting financial assistance and adequate funds to continue and complete their post-secondary education and preparing for their future?I know of a couple of young people in my region who have given up and have gone theirown way to try and complete their university studies, because the scholarships andbrochures that were promised by the Nunavut Implementation Training Committee andthe education department of the Nunavut government have not come through. Morerecently, an Inuk beneficiary from north Qikiqtaaluk had to look for and received fundingfrom another aboriginal group to continue her university studies.So what is this saying to our youth? To me its saying that their studies are not worth the

promises that we make to them. Need I say more?Second, some of our institutes of public government are launching court challengesbecause they are not being given the necessary powers to carry out theirresponsibilities as assigned under the Nunavut land claims agreement.Again, what is this saying to us? That governments are not honouring the agreement, ora colonialistic ideology is still alive within the Department of Indian and Northern Affairsand the government of Canada?As owners and managers of our lands in Nunavut, we have to give our regulators the

tools to carry out their work. The Nunavut Water Board has to have the power to notonly issue water licenses, but also the power to set up the kinds of regulations and rulesthat have to be followed to protect the environment, waters and our wildlife.The Nunavut Wildlife Management Board has to have the power to manage wildlifewithout interference from the government of Canada and meet the needs of our people,and yet protect the species of animals that are under their mandate. We cannot afford tobe managed by a distant administration that does not understand the land, wildlife orpeople, otherwise we are asking for trouble losing our livelihood, our wildlife, anderoding our traditional forms of management and respect for them.Other IPGs are not faring well either, because of a lack of necessary funding to carryout their mandates. But if they were given the necessary funds, power, mandates, wecould control all of Nunavut with respect to lands, water, oceans, wildlife, environmentand the future direction of our people.Third, are our major players, such as NTI, the RIAs, the birthright corporations and theNunavut government being given the proper tools and funds to carry out their mandate?Better yet, are we all working together for the benefit of the residents of Nunavut?


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Remember, you were all created under one umbrella, the Nunavut land claimsagreement, which was signed by all three parties and endorsed by your Parliament andby eligible beneficiaries.Reacting to situations of the day is not good for the direction of its people. But being

proactive, doing long-range planning, and developing human, financial and naturalresources, including leadership with a vision, is better suited to meet the needs of ourpeople in todays fast-changing society.Are we getting the right direction in the political, economic and social arena? Only you,as beneficiaries and residents of Nunavut can answer that.As for me, Im worried about the photo ops that are too frequent and the little details thatare not being looked after in this fast cash-driven society. We are hypnotized by the bigdeals that get the major headlines and forget about overcrowded housing, suicides, lackof education, and some of the social ills that we are suffering.We cannot have a "Have and Have-Not" society in Nunavut where the rich get richerand the poor stay in limbo. We still have time to make changes for ourselves, our nextdoor neighbours and our fellow Nunavummiut for the betterment of our future, our youthand our collective need to survive as northerners.But we have to stop relying on others to do it for us we have to do it ourselves. Fourth, are the NTI leadership hopefuls ready to meet the challenges? Will they lead usto the promise of the NLCA and the creation of the Nunavut government? Are theyprepared to plan for us post-2007 when the money stops flowing from the compensation

settlement?And most of all, have they learned from the Inuit of Nunavik and the Inuvialuit of themany headaches, court challenges and the downward spiral let-down that cameafterwards, so that we Inuit dont travel down the same path?Finally, are we the Inuit ready to push our leadership to the limits of their capabilities,knowledge and vision for the future? Or are we still in the popularity contest phase?I, for one, feel we need a clear vision of where were going after the year 2007, whenthe final payment is made under our compensation agreement, a financial management

plan that will carry us to the next five generations.We need to take control of all the regulatory mandates that are spelled out for the IPGs,re-direct the Nunavut government towards its rightful path, and to listen to the residentsrather than to DIAND.Finally, we need to give clear direction to our leadership that Inuit of Nunavut are readyto meet any challenges ahead and become major players, not only in Nunavut, but in


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the rest of the country, so that we feel we are contributing as our ancestors have donein the past and are secure in our future as Inuit for the benefit of the next generations tofollow us.Allen Maghagak is a assistant chief negotiator for the Tunngavik Federation of Nunavut,

former president of Kitikmeot Inuit Association and former assistant to the first vice-president of NTI.TOPNovember 16, 2001Canadian first?Or First Canadian?Canada is the "ningauk" of the Inuit.JOSE A. KUSUGAKPresident, Inuit Tapirisat of CanadaDo you consider yourself Inuit or Canadians first? For many Inuit, this is an easyquestion to answer.Of course they are Inuit first. After all, their ancestors were Inuit before there was aCanada. Canada is only 134 years old, whereas the Inuit homeland is perhaps 20,000years old. But is that the right answer today? Is the answer as simple as that? Is that theonly answer?As president of Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, I am frequently asked to speak at universitiesand management cross-cultural courses, along with my fellow aboriginal leaders.When asked this apparently important question, the audience usually asks the Indiansfirst; knowing the answer they will get, and they are never disappointed. "We are Indiansfirst and foremost" and sometimes "Canadianism" doesnt even come into the picture.Then the questioner gives me a look that says "Okay, Mr. Inuit, are you really thatdifferent?" and asks politely, "and you Mr. Kusugak, do Inuit see themselves as Inuit firstor as Canadians first?"Well, I answer, I know I have always thought those two sentiments were one and thesame. After all, during our many meetings with other Inuit from countries such asDenmark, the United States or Russia, we have always been Canadian Inuit.The difference asked of course is culturally relevant to Qallunaaq. Just this morning Ireceived an e-mail asking "were the Inuit matrilineal or patrilineal, matriarchal orpatriarchal?"


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As I read this question, I realize that there appears to be a need to identify differences,to see if Inuit are "them" or "us." Are you like us or not?If I answer like my Indian friends, they will leave me alone. But life is not so simple, so I

hesitate to answer likewise. This hesitancy makes me think that I should answer thatInuit are Canadians first; but that answer will solicit a further question: "Why do Inuitthink that?" And to answer "because" simply wont do.To answer this question I had to draw from my culture and family traditions. My first-borndaughter Aliisa just got married to a fine young fellow named Cedric. Traditionally, and tradition continues today, Cedric is my ningauk, not my "son-in-law,"as the word son-in-law suggests "losing a daughter and gaining a son." Ningauk meansthat, now that she is married, I will never love my Aliisa any less and in no way am Ilosing her.Ningauk reinforces the fact that we are adding Cedric to our family, and that we are alsoadding Cedrics family to our family. Inuit traditional society law also dictates that I mustput my ningauk on a pedestal above my Aliisa.Cedrics parents must do the same for Aliisa. This is to ensure that respective in-lawsaccept and love the one marrying into the family. The point is that I will love my daughteralways and I want her to be accepted with all her goodness and faults by her newfamily.My wife and I want her to be accepted by Cedric and his family, so we put Cedric first as

Cedrics family puts Aliisa first.I tell you this story to say that it has everything to do with how I finally answered thequestion. As Italian-Canadians, Chinese-Canadians and Jewish-Canadians are proud oftheir ethnic background, so are Inuit.From our first contacts with settlers, Inuit have participated actively as partners in the fureconomy, and we want our partnership with Canada to continue to grow. Since Inuithave been "married" to Canada, we do not need to worry about losing our identity orloving ourselves less.We will always be Inuit and Canada is now our "ningauk." If Inuit are to be fully acceptedas Canadians, Inuit must put Canada first.Out of necessity, Inuit have focused on land claim issues over the past 30 years. Withthe signing of agreements in the Inuvialuit settlement region, as well as in Nunavik andNunavut, we expect to see an end to the "claims era" when the Labrador land claim issigned next year.


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Inuit can now plan for the next 30 years. Like a marriage that requires constant workand attention in order to be successful, there is much work to be done to get Inuit to anequal starting point with the rest of Canada.But now I can proudly say "I am Canadian first" and I am also a "First Canadian." TOPNovember 9, 2001NAM urges Ottawa to help NunavutHeres an edited transcript of a presentation that Keith Peterson, vice-president of theNunavut Association of Municipalities, made before the House of Commons standingcommittee on finance last month in Edmonton.Nunavut Association of MunicipalitiesThe Nunavut Association of Municipalities is located in Iqaluit, the capital of Canadasnewest territory, Nunavut. Our organization is mandated to represent the needs andconcerns of Nunavuts 25 municipalities with senior governments, including our ownterritorial government, and the federal government.Our association is well-positioned to represent the needs, and state the priorities, ofNunavut as a whole. Because we represent communities at the "ground level," we areaware of issues and concerns that are not immediately apparent to any other level ofgovernment.Briefing structureIt is a pleasure to be invited to appear before the standing committee on finance, as partof the federal governments pre-budget consultations.You have indicated the proposed budgetary plan will ideally address the followingobjectives: ensure that Canada remains a major player in the new economy; provide Canadians with equal opportunity to succeed; and create a socio-economic environment where Canadians can enjoy the best quality oflife and standard of living.Our presentation will address each of the above objectives, in that order.Overview


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The Conference Board of Canada was recently commissioned by Nunavut TunngavikIncorporated, the government of Nunavut, and the Department of Indian Affairs to studythe current and longer-term prospects for Nunavuts economy.This study was released a number of weeks ago.In that report, it was acknowledged that Nunavuts basic infrastructure is of seriousconcern, and in very critical condition.Even more concerning was its mention of basic structural deficiencies in education andhealth care indeed, essential elements for meaningful economic and socialdevelopment.The report states that "The health status of Nunavummiut is much lower than that ofother Canadians," and offers stark reminders that "health-related services and

education are in desperate need of attention," statements that, unfortunately reflectthe reality.Failure to improve our health conditions and upgrade our education levels is seen asone of the greatest risks to our future development.In a recent meeting with Finance Minister Paul Martin in Iqaluit, it was pointed out thatNunavut has never had the investment in basic infrastructure that has been realized inother Canadian jurisdictions over the past century Yet we compete in the sameeconomy, while struggling with social and economic issues that result, in large part, frominadequate infrastructure.It is imperative, in fact urgent, that the upcoming federal budget begin to address manybasic issues for Nunavut. Otherwise our municipalities cannot realistically be includedwhen indicating any degree of success with the objectives the standing committee istargeting.The new economyThe federal government operates on the basic principle of fairness to all Canadians,ensuring that no one individual or group realizes an undue benefit.Nunavut, as a territory, has an inherent right to contribute to Canadas place in the neweconomy, in the same way that the provinces do. With realistic investment in basicinfrastructure needs, and appropriate policy responses by the government, Nunavut canmake a strong contribution in the years ahead.In fact, without this proactive federal response, much of the incremental economicdevelopment that occurs in other Canadian jurisdictions, and the benefits of productivity


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improvements and technological innovation in these jurisdictions, will be significantlyoffset in Nunavut.Our communities are in desperate need of assistance, not in terms of continuedhandouts, but in terms of real investments in basic infrastructure, stimulative investment

policies, tax breaks and economic development strategies. These municipalitiescontinue to be almost 100 per cent dependent on government transfers.And while many of our communities may never become entirely self-sustaining, it isimperative that we reduce our reliance on transfers from other, more productive regions.We require development strategies, and federal programs and investment, to allow ourcommunities to become more economically viable.More specifically, Nunavut desperately needs an economic development agreementwith Ottawa. Without this, most major investments required to stimulate econom

Anawak, Jack - Suicide is Not the Inuit Way

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