ᐅᓇ ᑐᓇᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᖅ ᓴᕿᑎᑦᑎᒍᑎᐅᓚᐅᕐᑐᖅ ᐅᑭᐅᕐᑕᖅᑐᕐᒦᑦᑐᒥᑦ ‘ᒪᓕᒋᐊᖃᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᓂ’ ᑎᒃᑯᐊᖅᑕᐅᓂᑰᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐅᑯᓇᙵᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᖁᔭᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ-ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒌᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒌᒃᑐᓂᒃ, ᑖᒃᑯᐊᓗ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔨᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᑎᓴᒪᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᑖᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᖔᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᑯᓇᙵᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑕᐱᕇᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ.

The announcement introduced a northern-based Compliance and Review Committee who will be appointed on the advice of the Inuit-Crown Working Group and the Indigenous Working Group, which include representatives of the four Inuit land claim organizations, as well as Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.


ᒪᓕᒋᐊᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᖓᓂᐅᔭᕆᐊᓖᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᓄᑦ ᓱᓕ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᒃ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᑲᑎᒪᔩ ᑲᒪᒋᔭᖃᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᕕᓂᕐᓄᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕈᑎᓂᒃ ᓂᕿᑦᑎᐊᕙᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᕐᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒧᑦ, ᐃᑲᔪᖃᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓂᒃ ᐋᕿᒃᓱᐃᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᓄᑦ ᑕᒪᑐᒧᖓ ᓈᒻᒪᖕᓂᕐᓴᒥᑦ, ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᓗᒍ ᓂᕿᖃᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᖅ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓗᐊᖅᐸᖕᓂᖓ ᑲᓇᑕᐅᑉ ᓄᓇᓕᕋᓛᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᖏᓐᓂᒃ.

The terms and conditions of the committee are still being worked on by the partners, but the committee will look over audits of the Nutrition North Program, have a hand in the review and help the government shape the program to better fit its mandate, that is, to play a part in addressing food insecurity in Canada’s remote and Indigenous communities.


ᐃᑲᔪᕈᑎᒃᓴᒃᑲᓐᓃᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᒫᓃᓐᓇᔭᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ $3 ᒥᓕᐊᓐᑕᓚᓂ ᖁᓛᒍᑦ $14 ᒥᓕᐊᓐ ᑖᓚᐃᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᔪᒃᓴᓃᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ.

The additional subsidies are estimated to cost about $3 million over the program’s $14-million budget.


ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐊᖏᖃᑎᒌᒍᑎ ᐃᓚᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᖓᑖᓂᒃ 40-ᓂ ᐅᓪᓗᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᓂ ᐅᐸᒃᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ

Landmark settlement includes more than 40 day schools attended by Inuit


ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᑯᑦ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᑐᓂᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᓄᑦ ᐃᓅᔪᐃᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᒍᓐᓇᕐᓯᔪᑦ ᐊᑭᓕᖅᑕᐅᔾᔪᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᒫᙵᑦ $10,000-ᓂ $200,000-ᓄ

Eligible Indigenous day school survivors can apply for payments ranging from $10,000 to $200,000


ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖓᓂ ᑭᙵᓂ ᐄᐳᕈᓪ 1964-ᒥ.

Students at a federal day school in Cape Dorset in April 1964.


ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᑯᑦ 27-ᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᓂᑦ ᒫᓐᓇ ᑕᐃᔭᐅᓕᖅᑐᒥᓐ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ 11-ᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᐅᔪᑦ ᓄᓇᕕᒥᒃ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᖅᑎᑕᐅᔪ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖅᑖᕈᓐᓇᕐᓯᔪᑦ ᐊᖏᖃᑎᒌᒍᑎᕕᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᖏᖅᑕᐅᓂᑯᒥᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᖃᖅᑐᐃᕕᖓᓂ ᓇᒐᔭᐅᒥ, ᐋᒐᓯ 19.

Former students of 27 federal day schools in what is now Nunavut and 11 federal day schools in what is now Nunavik are eligible for compensation under a settlement agreement that was approved in Federal Court on Monday, Aug. 19.


(ᐅᖃᓕᒫᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᑲᑎᕐᓱᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ)


ᐃᓄᐃ ᒫᓂ 1950-ᖏᓐᓂᒃ, 1960-ᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ 1970-ᖏᓐᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᓂ 40 ᐅᖓᑖᓃᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖅᑖᕈᓐᓇᕐᓯᔪ ᐅᕙᙵᑦ $1.3 ᐱᓕᐊᓐ ᑖᓚᓂ ᐊᖏᕈᑎᑎᒍᑦ ᐋᕿᒃᓴᐅᑕᓂᑯᓂᒃ ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᖃᖅᑐᐃᕕᒡᔪᐊᖓᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐊᖏᓚᐅᕐᑕᖓᑦ ᐋᒐᓯ 19-ᖑᑎᓪᓗᒍ.

Inuit who in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s attended any of a list of more than 40 federal government day schools are eligible for cash compensation under a $1.3-billion settlement agreement that the Federal Court of Canada approved on Aug. 19.


ᐃᖃᖅᑐᐃᕕᖕᒥᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᓕᐊᕆᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᐋᕿᒃᓯᒍᑎᐅᕗᖅ ᐃᖃᖅᑐᖅᑕᐅᕕᒃᑰᕈᑎᐅᓂᑯᒥᒃ, ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑕᐅᓂᑯ 2009-ᒥ, ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᔪᖅ “ᐊᓪᓚᐃᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖅᐸᒃᑐᑦ ᐃᖃᖅᑐᐃᕕᒃᑰᕈᑎᖓ” ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ “ᒪᒃᓖᓐ ᐊᑕᐅᑦᑎᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕈᑎᖏᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖏᓐᓄᑦ,” ᐅᕙᙵ ᐃᓅᔪᓐᓃᕐᓂᑯᒧᑦ ᒋᐅᕆ ᓚᔅᓕ ᒪᒃᓖᓐ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑎᒃᑦᑎᓂᑯᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᖓᐅᑎᕕᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐱᓇᓱᒍᑎᒥᒃ.

The court’s decision settles a lawsuit, filed in 2009, that’s known as the “Indian Day School Class Action” or “Mclean Class Action for Federal Day Schools,” after the late Garry Leslie McLean, a federal day school survivor who launched the original statement of claim.


ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓗᐊᐃᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔪᑦ ᐸᓯᔭᒃᓴᙳᖅᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᔪᓄᑦ ᐊᖏᖃᑎᒌᓕᓚᐅᕐᐳᑦ ᐋᕿᒃᑕᐅᔪᒥᒃ ᒫᑦᓯᐅᓚᐅᕐᑐᒥᑦ.

The federal government and lawyers representing the plaintiffs reached a proposed settlement this past March.


ᑲᑎᒪᓚᐅᕐᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᒪᐃᒥ, ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᖃᖅᑐᐃᕝᕕᖏᑦ ᐊᖏᓕᓚᐅᕐᐳᑦ ᐊᖏᕈᑎᒋᔭᐅᔪᒥᒃ ᐋᒐᓯ 19-ᖑᑎᓪᓗᒍ.

After hearings held in May, a Federal Court approved the settlement on Monday.


ᐊᖏᖃᑎᒌᒍᑎ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖅᑖᖅᑎᑦᑎᒍᑎᐅᓂᐊᕐᑐᖅ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᑐᓂᒃ—ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖏᓐᓄᑦ—ᐃᓚᐅᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᙱᑦᑐᑦ $1.9 ᐱᓕᐊᓐ ᑖᓚᐅᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᕙᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᖏᕈᑎᕕᓂᕐᒥᒃ 2007-ᖑᑎᓪᓗᒍ.

The settlement compensates Indigenous people who—because they attended federal day schools—were left out of the $1.9-billion residential school settlement agreement reached in 2007.


ᐅᕘᓇᓕ ᐅᓪᓗᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃᓄᑦ ᐊᖏᕈᑎᑎᒍᑦ, ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᑦ ᑐᓂᓯᓇᔭᖅᑐᑦ $1.3 ᐱᓕᐊᓐ ᑖᓚᓂᒃ ᑯᐊᐳᕇᓴᒧᑦ ᐸᐸᑦᑎᔨᐅᓇᔭᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᐊᑭᓕᐅᑎᒃᓴᐅᓇᔭᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖅᐸᒃᑐᕕᓂᕐᓄᑦ.

Under the day school settlement, the federal government will put about $1.3 billion into a special corporation that will hold a fund from which compensation payments will be made to survivors.


ᑕᒪᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖃᑦᑕᕐᓯᒪᓂᑯᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖅᑖᕈᓐᓇᕐᓗᑎᒃ $10,000 ᐊᑐᓂᑦ.

All survivors are eligible for individual compensation of $10,000 each.


ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᖁᓄᔪᕐᓂᐊᖅᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᑯᓄᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᕐᓱᖅᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᐃᓐᓇᕐᓯᒪᓂᑯᐃᑦ ᐊᑯᓂᕈᓗᒡᓗ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓕᐅᕈᑎᐅᓯᒪᓗᓂ, ᐃᒻᒥᒃᑰᖓᓗᑎᒃ, ᒪᓕᒃᑕᐅᓂᐊᕐᓗᓂ ᖃᓄᑎᒋ ᐋᓐᓂᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐊᑭᓖᒍᑎᒃᓴ ᒫᙵᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᕋᔭᖅᑐᑦ $50,000-ᓂ $200,000-ᓄ.

But for repeated sexual abuse or physical assault leading to long-term injury, individual survivors, depending on the degree of abuse, are eligible for payments ranging from $50,000 to $200,000.


ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᖏᕈᑎᒋᔭᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᓴᕿᑎᑦᑎᒍᑎᐅᓂᐊᖅᖢᓂ $200 ᒥᓕᐊᓐᑖᓚᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᓄᑦ, ᐅᖃᐅᓯᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓕᖁᓯᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᓄᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒪᒥᓴᕈᑎᓄᓪᓗ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᓄᑦ.

And the settlement will also create a $200-million legacy fund for commemoration projects, language and culture projects, and health and wellness programs.


ᓗᐊᐃᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᑖᒃᓱᒥᖓ ᐃᖃᖅᑐᐃᕕᒃᑰᕈᑎᐅᓯᒪᔪᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᑯᑦ ᐊᑭᓕᖅᑕᐅᓇᔭᖅᑐᑦ $55 ᒥᓕᐊᓐ ᑖᓚᓂ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᖏᖃᑎᒌᒍᑎ ᓴᓂᕐᕙᐅᓯᒪᓪᓗᓂ $7 ᒥᓕᐊᓐ ᑖᓚᓂ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᑎᐅᓂᐊᕐᓗᓂ ᐊᑭᓕᕈᑎᒃᓴᓄᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᒃᓯᒪᔪᓄᑦ.

The lawyers who handled the class action will get paid $55 million, and the settlement sets aside $7 million to help pay the legal costs of survivors who make claims.


ᖃᓄᖅ ᐱᓇᓱᒍᓐᓇᕐᒪᖔᑦ


ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᑯᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᒍᓐᓇᕐᓯᔪᑦ ᒫᓐᓇ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖅᑖᕈᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐊᑭᓕᕐᓱᐃᓕᕋᔭᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᑦ 120 ᐊᓂᒍᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋ ᐅᕙᙵᑦ ᐋᒐᓯ 19-ᒥᑦ ᐊᖏᖃᑎᒌᒍᑎᕕᓂᕐᒥᑦ.

Survivors can start applying for compensation now, but payouts won’t start until 120 days after the Aug. 19 settlement date.


ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖅᑖᕋᓱᖕᓂᐊᕐᓗᑎᑦ, ᐅᕗᙵᕆᐊᖃᖅᐳᑎᑦ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ indiandayschools.com, ᐅᓇᓗ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᕐᓄᐊᕐᓗᒍ PDF-ᑯᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᒍᑎᒃᓴᖅ ᑕᑕᑎᕆᐊᓕᒃ, ᑕᑕᑎᕐᓗᒍ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓇᒡᓯᐅᑎᓗᒍ ᐅᕗᖓ Gowling WLG Canada, ᓗᐊᐃᔭᐃᑦ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔪᑦ ᐃᖃᖅᑐᐃᕕᒃᑰᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᓂᒃ.

To make a claim, you should go to the website indiandayschools.com, download a PDF of the claims form, fill it out and send it to Gowling WLG Canada, the law firm that is acting on behalf of class action members.


ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᕐᓯᒪᓂᑯᑦ ᐊᕐᕌᒎᖕᓂ ᒪᕐᕉᖕᓂᒃ ᓇᑉᐸᕐᒥᒡᓗ ᐱᓇᓱᒍᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ.

Survivors will have two and a half years to make a claim.


ᖃᐅᔨᒋᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᒪᒍᔅᓯ, ᐅᓇ ᑕᑯᖏᐊᕈᓐᓇᖅᑕᓯ ᐊᐱᖅᑯᑎᐅᓂᖅᐹᖑᕙᒃᑐᑦ (FAQ) ᓴᕿᔮᖅᑎᑕᐅᔪᓂᒃ.

For more information, check out the FAQ section of the website.


ᑕᕝᕙᓂᓕ, ᑕᑯᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓯ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᓂ ᐊᔪᙱᑎᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ.

There, you can also find a complete list of eligible schools.


ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᑯᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᙱᑦᑐᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ


ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᑯᐃ ᖁᕕᐊᒋᔭᖃᙱᒃᑯᑎ ᐊᖏᖃᑎᒌᒍᑎᐅᔪᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᒻᒥᒃᑰᖓᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᖃᖅᑐᐃᕕᒃᑰᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᒪᓗᑎᒃ ᐱᓇᓱᙱᑦᑐᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᑖᔅᓱᒥᖓ ᐊᖏᕈᑎᒥ ᐅᓪᓗᐃᑦ 90 ᐃᓗᐊᓂ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᓗᓂ ᐋᒐᓯ 19-ᒥᑦ ᐊᖏᕈᑎᕕᓂᕐᒥᑦ.

Those survivors who aren’t happy with the settlement agreement and who wish to pursue their own lawsuits may decide to opt out of the deal within 90 days of the Aug. 19 settlement date.


ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᑯᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᓕᐅᕈᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᓴᕿᑎᑦᑎᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓚᐅᔪᒪᙱᓐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑕᑕᑎᕆᐊᓕᖕᓂᑦ ᐅᕙᙵᑦ indiandayschools.com ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ ᓴᕿᔮᒐᑎᒍᑦ.

Survivors may do that by downloading an opt-out form here.


ᑕᑕᑎᕈᓐᓇᖅᑕᐃᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓇᒡᓯᐅᑎᓗᒍ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ, ᓱᑲᑦᑐᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᑎᑎᖃᒃᑯᕕᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᕗᖓ Gowling WLG Canada.

You then fill it out, and send it by either email, fax or mail to Gowling WLG Canada.


ᑕᐃᒃᑯᐊ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᑯᑦ ᐃᓚᐅᔪᒪᓯᒪᙱᑦᑐᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖅᑖᕋᔭᙱᑦᑐᑦ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᐱᕕᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐃᒻᒥᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᖃᖅᑐᐃᕕᒃᑰᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥᒃ.

Those survivors who do opt out will get no compensation, but they’ll retain the right to file their own lawsuits.


“ᐃᓚᐅᔪᒪᙱᓐᓂᖅ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐊᓘᕗᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᖅᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᔾᔮᙱᖢᓂ,” ᒐᐅᓕᖕᑯᑦ (Gowling WLG) ᐅᖃᕐᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ ᓴᕿᔮᒐᖓᓂᒃ.

“Opting out is a serious and permanent decision,” Gowling WLG says on its website.


ᐃᓄᐃᑦ, ᐊᓪᓚᖓᔪᐃᑦ, ᐊᓪᓚᐃᑦ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂ ᐊᔪᙱᑦᑐᑦ

Inuit, Métis, First Nations all eligible


ᐅᓇ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖅ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᕋᓗᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ “ᐊᓪᓚᐃᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖏᑦ,” ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂᓕᒫᖅ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ—ᐃᓄᐃᑦ, ᐊᓪᓚᖓᔪᐃᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐊᓪᓚᐃᑦ—ᑖᒃᑯᓂᖓ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᓂ ᐅᐸᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᑯᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᑎᑕᐅᔪᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖅᑖᖅᑎᑕᐅᓂᕐᒥᒃ.

Despite the use of the term “Indian day schools,” all Indigenous people—Inuit, Métis or First Nations—who attended one of the listed schools is eligible for compensation payments.


“ᑖᔅᓱᒥᖓ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᒥ ᐊᑐᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᔪᓐᓇᕈᔪᓚᐅᕐᑐᖅ, ᓲᖃᐃᒻᒪ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᒐᑦᑎᒍᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓐᓂᖓᓂ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖅ ᐊᒥᓱᓄᑦ.

“Using this word was not an easy choice, because we recognize that it has negative connotations for many people.


ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᑦ “ᐊᓪᓚᐃᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖏᑦ” ᐋᕿᒃᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐅᕘᓇ ᑲᓇᑕᐅᑉ ‘ᐊᓪᓚᓄᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᕐᔪᐊᖅ,’ ᑐᕌᖓᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᓪᓚᓄᑦ, ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᓪᓚᖓᔪᓄᑦ,” ᒪᓕᒐᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ ᑲᒪᒋᔭᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᖃᖅᑐᐃᕕᒃᑰᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ, ᒐᐅᓕᖕ WLG, ᐅᖃᕐᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ ᓴᕿᔮᖅᑐᓂᒃ.

Federal ‘Indian Day Schools’ were created under Canada’s ‘Indian Act,’ which applied to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples,” the law firm handling the class action, Gowling WLG, said on their website.


ᑕᐃᒪᓕ ᐅᑯᓇᙵᑦ 700 ᐅᖓᑖᓃᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᓂ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᐊᖏᕈᑎᓂᒃ, ᖃᔅᓯᐅᓂᖏᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ ᐅᐸᒃᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᑯᑦ ᐃᒪᐃᓕᖓᔪᑦ:

So of the more than 700 schools listed in the agreement, the number of schools likely attended by Inuit breaks down like this:


• ᒫᓐᓇ ᓄᓇᕘᓕᖅᑐᒥᑦ: 27 ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖏᑦ, ᐃᓚᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᐅᔪᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᑕᐅᔪᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ ᐃᓄᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᓯᖓᓂᖔᕐᓂᑯᓂᑦ, ᒪᑯᑎᑐᓇᖅ, ᐳᐊᑦ ᐴᕕᐊᓪ (Port Burwell), ᐸᑦᓗᐱᖕ (Padoping) ᕿᑭᖅᑕᖅ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᓴᐅᑦ ᑳᒻᑉ ᐱᐊᓱ ᕿᑭᖅᑕᓂᒃ (South Camp, Belcher Islands-ᓂ).

• In what is now Nunavut: 27 federal day schools, including schools that operated in communities whose populations were relocated to other places, such as Port Burwell, Padloping Island, and South Camp on the Belcher Islands.


ᐃᓚᐅᑎᑦᑎᖕᒥᔪᑦ ᓂᐊᖁᙴᒥᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓱ ᒫᑎᓐ ᕗᕉᐱᔪ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃᓂᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᓂᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᙱᑦᑐᓃᑦᑐᓂ ᐊᓯᙳᕐᓯᒪᓕᕐᓯᒪᔪᓂᑦ ᒫᓐᓇ ᓄᓇᒋᔭᐅᓪᓚᕆᓕᖅᑐᓂᒃ.

They also include the Apex Hill and Sir Martin Frobisher federal day schools, and schools in multiple locations that over time evolved into today’s settled communities.


ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᐊᔪᔾᔮᙱᓪᓗᓂ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᑰᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᐳᑎᑦ ᓇᓕᐊᓐᓄᑦ 27-ᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᓄᑦ ᓯᕗᓂᐊᓂ ᐄᐳᕈᓪ 1, 1970, ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᐅᔪᑦ ᑲᒪᒋᔭᐅᓂᖏᑦ ᓅᑕᐅᑎᓪᓗᒋ ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᑉ ᒐᕙᒪᖓᓄᑦ.

But to be eligible, you must have attended one of those 27 schools prior to April 1, 1970, when responsibility for those schools was transferred to the Government of the Northwest Territories.


• ᒫᓐᓇ ᓄᓇᕕᐅᓕᖅᑐᒥᑦ: 11 ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᐅᔪᑦ.

• In what is now Nunavik: 11 federal day schools.


ᐊᒥᓲᓂᕐᓴᑦ ᓄᓇᓖᑦ ᐊᑎᑐᖃᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᑎᖃᕐᒪᑕ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᕈᓐᓃᖅᑐᓂᒃ, ᐃᓛᓐᓂ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᓂᙱᖢᑎᒃ, ᐅᑯᑎᑐᓇᖅ ᒍᕇᑦ ᕗᐃᐅᓪ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃ (ᑰᔾᔪᐊᕌᐱᒃ), ᕗᐊᐃᑲᒻ ᐸᐃ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖓᑦ (ᑲᖏᖅᓱᔪᐊᖅ), ᓇᑐᕈ-ᑖᒻ ᐃᕗᔨᕕᒃᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃ (ᐃᕗᔨᕕᒃ) ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓄᒃᔪᐊᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃ (ᐃᓄᒃᔪᐊᒃ).

Most are listed under old community names that aren’t used anymore, sometimes with eccentric spellings, such as Great Whale Federal Day School (Kuujjuarapik), Wakeham Bay Government School (Kangiqsujuaq), Notre-Dame d’Ivugivik School (Ivujivik) and Inocedjouac School (Inukjuak).


ᐊᒥᓲᓂᕐᓴᒃᑯᓪᓕ, ᑲᒪᒋᔭᖃᕐᓂᖅ ᑖᒃᑯᓂᖓ 11-ᓂ ᓄᓇᕕᒃᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᓂᒃ ᓅᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐅᑯᓄᖓ ᑲᑎᕕᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᓯᑎᐱᕆ 1, 1978-ᒥᑦ.

In most cases, responsibility for these 11 Nunavik schools was transferred to the Kativik School Board on Sept. 1, 1978.


• ᒫᓐᓇ ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᖑᓕᖅᑐᒥ: ᑎᓴᒪᐅᔪᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖏᑦ ᐅᕙᓂ ᑐᒃᑐᔭᖅᑐᖅ, ᓵᒃ ᕼᐋᐳ, ᕼᐅᒪᓐ ᐊᐃᓚᓐ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓅᕕᒃᒥᑦ.

• In what is now the Northwest Territories: at least four federal day schools, located in Tuktoyaktuk, Sachs Harbour, Holman Island and Inuvik.


ᑲᒪᒋᔭᖃᕐᓂᖅ ᑖᒃᑯᓂᖓ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᓂ ᓅᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᑉ ᒐᕙᒪᖓᓄᑦ ᐄᐳᕈᓪ 1, 1969-ᒥᑦ.

Responsibility for those schools was transferred to the GNWT on April 1, 1969.


ᑕᒪᓐᓇᓕ ᑐᑭᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᕕᓂᐅᔪᑦ ᒪᑯᓇᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᓂ ᒍᐊᑕᓐ ᐅᕌᐳᑦᓴᓐ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᐊᓗᒃ ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓂᑦ, ᓲ ᔮᓐ ᕗᕌᖕᒃᓕᓐ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃ ᔭᓗᓇᐃᒥ, ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᕐᕕᒃ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑰᔾᔪᐊᕌᓗᖕᒥᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃᒥᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᕐᓂᑯᑦ ᐊᔪᖅᑎᑕᐅᔪᑦ.

That means former students of schools such as Gordon Robertson Education Centre in Iqaluit, Sir John Franklin School in Yellowknife, the Keewatin Regional Education Centre in Rankin Inlet and the Churchill Vocational Centre in Churchill are not eligible.


ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᖏᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᒃᓴᙱᑦᑐᑦ ᐊᖏᕈᑎᐅᔪᒥᑦ


ᓄᓇᕕᒃᒥᑦ, ᒫᓃᐸᓗᖕᒪᑕ 3,000 ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᑯᑦ 11-ᓂ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᙱᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃᒥᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕋᔭᖅᑐᒃᓴᐅᔪᑦ.

In Nunavik, there are an estimated 3,000 former students from 11 different schools who may be eligible for compensation.


ᒪᑭᕕᒃ ᑯᐊᐳᕇᓴᓐᑯᑦ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᕐᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᕕᒃᒥ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᐱᖁᑎᒃᓴᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕆᐊᒃᓴᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᒪᑭᕕᒃᑯᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᖓᓄᑦ ᐅᖄᓚᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᕗᖓ 418-522-2224, ext. 4.

Makivik Corp. says Nunavik Inuit with questions about eligibility can contact Makivik’s legal department at 418-522-2224, ext. 4.


ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᑐᙵᕕᒃ ᑎᒥᖓ, ᐃᓚᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᒪᑭᕕᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓄᕕᐊᓗᐃᑦ ᑯᐊᐳᕇᓴᒃᑯ, ᓈᒻᒪᒃᓴᓚᐅᙱᑦᑐᑦ ᐊᖏᖃᑎᒌᒍᑎᒥ ᓲᖃᐃᒻᒪ ᐃᓄᖕᓂ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔨᑕᖃᙱᑦᑐᑦ ᐃᑲᔫᓯᐊᒃᓴᓕᕆᓂᒃᑯᑦ.

Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., along with Makivik and the Inuvialuit Regional Corp., have criticized the settlement agreement because there is no Inuit representation on the fund that will manage compensation moneys.


ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᑐᙵᕕᒃᑯᑦ ᑎᒥᖓ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓈᒻᒪᒃᓴᖅᓯᒪᙱᑦᑐᑦ ᐋᕿᒃᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᒥᑦ ᐊᖏᕈᑎᐅᑉ ᐃᓱᖃᖅᑎᕝᕕᖏᓐᓂᒃ.

NTI has also been critical of the proposed settlement’s timelines.


ᐄᐳᕉᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᔪᒥ, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᑐᙵᕕᒃ ᑎᒥᖓ, ᐃᓚᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ 6-ᓂ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐸᓯᔭᒃᓴᐅᑎᑦᑎᔨᓂᒃ, ᕿᓂᕋᓱᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᕗᑦ ᑲᒪᒋᔭᖃᖃᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᖃᖅᑐᐃᕕᖓᑦᑕ ᐃᖃᖅᑐᐃᔨᖓ ᐋᒃᑳᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᑐᒃᓯᕋᐅᑎᒋᔭᖏᓐᓂᒃ.

Last April, NTI, along with six other groups and plaintiffs, sought intervenor status in the case, but a Federal Court judge denied their application.


ᖁᕕᐅᓱᙱᓗᐊᕈᕕᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᖃᑎᖃᕈᒪᓗᑎᑦ, ᐃᖃᖅᑐᐃᕕᒃᑰᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᕆᔨᖏ ᐅᖃᕐᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐅᖄᓚᒍᓐᓇᕐᓂᔅᓯᓐᓂᒃ ᐅᕗᖓ Hope for Wellness Helpline ᐅᕙᓂ 1-855-242-3310, ᑖᓐᓇᓗ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᖏᓐᓇᐅᔭᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᑲᕐᕋᓂ 24-ᓂ ᐅᓪᓗᕐᒥᑦ, ᐅᓪᓗᓂ 7-ᓂ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᕐᒥᑦ.

If you’re feeling distressed and want to talk to someone, the class action law firm suggests you call the Hope for Wellness Helpline at 1-855-242-3310, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.


ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᖓᑦ ᑐᓂᓯᕗᖅ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᓕᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒧᑦ, ᐱᖁᑎᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᐊᕐᓂᒥᒃ ᑲᑎᓯᒪᓕᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓄᑦ

Nunavut government awards medical, duty cargo contract to merged airline


ᓵᓚᒃᓴᖅᑐᑦ $100 ᒥᓕᐊᓐᑖᓚᑐᖅᑐᒥᑦ ᐅᑯᐊ ᑳᒻ ᐃᐅ ᐊᒻᒪ ᑲᓃᑎᐊᓐ ᓄᐊᑦ

Winners of $100M bonanza are Calm Air and Canadian North


ᒪᓕᒋᐊᓕᒃᑎᒍᑦ ᓄᑖᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᑎᑦᑎᓂᐅᓕᖅᑐᒥᓐ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓂ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᓕᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒧᑦ ᐊᐅᓪᓚᕈᑎᓄᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᓯᔭᒃᓴᓄᑦ, ᑲᓃᑎᐊᓐ ᓄᐊᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᒃᒥᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᕿᑎᕐᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᖃᓗᐃᑦ-ᐋᑐᕚᒨᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖅ.

Under the terms of its new contract with the Government of Nunavut on medical and duty travel, as well as air cargo, Canadian North will service the Qikiqtaaluk and Ktikmeot regions and the Iqaluit-Ottawa route.


(ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᕆᔨ ᔭᐃᓐ ᔪᐊᔾ)


ᒪᕐᕉᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓕᕆᔩᑦ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᕘᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᓄᑖᖅ ᐊᖏᕈᑎᒋᓕᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᓕᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒧᑦ ᑲᒪᒋᔭᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᓯᖃᑦᑕᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᖁᑎᓂᒃ: ᑳᒻ ᐃᐅ ᐃᓐᑐᓈᓴᓄᓪ LP ᐊᒻᒪ ᑲᓃᑎᐊᓐ ᓄᐊᑦ ᐃᖕᒃ., ᒫᓐᓇ ᑲᑎᖃᑎᖃᓕᖅᑐᖅ ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐅᑯᓐᓂ.

Two airlines have walked away with the Government of Nunavut’s lucrative new agreement for medical and duty travel, as well as air freight: Calm Air International LP and Canadian North Inc., which is now merging with First Air.


ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᑐᓴᖅᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᕐᐳᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑐᓂᓯᓚᐅᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ, ᐊᑭᖃᓪᓗᐊᖅᑐᒥ ᒫᓂ $100 ᒥᓕᐊᓐ ᑖᓚᓂᒃ ᑲᑎᖢᑎᒃ, ᑕᓪᓕᕐᒥᐅᓚᐅᕐᑐᒥᓐ, ᐋᒐᓯ 23, ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᕐᒥ ᓄᖑᓐᓂᐊᓵᕐᓂᐊᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᑎᑦᑎᓂᐅᓂᑯᑦ.

The GN announced the contract awards, worth at least $100 million in total, late on Friday, Aug. 23, a week before the current contracts are set to expire.


ᐱᓕᕆᑎᑦᑎᓂᐅᔪᑦ ᑕᑭᑎᒋᓂᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᓂ ᐱᖓᓱᓂᒃ ᒪᕐᔭᕉᖕᓂ ᓄᑖᙳᕆᐅᕈᑎᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᖢᑎᒃ, ᐊᕐᕌᒎᖕᓄ ᒪᕐᕉᖕᓄᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᒧ.

The contracts carry an initial term of three years with two renewal options, for two years, and one year.


“ᑲᑎᖢᑎᒃ ᐊᑯᓂᐅᑎᒋᓇᔭᖅᑐᖅ ᐆᒥᖓ ᐃᓕᕆᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥᒃ 6 (3+2+1=6) ᐊᕐᕌᒍᐃᑦ,” ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᓚᐅᕐᑐᑦ ᑐᓴᖅᑎᑦᑎᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᐊᖅᑐᒥᑦ.

“The total potential term of this contract is six (3+2+1=6) years,” the GN spelled out in its announcement of the award.


ᐱᔪᒪᓂᖅ ᑐᒃᓯᕋᐅᑎᓂ ᓴᖅᑭᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᔭᓄᐊᕆᐅᓚᐅᕐᑐᒥᓐ, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᑭᑦᑐᕋᐅᑎᒍᑎᓂᒃ ᐃᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐳᕌᑦᓕ ᐃᐅᑯᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐅ, ᑳᒻ ᐃᐅ ᐃᓐᑐᓈᓴᓄᓪ, ᑲᓃᑎᐊᓐ ᓄᐊᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓄᐊᑦ ᓯᑖ ᐃᐅ, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᕐᑐᑦ ᐋᒐᓯ 23-ᒥ.

After a request for proposals was sent out this last January, the GN received bids from Bradley Air Services Ltd. and First Air, Calm Air International, Canadian North Inc. and North Star Air, the GN said on Aug. 23.


ᐱᓕᕆᑎᑦᑎᓂᒃᑯᓪᓕ, ᑳᒻ ᐃᐅ ᖃᖓᑕᕙᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ, ᐃᓚᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᖅ, ᐅᐃᓂᐱᒡ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓴᓂᑭᓗᐊᖅ.

Under the terms of the contract, Calm Air will serve flights in and out of the Kivalliq region, including Rankin Inlet, Winnipeg and Sanikiluaq.


ᑲᓃᑎᐊᓐ ᓄᐊᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᕐᓂᐊᕐᑐᖅ ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᒃᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᕿᑎᕐᒥᐅᓂᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᑯᓂᖓ: ᐃᖃᓗᐃᑦ-ᐋᑐᕚ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᖃᓗᐃᑦ-ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᖅ-ᔭᓗᓇᐃ-ᐊᑦᒪᓐᑕᓐ.

Canadian North will service the Qikiqtaaluk and Kitikmeot regions, as well as the following routes: Iqaluit–Ottawa and Iqaluit-Rankin Inlet-Yellowknife-Edmonton.


ᑕᐃᒪᙵᑦ ᐱᔪᒪᔾᔪᑎᑦ ᑐᒃᓯᕋᐅᑎᓂᒃ ᐱᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ, ᑲᓃᑎᐊᓐ ᓄᐊᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᕘᔅ ᐃᐅ ᑲᔪᓯᓚᐅᕐᐳᑦ ᑲᑎᓐᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᔾᔪᑎᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᖏᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᔫᓂᐅᓚᐅᕐᑐᒥᓐ.

Since the RFP bids were received, Canadian North and First Air have moved ahead with a merger of the two airlines, which Transport Canada approved last June.


ᑲᑎᓯᒪᓕᖅᑑᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᒃ ᐊᑎᖃᖅᑎᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᑲᓃᑎᐊᓐ ᓄᐊᑦᒥ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐅ ᑕᕐᓴᖓᓄ ᐃᓄᓱᒐᙳᐊᕐᒥ ᑕᕐᓴᖃᕐᓂᐊᖅᖢᑎᒃ.

The merged airline will be branded as Canadian North, but will use First Air’s inuksuk-based red and white livery.


“ᑲᓃᑎᐊᓐ ᓄᐊᑦ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᓚᐅᕐᒪᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᑎᒃᓴᐃᑦ ᐃᓚᖓᓄᑦ ᒪᐅᖓ ᕿᑭᖅᑕᓂ ᐊᒻᒪ ᕿᑎᕐᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᐊᑭᑦᑐᕋᐅᑎᓕᕆᓂᒻᒪᕆᒃᑯᑦ,” ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐅᑯᓐᓂ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖃᓚᐅᕐᑐᖅ, ᓇᒡᓯᐅᔾᔭᐅᔪᒥᑦ ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᕐᒥ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᓄᑦ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔪᒥ ᑲᑎᒪᓯᓕᖅᑑᖕᓂᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓕᕆᔨᓂᒃ.

“Canadian North has been awarded a share of contract for the Qikiqtani and Kitikmeot regions based on a rigorous RFP process,” said a statement from First Air, sent to Nunatsiaq News on behalf of the merged airlines.


“ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒃᐳᒍᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᕐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᑲᑎᓯᒪᓕᕐᓗᑕ, ᓈᒻᒪᖕᓂᕐᓴᐅᓕᕐᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐱᐅᓂᖅᐹᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᕈᑎ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ ᕿᑭᖅᑕᓂ ᐊᒻᒪ ᕿᑎᕐᒥᐅᓃᑦᑐᓂᒃ.”

“We are happy that we will be able to service this contract as a merged airline, leveraging the greater scale we can achieve to provide the best possible service to the GN and the communities in the Qikiqtani and Kitikmeot regions.”


ᐱᓕᕆᑎᑦᑎᓂᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᓚᖃᕐᒥᔪᑦ ᑭᒃᑯᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᔪᒪᔪᓅᖓᔪᓂᒃ, ᑖᒃᑯᓂᖓ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓕᕆᔨᓂᒃ ᐳᓴᓐᑎᑎᒍᑦ ᐃᒃᓯᕙᐅᑕᒃᓴᓂ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᑎᑦᑎᕙᒡᓗᑎᒃ ᑭᒃᑯᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓄᑦ ᐊᑭᖃᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᑭᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ.

The contracts also include a public travel component, which requires the airlines to offer a percentage of seats to the general public at an economy-class fare.


ᐅᓇ ᓄᑖᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᑎᑦᑎᓂᐅᔪᖅ ᐊᑐᓕᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᔭᓄᐊᕆ 2020.

The new contracts come into effect in January 2020.


ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᐃᓯᒪᕗᑦ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐋᒥᔭᓐᒥᑦ: ICC

Inuit stand with the Indigenous peoples of the Amazon: ICC


“ᖃᐅᔨᒪᕗᒍᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓅᓪᓗᑕ, ᐃᑲᔪᕐᖢᑎᒍᑦ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᑐᑦ ᖃᑕᙳᑎᕗᑦ”

“We recognize our critical part as Inuit, alongside our Indigenous brothers and sisters”


“ᖃᓄᐃᓕᔪᖃᖅᐸᑦ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᑉ ᐃᓚᖓᓂ ᐅᕙᑦᑎᓐᓄᓕᒫᖅ ᐊᒃᑐᐃᓂᖃᕋᔭᖅᑐᖅ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᕐᑐᖅ ᒫᓂᑲ ᐃᐊᓪ-ᑲᓇᔪᒃ, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᕐᔪᐊᑦ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖓ ᑲᓇᑕᒧᑦ, ᐊᐃᑉᐹᖑᑎᓪᓗ, ᐋᒐᓯ 27, ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᑭᕐᔪᐊᖅᑐᐊᓗᖕᒥ ᓴᐅᑦ ᐊᒥᐊᓕᑲᐅᑉ ᐋᒥᔮᙵᓂ.

“What happens in one part of the planet has impact on us all,” says Monica Ell-Kanayuk, the Inuit Circumpolar Council president for Canada, on Tuesday, Aug. 27, about the raging fires in South America’s Amazon region.


By ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᕐᒥ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᑦ


ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᒥ ᐅᑭᐅᕐᑕᖅᑐᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᑦ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᑦ ᐊᓛᔅᑲᒥ, ᑲᓇᑕ, ᓱᑯᑦᑲ ᐊᒻᒪ ᑲᓛᖡᑦ ᓄᓇᖓᓂ ᑐᓴᖅᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᕐᐳᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᐃᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ ᐋᒥᔮᓐᒥᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓱᒫᓘᑎᖃᕐᓂᕋᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᒫᓐᓇ ᐃᑯᐊᓚᔪᐃᑦ ᓇᐹᖅᑐᖃᕐᓂᖓᒍᑦ ᐊᒃᑐᐃᒍᑎᐅᓇᔭᕐᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᓯᓚᕐᔪᐊᑉ ᖃᓄᐃᒍᓯᐊᓂᒃ.

The international circumpolar organization representing Inuit in Alaska, Canada, Chukotka and Greenland has sent a message of solidarity to Indigenous peoples living in the Amazon basin, and expressing concern for what the fires now burning in the region’s rainforests mean for the global climate system.


“ᐅᑭᐅᕐᑕᖅᑑᑉ ᓄᓇᖓ ᐊᓯᙳᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᖓ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᖏᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐆᒪᔾᔪᑎᒋᕙᒃᑕᖏ ᐊᒃᑐᐊᒻᒪᕆᒃᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᒧᑦ, ᐱᒋᐊᓪᓚᒃᑲᓐᓂᕋᔭᕐᒪᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓕᐅᕈᑎᖃᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓗᓂ ᒪᑯᓇᙵᑦ ᓇᐹᖅᑐᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᐋᒥᔮᓐ ᐃᑭᓐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᑖᒃᑯᐊᓗ ᓯᓚᕐᔪᐊᑉ ᐅᖅᑰᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᖁᕝᕙᕆᐊᕈᑎᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓯᑯᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᐅᔪᐃᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᐅᒃᑎᑦᑎᕚᓪᓕᕈᑎᐅᓪᓗᓂ,” ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᕐᔪᐊᑦ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖓ ᑲᓇᑕᒧᑦ, ᒫᓂᑲ ᐃᐊᓪ-ᑲᓇᔪᒃ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᕐᑐᖅ ᐊᐃᑉᐹᓂᑦ, ᐋᒐᓯ 27, ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᓕᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ.

“Transformation of the Arctic landscape, and of Inuit lives and livelihoods that are intricately tied to this landscape, will only be accelerated and further devastated by the raging forest fires in the Amazon that are raising global temperatures and fueling further melting of sea ice and glaciers,” the Inuit Circumpolar Council’s president for Canada, Monica Ell-Kanayuk, said on Tuesday, Aug. 27, in a press release.


“ᖃᓄᐃᑦᑐᖃᖅᐸᑦ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᑉ ᐃᓚᖓᓂ ᐊᒃᑐᐃᓂᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐅᕙᑦᑎᓐᓄᓕᒫᖅ.”

“What happens in one part of the planet has impact on us all.”


ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᖓᑦᑕ ᓄᓇᖏᑦ ᒪᑐᒥᖓ ᐊᑐᓕᕇᕐᒪᑕ “ᖃᓄᐃᒍᑎᕐᔪᐊᓂᒃ ᓯᓚᐅᑉ ᐊᓯᙳᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ.

Inuit Nunangat homelands are already experiencing “catastrophic climate change,” she said.


ᐅᓇ 7.4 ᒥᓕᐊᓐ ᑭᑉᐹᕆᒃᑎᕐᓯᒪᓪᓗᓂ ᑭᓛᒥᑕ ᐋᒥᔮᓐ ᓄᓇᒋᔭᐅᕗᖅ 1 ᒥᓕᐊᓐᓄ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᑐᓄᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ 3 ᒥᓕᐊᓐᐸᓗᖕᓂᑦ ᐱᕈᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓂᕐᔪᑎᓄᑦ, ᐅᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᖕᔪᐊᖏᑦ, ᓇᓗᓇᐃᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᖢᑎᒃ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᓄᓇ ᓯᓚᐅᑉ ᖃᓄᐃᑉᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᖓ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᔾᔪᑎᐅᕙᖕᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᓯᓚᐅᑉ ᐊᓯᙳᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᖓᓂᒃ, ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᓇᐹᖅᑐᐊᓗᐃᑦ ᓯᓚᐃᓐᓇᒦᑦᑐᓂ ᐊᓂᕐᓵᖅᑐᕈᑎᖃᖅᐸᖕᒪᑕ ᓯᓚᒧ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓕᐅᕈᑎᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒪᑦ.

The 7.4-million-square-kilometre Amazon basin is home to one million Indigenous people, and about three million species of plants and animals, said the ICC, pointing out that the region is critical for regulating climate change, as its forests absorb millions of tonnes of climate-warming carbon emissions each year.


ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᓇᐹᖅᑐᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᑭᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ, ᒪᑯᐊ ᓇᐹᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᐱᔭᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᑯᑦ ᑳᐸᓐ (carbon) ᓯᓚᐃᓐᓇᕐᒨᓕᔭᒻᒪᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᐹᖅᑐᓖᑦ ᑕᒪᑐᒥᖓ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᖏᑦ ᐊᓯᐅᑐᐃᓐᓇᓕᖅᖢᓂ.

But during rainforest fires, the carbon stored in the trees is released into the atmosphere, and the rainforest’s ability to absorb carbon is diminished.


“ᐅᓇ ᐊᒃᑐᐃᒍᑎᒻᒪᕆᐊᓗᒃ ᓄᓇᕐᒧᐊᑉ ᑳᐸᓐᖃᕐᓂᖓ ᐊᒃᑐᐃᓂᖃᒻᒪᕆᖕᓂᐊᕐᒪᑦ ᐅᖓᓯᒃᑐᓄᓪᓘᓐᓂᑦ, ᐃᓚᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᐅᑭᐅᕐᑕᖅᑐᖅ,” ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᒥᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᕐᔪᐊᖏᑦᑕ ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᖓ ᐅᖃᕐᓯᒪᔪᖅ.

“The massive impact on the planet’s carbon balance will have consequences for regions far from the Amazon, including the Arctic,” the ICC release said.


ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᒥᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᕐᔪᐊᖏᑦᑕ ᐃᒃᓯᕙᐅᑕᖓ, ᑖᓖ ᓵᒻᐳ ᑐᕈ, ᐅᖃᓚᐅᕐᑐᖅ ᐅᑯᖓ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᒥᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᕐᔪᐊᖏᑦ “ᐃᓱᒫᓘᑎᖃᓪᓚᕆᖕᒪᑕ” ᒪᑯᓂᖓ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐊᖑᑲᑕᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐳᕋᔨᐅᒥᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᓕᖕᓂᒃ ᒐᕙᒪᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐆᒪ ᔭᐃᐊ ᐳᓪᓱᓂᐅᕈ (Jair Bolsonaro).

The ICC international chair, Dalee Sambo Dorough, said the ICC is “very concerned” about reports from Indigenous leaders in Brazil about the government of Jair Bolsonaro.


“ᐅᓇ ᑐᓴᖅᖢᒍ ᒐᕙᒪᖏᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᓚᐅᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓕᐅᕈᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᓱᖁᑎᒃᓴᙱᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᒃᑯᑦ, ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐱᕈᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᓂᕿᒃᓴᓕᐅᕐᑏᑦ, ᓂᕐᔪᑎᓂᒃ ᐱᖁᑎᓖᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐅᔭᕋᒃᓯᐅᖅᑏᑦ ᐊᒥᔮᓐ ᓇᐹᖅᑐᖃᓂᖓᓄᐊᒃᑲᓂᕈᓐᓇᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ—ᐊᖏᕐᕋᖏᓐᓄᑦ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ.

“It’s unconscionable to hear that his government has unleashed an assault on Indigenous peoples by turning a blind eye, allowing farmers, ranchers, and miners to exploit deep into the Amazon rainforest—their homelands,” she said.


ᐋᒥᓱᑦ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᑐᑦ ᖃᑦᑎᕆᔨᖃᙱᒻᒪᑕ, ᖃᓄᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᖃᒥᑦᑎᒍᑎᖃᙱᖢᑎᒃ ᑖᒃᑯᓂᖓ ᐃᑯᐊᓚᔪᐊᓗᖕᓂ.”

Many are uncontacted tribes that have no firefighters, no means to put out these devastating fires.”


ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᓪᓗᒍ ᐃᑯᐊᓚᔪᐊᓗᐃᑦ, ᐋᒥᔮᓐᒥᐅᑕᑦ, ᐊᖏᓂᖅᐹᖅ ᐊᕕᒃᑐᖅᓯᒪᓂᖓᒍᑦ ᐳᕋᔨᐅᓪ, ᑐᐊᕕᕐᓇᖅᑐᒦᓐᓂᕋᖅᖢᑎᒃ, ᐳᓕᕕᐊ, ᑲᓚᒻᐱᐊ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐳᕉ ᐃᑭᐊᓚᔪᖃᕐᓂᕋᐃᓯᒪᖕᒥᔪᑦ ᐊᒥᓱᒻᒪᕆᐊᓗᖕᓂᒃ.

Due to the fires, Amazonas, the largest state in Brazil, has declared a state of emergency. Venezuela, Bolivia, Columbia and Peru have also reported thousands of forest fires.


“ᓄᓇᓕᖕᔪᐊᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᖃᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᑐᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᖏᑦ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐊᓘᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᓇᓱᒋᐊᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐳᕋᔨᐅᓪ ᒫᓐᓇ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᖓᑕ ᐊᓯᐊᒎᙶᖅᑎᑦᑎᓇᓱᒃᑎᑦᑎᓗᑎᒃ,” ᓵᒻᐳ ᑐᕈ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ.

“Countries which tout the importance of Indigenous rights have an obligation to press Brazil to change its current path,” Sambo Dorough said.


“ᐱᒃᑯᒋᕙᕗᑦ ᕗᕌᓐᔅ ᒐᕙᒪᖓᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᔾᔪᑎᒃᓴᓂ G7 ᑲᑎᒪᓂᕐᒧᐊᕐᒥ ᐅᕙᓃᓐᓂᐊᖁᔨᓂᖓ ᐱᐊᕆᑦᔾᒥᑦ (Biarritz), ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᓕᒫᒧᑦ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐊᓘᓂᕋᖅᖢᓂᐅᒃ.”

“We applaud the French government for putting it on the agenda of the G7 Summit in Biarritz, and calling it an international crisis.”


ᐅᕙᓂᓕ G7-ᒥ, ᓯᕗᓕᐅᕐᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᐅᑯᓇᓂ ᑲᓇᑕ, ᕗᕌᓐᔅ, ᔪᒪᓂ, ᐃᑕᓕ, ᔪᐹᓐ, ᔫᓇᐃᑕᑦ ᑭᖕᑕᒻ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᔫᓇᐃᑕᑦ ᓯᑕᐃᑦᔅ ᑐᓴᖅᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᕐᒪᑕ ᐊᒥᐊᓕᒐᐃᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖓᒍᑦ $20 ᒥᓕᐊᓐᑖᓚᓂ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᑯᐊᓚᔪᓂᒃ, ᐅᑯᓗᐊ ᕘᕌᓐᔅᒥᐅᑦ ᐅᓇᑕᖅᑐᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᕆᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓗᑎᒃ.

At the G7, the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States announced they would provide US$20 million to fight the fires, with France sending military assistance.


ᑲᓇᑕᒥᐅᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᔪᑦ ᓇᒡᓯᐅᔾᔨᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᐊᕈᒪᓪᓗᑎᒃ $15 ᒥᓕᐊᓐ ᑖᓚᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓂᒃ ᖃᑦᑎᕈᑎᓕᖕᓂᒃ, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᕐᔪᐊᖏᑦ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᕐᑐᑦ.

Canada plans to send an additional C$15 million and water bombers, the ICC noted.


ᓄᓇᙳᐊᖅ ᖁᓛᓂ ᓴᕿᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐃᑯᐊᓚᔪᓂᒃ ᐳᕋᔨᐅᒥᑦ (Brazil), ᐅᑯᓇᙵᑦ NASA-ᑯᑦ ᖁᒻᒧᒃᑎᓯᒪᔭᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑕᐅᑐᒃᑕᐅᓂᖓᒍ ᐋᒐᓯ 15-ᓗ ᐋᒐᓯ 22-ᓗ ᐊᑯᓐᓂᖓᓂᒃ. ᐃᑭᑦᑐᑦ ᐊᐅᐸᔮᖅᑐᑦ ᐆᕆᓐᔾ. ᓄᓇᓕᕐᔪᐊᑦ ᒥᑭᓐᓂᕐᓴᓪᓗ ᓄᓇᓖᑦ ᖃᐅᓪᓗᖂᔨᓪᓗᑎᒃ; ᓇᐹᖅᑐᖃᐅᕐᓂᖓ ᕿᕐᓈᖓᓪᓗᓂ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᐹᖅᑐᖃᙱᓐᓂᐅᔪᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓇᐹᖅᑐᖃᓗᐊᖏᓐᓃᑦ (ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐳᕋᓯᐅᒥ ᓯᕌᑐᒥ) ᓯᐊᕐᓇᐅᓂᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ.

The map above shows active fire detections in Brazil as observed by NASA satellites between Aug. 15 and Aug. 22.. The locations of the fires are shown in orange. Cities and towns appear white; forested areas appear black; and tropical savannas and woodland (known in Brazil as cerrado) appear grey.


(ᐊᔾᔨᙳᐊᖅ NASA-ᑯᓐᓂᑦ)


ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᕐᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᕐᔪᐊᖏᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᖁᕕᐊᒋᔭᖃᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᑦ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᓇᓲᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᐅᑯᖓ ᐃᐅᕈᑉᒥ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᔫᓇᐃᑕᑦ ᓇᐃᓴᓐᔅᑯᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᑕᐅᔾᔪᑎᐅᓇᔭᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐅᑯᓄᖓ ᐳᕋᔨᐅᓪ ᒐᕙᒪᖏᓄᑦ ᐅᓇ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓕᐅᕈᑎ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᖁᔭᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᓇᐹᖅᑐᖃᕈᓐᓃᑐᐃᓐᓇᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ.

The ICC also praised actions such as online petitions urging the European Union and the United Nations to put sanctions in place forcing the Brazilian government to address the problems related to deforestation.


“ᐅᒃᐱᕈᓱᒃᑲᑦᑕ ᐊᓯᖏᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᕐᔪᐊᑦ, ᐃᓚᐅᓗᓂ ᑲᓇᑕ, ᓴᙱᔪᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᐅᓪ-ᑲᓇᔪᒃ.

“We believe that other countries, including Canada, can also play a strong role,” said Ell-Kanayuk.


“ᑲᓇᑕᒥᐅᑦ ᐱᔭᒃᓴᖃᕐᒪᑕ ᑕᒪᑐᒧᖓ ᓂᐱᖃᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ.”


ᐅᓇ ᔫᓇᐃᑕᑦ ᓇᐃᓴᓐᑯᑦ ᓯᓚᒧᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕈᑎᒃᓴᓄᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᓂᒃᓴᖅ ᑎᑭᐅᑎᓕᕐᒪᑦ ᑕᖅᑭᐅᙱᑦᑐᒥᓪᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᓂᕐᔪᐊᖓ ᔫᓇᐃᑕᑦ ᓇᐃᓴᓐᑯᑦ ᓯᓚᐅᑉ ᐊᓯᙳᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᓂᖅ ᐋᕿᒃᑕᐅᓯᒪᓪᓗᓂ ᑎᓯᐱᕆᒥ, ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ “ᑕᐃᒪᓕ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᓈᒻᒪᓈᕐᒪᕆᒃᐳᖅ, ᑐᐊᕕᕐᓇᖅᑐᒥ ᐅᑕᖅᑭᓐᓇᕈᓐᓃᕐᓗᓂ, ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐱᒋᐊᓕᕈᑎᐅᓕᖅᓗᓂ ᓯᓚᐅᑉ ᐊᓯᙳᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕈᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᑎᒍᑦ.”

With the UN Climate Action Summit now less than a month away and the annual UN Climate Change conference set for December, she said “there is no better time, indeed no more urgent time, to raise ambition and increase climate action internationally.”


“ᖃᐅᔨᒪᕗᒍᑦ ᑕᒪᑐᒧᖓ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓅᓪᓗᑕ, ᐃᑲᔪᕐᖢᑎᒍᑦ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᑐᑦ ᖃᑕᙳᑎᕗᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒐᕙᒪᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᐅᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᖢᑕ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᐃᖁᓗᒋ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑐᐊᕕᕐᓇᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᕐᐸᒡᓗᑎᒃ ᐆᑐᓇᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᓕᒃᑯᑦ.”

“We recognize our critical part as Inuit, alongside our Indigenous brothers and sisters, and we call on governments to support Indigenous peoples and to respond as an emergency like this requires.”


ᓄᓇᐃᓐᓇᓂ ᐃᑭᑦᑐᖃᑲᑕᖕᒥᖕᒪᑦ ᐊᓛᔅᑲᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ ᑲᓛᖡᑦ ᓄᓇᖓᓂᑦ ᐊᐅᔭᐅᔪᖅ.

Fires have also been burning in Alaska and Greenland over the summer, such as the one in Qeqqata, smouldering since early July.


ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᓯᕗᑦ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᒃᑰᖓᔪᓂᒃ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᕐᒧ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐅᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᕆᕕᒡᔪᐊᖅ ᓱᒃᑲᐃᑉᐳᖅ ᑕᒪᑐᒧᖓ

Nunavut moves towards online health inspection reports, but legislation lags


“ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒪᓕᒋᐊᖃᓕᕐᒪᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂᒃ”

“It is time for Nunavut to meet national standards”


ᐱᖓᓱᑦ ᑎᓴᒪᓂᒃ ᑯᐃᒃᓯᑖᑉ ᓂᐅᕕᕐᕕᕋᓛᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᓱᕋᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ 2017-ᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ 2018-ᒥᑦ.

Three of the four Quickstop locations in Iqaluit faced health inspection violations in 2017 and 2018.


ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐊᖑᓂᑯ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᙱᑦᑐᑦ ᑭᒃᑯᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒥᑦ.

But those reports are not yet available to the public in Nunavut.


(ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᕆᔨ ᐃᐊᒪ ᑖᓐᑐ)


ᐊᔾᔨ ᖁᓛᓂ ᓴᕿᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑕᐅᔪᕕᓂᕐᓂᒃ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕈᑎᓄᑦ ᐅᕙᓂ ᕈᐃᐅᓪ ᑲᓃᑎᐊᓐ ᓖᔾᔭᓐᒥᑦ ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓂ ᐅᒃᑑᐱᕆ 2018-ᖑᑎᓪᓗᒍ.

Pictured above is part of a handwritten report of a health inspection at the Royal Canadian Legion in Iqaluit from October 2018.


ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᔨᖏᑦ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᒃᑰᖓᔪᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᓯᕐᓂ ᓅᓐᓂᐊᓕᕐᒪᑕ ᒪᑯᓄᖓ ᓂᕿᑖᕐᕕᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐅᕈᑎᓂᒃ—ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐊᑦ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᔪᓐᓇᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᑭᒃᑯᓕᒫᓄᑦ.

The Government of Nunavut’s Department of Health is moving to an electronic system for filing food establishment inspection reports—one step towards making the reports accessible to the public.


ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᑦ ᒫᓂ 1,000-ᖏᓐᓂᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒥᑦ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᓐ, ᐃᒪᓐᓇᐅᓂᕐᓴᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᒪᕐᕈᐃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᒥ.

Health inspections are conducted at approximately 1,000 facilities across the territory each year, typically twice annually.


ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᐅᕙᒃᑐᑦ ᐋᕿᒃᓱᐃᕙᓪᓕᐊᕙᒃᑐᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᓂᐅᕐᕈᑎᖃᖅᐸᒃᑐᑦ ᓂᕿᒥ ᑭᒃᑯᓕᒫᓄᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᕆᐊᖃᕐᒪᑕ, ᒪᑯᓇᙵᑦ ᓂᕆᔭᖅᑐᕐᕕᖕᓂᒃ ᒪᐅᖓ ᐅᔭᕋᒃᓯᐅᕐᕕᖕᓄᑦ, ᐋᓐᓂᐊᕖᑦ ᓂᕆᕝᕕᖏᓐᓂᒡᓗ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃᒥᑦ ᐅᓪᓛᕈᓐᒥᑕᕐᓇᒥᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᓂᒃ.

Any facilities that prepare or sell food to the public are subject to those inspections, from restaurants to mine sites, to hospital cafeterias and school breakfast programs.


ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᓄᓇᕗᑐᐊᖅ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕈᑎᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑭᒃᑯᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓄᑦ ᓴᕿᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᖃᑦᑕᙱᒻᒪᑕ.

But Nunavut remains the only jurisdiction in Canada that does not make its health inspection reports public.


ᑕᒪᑐᒧᖓ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᒋᓪᓗᓂ ᐅᓇ, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᐊᑯᓂᐊᓗᒃ ᐊᒡᒐᖕᒥᖕᓄᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᖃᑦᑕᕐᓯᒪᖕᒪᑕ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒪᓕᒃᓯᒪᓇᑎᒃ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐅᕈᑎᐅᓂᕐᓴᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂᒃ, ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇᓗ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᓕᖅᐸᒃᖢᓂ ᖃᓄᑎᒋ ᓱᕋᐃᓯᒪᓂᖅᑕᖃᕆᐊᒃᓴᖓᓂᒃ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐋᕿᒋᐊᖅᑕᐅᓇᔭᕆᐊᒃᓴᖏᓐᓂᒃ.

Adding to the challenge, the territory’s health inspectors have long prepared handwritten reports that have not followed any standardized ranking system, making it difficult to discern how critical health violations are or how to remedy them.


ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᕐᕌᒍ ᐱᒋᐊᓵᕐᓯᒪᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐅᖃᑦᑕᓕᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᓄᑖᒥ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᓄᑦ ᐃᓚᒃᓴᒥ ᑕᐃᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᕼᐃᐊᑦᔾᕼᐋᒃ (Hedgehog).

Earlier this year, health inspectors started filing reports using new software called Hedgehog.


ᐅᓇ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᑎ ᐋᕿᒃᓱᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᒪᓕᒋᐊᓕᖕᓄ ᐊᒻᒪ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᑎᑎᕐᓯᖃᑦᑕᕆᐊᖃᖅᖢᑎ ᐊᒻᒪ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᕕᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ, ᑖᒃᑯᐊᓗ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᒧᐊᑲᐅᑎᒋᔪᓐᓇᖅᖢᑎᒃ.

The program provides standardized compliance items for inspectors to check off and fill in notes, entered directly on a tablet.


ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑎᑎᕋᐅᓯᕆᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓇᓱᖕᓇᕈᓐᓃᕐᓗᓂ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᖓᖕᒪᖔᖏᓐᓂᒃ.

It also eliminates the challenge of deciphering handwriting.


“ᐅᓇ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑕᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔪᓐᓇᕐᓯᒍᑎᒋᔭᕗᑦ ᑕᑯᔪᓐᓇᓚᐅᙱᑕᕋᓗᐊᖅᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᒥᓯᐅᓪ ᓚᐸᓛᖕᒃ- ᕼᐋᕗᑦ, ᐊᕙᑎᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒥᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᔨᒻᒪᕆᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᔨᖏᓐᓂᒃ.

“It allows us to capture data which is something we haven’t been able to do before,” said Michele Leblanc-Harvard, an environmental health specialist at the GN’s Department of Health.


“ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂ ᑕᑯᓪᓗᒍ ᐃᓱᒪᔪᖓ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᐅᓯᕚᓪᓕᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᐊᕐᓂᖓᓂᒃ.”

“Overall I think the tool will help us improve our program.”


ᐅᓇ ᔭᓄᐊᕆ 2019-ᒥ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐊᖑᓂᑯ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᓂᕕᓂᖓᓂ ᓖᔾᔭᓐ, ᒫᓐᓇᓕ ᐋᕿᒃᓱᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓪᓗᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᓄᑖᒧ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᓄᑦ ᐃᓚᒃᓴᖓᒍᑦ, Hedgehog.

And here is a January 2019 report of a follow-up health inspection at the Legion, this time done with the GN’s new software, Hedgehog.


“ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᕐᓯᒪᒐᑦᑕ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᐅᔪᓂ ᐃᒻᒥᒃᑰᖓᑎᓪᖢᒋᑦ”

“We’ve sort of dealt with a facility individually”


ᐃᓱᒫᓘᑎᐅᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᔪᕐᓕ ᓂᕿᓂᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐊᑦ ᐱᔭᐅᔪᓐᓇᙱᓐᓂᖏᑦ, ᐃᓚᖓᒍᑦ, ᓴᖅᑭᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᕗᖅ 2016-ᒥᑦ ᓰᐲᓰᑯᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ, ᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᑐᒃᓯᕋᖅᓗᑎᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓕᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᕗᑦ ᐱᖓᓱᓂᒃ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᒥᑦ ᓂᕿᓕᕆᔨᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂ ᓱᕋᐃᓯᒪᓂᕋᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ 2014-ᓗ 2015-ᓗ ᐊᑯᓐᓂᖓᓂ.

The issue of closed access to food inspection reports was, in part, brought to light in a 2016 investigation by CBC, which through an access to information request found about a third of Nunavut’s food establishments faced at least one health violation between 2014 and 2015.


ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᕐᒥ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓕᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐳᓴᓐᑎᑎᒍᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᓪᓗᐊᕆᓚᐅᕐᑕᖓ 2019-ᒥ, ᖃᖓᑦᑎᐊᖑᓂᕐᓴᖅ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᔭᐅᓂᑯᓂᒃ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒥᑦ ᓂᕿᓄᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕈᑎᓂᒃ 2017-ᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ 2018-ᒧᑦ.

Nunatsiaq News found that percentage remains roughly the same in 2019, following a more recent access to information request for all of Nunavut’s food inspections from 2017 and 2018.


ᐊᒥᓱᒻᒪᕆᖕᓂ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐊᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᕐᒥ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᑦ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᒪᓕᙱᓐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓕᐅᕈᑎᖃᙱᑦᑐᑦ ᐆᑐᓇᖅ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐊᓗᖕᓂ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓕᐅᕈᑎᖃᖅᑐᕕᓂᕐᒥ ᒪᑐᓯᒪᓕᖅᑐᒥ ᐹᕕᓐ ᑎᐊᓕ, ᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᓂᕿᓕᐅᕐᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᐊᒡᒐᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᓗᐱᕐᓯᕙᖕᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓂᕿᐅᑉ ᖁᓛᒍᑦ ᖁᐃᕐᓱᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ.

The hundreds of reports Nunatsiaq News reviewed do not illustrate any non-compliance issues as serious as those facing the now-closed Baffin Deli, which included violations like cooks caught licking their fingers and coughing over food.


ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᑦ ᓴᕿᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒥᑦ ᓂᕿᓕᕆᕝᕖᑦ ᓱᓕ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂ ᓴᓗᒪᓂᕐᒥᑦ, ᓂᕿᓂᒃ ᐃᓂᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᐊᓗᒡᒐᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐅᐊᓴᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐋᕿᒃᓯᒪᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᓱᒫᓘᑎᓂᒃ.

But the reports show that Nunavut’s food establishments still struggle with basic sanitation, food storage, handwashing and structural issues.


ᐅᓇ ᑕᑯᓗᒍ ᔪᓚᐃ 2018-ᒥ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕈᑎ ᐆᒧᖓ ᑯᐃᒃᓯᑖᑉ ᓂᐅᕕᕐᕕᒃ ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓂ, ᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᓴᕿᑎᑦᑎᒍᑎᐅᓚᐅᕐᑐᖅ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓕᐅᕆᑎᒐᓚᖕᓂᒃ: ᓇᑎᖏ ᓱᕋᒃᓯᒪᐅᕐᑐᑦ, ᖃᐅᒻᒪᖅᑯᑏᑦ ᒪᑐᖃᙱᑦᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓂᖀᑦ ᓇᑎᕐᒦᑎᑕᐅᔪᑦ ᐱᖁᑎᖃᕐᒥᒐᓂᒃ.

Take a July 2018 health inspection of a Quickstop store in Iqaluit, which revealed a number of infractions: broken floor tiles, protective covers missing from lighting fixtures and food products kept on the floor of the storeroom.


“ᖃᓄᐃᓕᖓᓂᐅᔪᑦ, ᐊᒥᓱᓪᓗ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᖃᑦᑕᐃᓐᓇᕐᓯᒪᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᓯᕗᓂᐊᒍᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕈᑎᓂᒃ ᐊᕐᕌᒎᑉ ᐃᓗᐊᓂ, ᐱᖁᔭᓂᒃ ᒪᓕᒃᓯᒪᙱᑦᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖁᐊᕐᓵᕐᓇᖅᑎᑦᑎᑐᐃᓐᓇᕆᐊᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᑭᒃᑯᓕᒫᓄᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐋᕿᒃᑕᐅᑲᐅᑎᒋᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ,” ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓂᑯ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑎᖓᓂ ᐆᒧᖓ ᓂᐅᕕᕐᕕᒃᒧᑦ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᓄᑦ, ᐅᕙᓂ ᐅᓪᓗᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᔪᓚᐃ 11, 2018.

“The conditions, many of which have been cited repeatedly in previous inspection reports over the last year, contravene the regulations and pose a potential public health risk and should be rectified as soon as possible,” read a letter from a GN health inspector to the store management, dated July 11, 2018.


ᐃᓱᒫᓘᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑎᐅᑉ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᐅᓗᐊᓚᐅᙱᑦᑐᒃᓴᐅᔪᑦ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐊᓘᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᓂᐅᕕᕐᐸᒃᑐᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓇᔭᙱᒻᒪᑕ ᑖᓐᓇ ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓂ ᓂᐅᕕᕐᕕᒃ—ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᓯᖏᑦ ᑯᐃᒃᓯᑖᑉ ᓂᐅᕕᕐᕕᐅᔪᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᐸᐅᔭᓃᑦᑐᑦ—ᓱᕋᐃᖃᑦᑕᐃᓐᓇᕐᓯᒪᖕᒪᑕ ᐱᖁᔭᓂᒃ ᐅᕙᓃᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᒥᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ.

The issues flagged in the inspector’s report may not have been considered critical, but customers would have had no way of knowing that the Iqaluit store—and other Quickstop locations in the city—have repeatedly violated regulations under Nunavut’s Public Health Act.


ᑕᐃᒪᐃᒃᑲᓗᐊᕐᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᓚᐸᓛᖕᒃ-ᕼᐋᕗᑦ ᑐᑭᓯᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᕐᑐᖅ ᓴᓇᕝᕕᐅᔪᑦ ᒪᓕᙱᑦᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᖁᔭᖏᓐᓂ ᑕᒪᑐᒧᖓ ᐊᑭᓖᑎᑕᐅᕙᙱᒻᒪᑕ.

Even then, Leblanc-Harvard explained that facilities that violate Nunavut’s health regulations are not penalized.


“ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᖅ, ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᖃᑦᑕᕋᑦᑕ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᖕᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᓃᓕᖓᓪᓗᑎᒍᑦ, ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᖢᑎᒍᑦ ᒪᓕᒃᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᒪᓕᒃᓯᒪᙱᓐᓂᐅᔪᑦ ᐱᖁᑎᒋᔭᐅᔪᓄᑦ” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ.

“Right now, we’ve sort of dealt with a facility individually, going over compliant and non-compliant items,” she said.


“ᑭᖑᓂᐊᒍᓪᓗ ᖁᐊᕐᓵᕐᓇᓗᐊᖅᑐᑦ, ᒪᓕᒃᓯᒪᙱᓗᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐋᕿᒃᑕᐅᑎᓐᓇᓱᖃᑦᑕᖅᑕᕗᑦ ᕿᓚᒥᐅᑎᓐᓇᓱᒃᖢᑎᒍᑦ.”

“Then we move on to fix the high-risk, non-compliant items as quickly as we can.”


ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕈᑎᓕᕆᓂᖅ ᐅᑭᐅᕐᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥ ᑐᑭᖃᕐᒪᑕ ᑭᖑᕙᕆᐊᕈᑎᑕᖃᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓕᐅᕈᑎᓂᒃ ᐋᕿᒃᓱᐃᓇᓱᖕᓂᒃᑯᑦ, ᐱᔾᔪᑎᖃᓗᐊᖅᐸᒃᖢᓂ ᐅᑕᕿᒋᐊᖃᖅᐸᒃᖢᑎᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᑎᒃᓴᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓄᑦ ᑎᑭᐅᔾᔭᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ.

Logistics in the North mean that there are often delays to fixing problems, typically due to waiting for resources to be shipped in to the community.


“ᐃᒡᓗᕐᔪᐊᒨᖓᔪᑦ ᐊᑯᓂᐅᓂᕐᓴᐅᕙᓂᕐᓴᐅᔪᑦ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ.

“Structural things usually take longer,” she said.


ᖃᖓᑦᑎᐊᓵᐸᓗᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑐᐅᒍᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᕈᐃᐅᓪ ᑲᓃᑎᐊᓐ ᓖᔾᔭᐅᑉ ᓂᕿᓕᐅᕐᕕᐊᓂᒃ 2017-ᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ 2018-ᒥ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᒃᑯᑎᐅᕗᖅ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᑦᑐᓄᑦ.

Recent inspections at the Royal Canadian Legion’s kitchen in 2017 and 2018 provide a good example of that.


2017-ᒥᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᓐᓂᖅ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᕐᓯᒍᑎᐅᓚᐅᕐᐳᖅ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓕᐅᕈᑎᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᐅᑉ ᓂᕿᓄᑦ ᐃᓂᖃᕐᕕᖓᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᑎᖏᑦ ᓱᕋᒃᓯᒪᐅᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ.

A 2017 inspection flagged issues with the facility’s food storage and broken flooring.


ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᐅᑎᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ 2018 ᐊᐅᔭᖓᓂ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕆᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᓖᔾᔭᓐᒥ, ᓇᑎᖅ ᓱᓕ ᓴᓇᔭᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓯᒪᓚᐅᕐᐳᖅ; ᓄᑖᙳᕆᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥ ᐋᕿᒃᓱᐃᓯᒪᒐᓗᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ, ᓴᓇᔭᐅᔪᒃᓴᑦ ᑎᑭᓵᕐᓯᒪᓚᐅᕐᒪᑕ ᐅᒥᐊᕐᔪᐊᒃᑯᑦ ᑖᒃᑯᐊᓗ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᔨᐅᔪᑦ ᓴᓇᔭᒃᓴᒥ ᑎᑭᑦᑏᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᓴᓇᓕᕆᐊᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᒥᑦ ᑖᓱᒥᖓ.

By the time inspectors returned in the summer of 2018 to inspect the Legion again, the floor had yet to be repaired; while a renovation had been planned, the materials had only just arrived by sealift and management was waiting for a contractor to arrive to start the work.


ᖃᐅᔨᓴᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᑎᒃᓴᑦ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᕐᓃᓪᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐋᕿᒃᑕᐅᓇᔭᖅᑐᑦ ᒪᓕᒡᓗᑎᒃ ᖃᓄᖅ ᑐᐊᕕᕐᓇᕐᓂᖃᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕈᑎ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑏᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᖏᑦᑎᒍᑦ—ᑖᒃᑯᐊᓕ ᐅᕙᓃᑦᑐᑦ ᐃᖃᓗᐃᑦ, ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᖅ, ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᖅ, ᐸᖕᓂᕐᑑᖅ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᖃᓗᒃᑑᑦᑎᐊᕐ—ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓅᕈᓐᓇᕐᓗᓂ.

Follow-up inspections or reviews are scheduled depending on the urgency of resolving the non-compliant item and the ability of inspectors—who are based in Iqaluit, Baker Lake, Rankin Inlet, Pangnirtung and Cambridge Bay—to reach a community.


“ᖃᓄᐃᓕᕈᓘᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓯᒪᒐᑦᑕ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᑦᑎᒍᑦ, ᓲᖃᐃᒻᒪ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓄᐊᕈᓐᓇᙱᓐᓇᑦᑕ ᑕᒪᐃᓄᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓰᒃ ᒪᕐᕉᒃ ᐱᐊᓂᒃᑳᖓᑎ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕆᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᕋᓱᒡᓗᑕ,” ᓚᐸᓛᖕᒃ-ᕼᐋᕗᑦ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ.

“We have to be a little more inventive with our approach, because we can’t fly into every community every two weeks to follow up,” Leblanc-Harvard said.


ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓕᐅᕈᑎᐅᖏᓐᓇᕐᑐᑦ ᒪᓕᙱᓐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐅᑯᓄᙵᓕᕋᔭᖅᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖓᓄᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ, ᐅᖃᒃᑲᓐᓂᖅᖢᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᐅᔪᒥ ᒪᑐᔭᐅᔪᖃᖃᑦᑕᓗᐊᙱᓐᓂᕋᖅᖢᓂᐅᒃ ᓱᕋᐅᓯᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᖁᔭᓂᒃ.

Lingering issues with non-compliance would eventually go to Nunavut’s chief medical officer of health, she said, though she noted that it’s extremely rare to see a facility closed for violations.


ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑎᐅᔪᓪᓕ ᐃᒪᐃᓕᐅᕈᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ, ᐃᓱᒪᓕᐅᕆᓗᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᓖᑦ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖃᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓚᐃᓴᓐᓂᓵᕈᑎᒥ ᐋᒃᑳᕈᓐᓇᕐᓗᑎᒃ.

Inspectors could, however, recommend the municipality revoke a business licence.


ᓈᕕᒌᑐ ᐃᓐ ᑐᔪᕐᒥᕕᖓ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓂᕆᔭᖅᑐᕐᕕᖓ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓕᐅᕈᑎᕈᓘᔭᕐᓂ ᓱᕋᐃᔾᔪᑎᖃᖅᐳᑦ ᐊᒃᑐᐊᔪᓂᒃ ᓴᓗᒻᒪᙱᓗᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂ 2017-ᒥᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ 2018-ᒥᑦ, ᐱᓇᓱᒃᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓂᕆᔭᒃᓴᓂ ᐱᔭᐅᑲᐅᑎᒋᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᑲᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᒥ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᒥᒃ.

The Navigator Inn and Restaurant faced a number of infractions related to poor sanitation in both 2017 and 2018, when it applied to operate as a fast-food counter under a temporary permit.


ᑖᓐᓇ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᐅᔪᖅ ᒪᑐᓕᑕᐃᓐᓇᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐊᕐᕌᓂ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᓚᐸᓛᖕᒃ-ᕼᐋᕗᑦ ᐅᖃᕈᓐᓇᓚᐅᙱᑦᑐᖅ ᒪᑐᔭᕆᐊᒃᓴᖓᓂ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓱᕋᐃᓯᒪᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ.

The facility finally closed for good last year, but Leblanc-Harvard could not confirm whether that closure was due to repeated health inspection violations.


“ᐅᐸᒍᑎᓯᒪᔪᒍᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᓕᐅᕆᔭᖅᑐᖅᖢᑕ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᕕᐅᔪᖅ ᒪᑐᔭᐅᓯᒪᖁᓪᓗᒍ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓕᐅᕈᑎᓂᒃ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ.

“We’ve gone in to recommend an operator shut down for a period of time to deal with non-compliant items,” she said.


“ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓕᐅᕈᑎᖃᕐᓯᒪᙱᑦᑐᒍᑦ.

“But typically, we haven’t had any problems.


ᐱᓕᕆᕈᓘᔭᕐᓂᕐᓴᐅᓕᖃᑦᑕᕐᒪᑕ ᐋᕿᒃᓯᓇᓱᒃᖢᑎᒃ.”

Most people work pretty diligently to get an item fixed.”


“ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒪᓕᒋᐊᖃᓕᕐᒪᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂᒃ”

“It is time for Nunavut to meet national standards”


ᑕᐃᒪᙵᑦ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᑦ ᓂᕿᓕᕆᕝᕕᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂ ᓱᕋᐃᓯᒪᓂᐅᔪᑦ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᔭᐅᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒥᑦ 2016-ᒥ, ᐊᓯᙳᖅᑎᑦᑎᖁᔨᔪᖃᕐᓯᒪᐃᓐᓇᓕᕐᑐᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᕐᒥᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ, ᐅᓇ ᐱᔭᐅᓗᐊᕐᓗᓂ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐊᖏᑦ ᑭᒃᑯᓕᒫᓄᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᐅᔪᓐᓇᕐᐸᒡᓗᑎᒃ.

Since the first reports of food facility violations hit Nunavut headlines in 2016, there has been a steady call for changes to the territory’s health inspection system, with a focus on making reports public.


ᐊᕐᕌᒍᓂ ᐊᓂᒍᕐᑐᓂ ᖃᓂᓐᓂᕐᓴᓂᒃ, ᐃᖃᓗᐃᑦ-ᒪᓂᕋᔭᒃᒧᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᕐᑎ ᐋᑕᒻ ᓚᐃᑦᓯᑑᓐ ᐊᐱᕆᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓂᑦ ᓄᑖᙳᕆᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᖁᔭᕐᔪᐊᖓᓂᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ, ᕿᓂᕐᕕᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᒥ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕈᑎᕕᓂᕐᓂᒃ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓂᒃ.

In more recent years, Iqaluit-Manirajak MLA Adam Lightstone has asked the Department of Health to commit to updating its Public Health Act, as well as creating an online, searchable database of inspection reports.


“ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒪᓕᒋᐊᖃᓕᕐᒪᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖁᐊᕐᓵᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᒦᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᑐᖅᑎᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᑐᕐᕕᐅᔪᒥᓇᕐᓂᕐᓴᐅᔪᓐᓇᓕᕐᓗᑎᒃ,” ᓚᐃᑦᓯᑑᓐ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ.

“It is time for Nunavut to meet national standards and to ensure the safety and confidence of consumers,” Lightstone said.


“ᐅᒃᐱᕈᓱᒃᑭᕗᖓ ᑕᒪᕐᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᐅᕙᒃᑐᑦ ᓴᕿᔮᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᓐᓇᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᔾᔪᑎᕕᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑭᖑᓪᓕᖅᐹᖑᔪᓂᒃ, ᑕᐃᒪᐃᖃᑦᑕᕐᓯᒪᖕᒪᑕᓕ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᕕᒃᑐᕐᓯᒪᓂᒃᑰᖓᔪᓂᒃ.”

“I also believe that all establishments should publicly display the results of their most recent inspections, as is common practice in many other jurisdictions.”


ᑖᓐᓇ ᑐᕌᒐᕆᔭᐅᒧᖅ, ᐅᖃᓚᐅᕐᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᔨᖏᑦ, ᓱᓕ ᑎᑭᐅᑎᓯᒪᙱᑲᓗᐊᖅᖢᑎᒃ.

That’s the goal, said the GN’s Department of Health, though it’s not quite there.


ᓄᓇᕗᒧᑦ ᓄᑖᖅ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᖁᔭᕐᔪᐊᖅ ᐊᓂᒍᖅᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᔪᖅ 2016-ᒥᑦ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᓄᑖᓂ ᐱᖁᔭᕐᓂ ᐊᑐᓕᕆᐊᖃᕐᒪᑕ ᑖᓐᓇ ᐊᑐᓕᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᖅᑎᓐᓇᒍ.

Nunavut’s new Public Health Act was indeed passed in 2016, but it requires new regulations to be in place before it can be enforced.


ᐃᓚᖏᑦ ᐱᖁᔭᐃᑦ ᐱᖁᔨᓯᒪᓇᔭᖅᑐᑦ ᓂᕿᓄᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᑦ ᑭᒃᑯᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓄᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᐅᔪᓐᓇᕐᓗᑎᒃ.

Some of the regulations would allow food inspection reports to be made public.


“ᐱᖁᔭᐃᑦ ᐋᕿᒃᓱᖅᑕᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᖏᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ,” ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐋᒐᓯ 15-ᒥ ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᕐᒥ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᓄᑦ.

“Development of the regulations is ongoing,” the department said in an Aug. 15 email to Nunatsiaq News.


“ᐱᐊᓂᒃᑕᐅᑐᐊᕐᐸᑕ, ᒪᓕᒐᓕᕆᔨᒧᑦ ᑐᓐᓂᖁᑎᐅᓇᔭᖅᑐᑦ ᑖᓐᓇ ᒪᓕᒐᔪᐊᙳᓚᐅᙱᓐᓂᖓᓂᒃ.”

“Once they are complete, a cabinet submission will take place before the act is enforced.”


ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᓚᐅᙱᑦᑐᑦ ᐃᓱᓕᕝᕕᒋᔭᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑐᓂᓯᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᑖᒃᑯᓂᖓ ᐱᖁᔭᓂᒃ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ, ᑖᒃᑯᐊᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᐱᖁᔭᐃᑦ ᓱᓕ ᑭᒃᑯᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓄᑦ ᓴᕿᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᙱᑦᑐᑦ.

The GN did not indicate its timeline for submitting those regulations, however, nor has a draft of those regulations been made public.


ᐅᐱᕐᖔᖑᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᔪᖅ, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒥᓂᔅᑕᖓ ᔪᐊᔾ ᕼᐃᒃᔅ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᕆᕕᒧᑦ ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᐅᔪᑦ ᐱᕕᖃᒃᑲᓐᓂᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᕋᖅᖢᓂᒋᑦ.

Last spring, Nunavut’s Health Minister George Hickes told the legislature that the department needed more time.


“ᐅᓇ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᖅ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᕐᑐᖅ ᕕᕝᕗᐊᕆ 2019-ᒥ ᑲᑎᒪᕕᒡᔪᐊᖅᓇᒥ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᐅᓪᓚᔾᔪᑎᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ.

“It’s a work in progress,” he said during a February 2019 review of the department’s budget.


“ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕈᑎᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐱᐊᓂᒃᑕᐅᓯᒪᓇᓱᖕᒪᑕ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐅᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᒃᑐᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᕙᒡᓗᑎᒃ… ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓚᒃᓴᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᑎᒻᒪᕆᐅᓂᐊᕐᑐᖅ.”

“[It’s] making sure that the inspections are done and reported in a consistent fashion…. The software is going to help.”


ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᑕᒪᒃᑯᓂᖓ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕈᑎᕕᓂᕐᓂᒃ ᓴᕿᑎᑦᑎᑲᑕᓕᕐᐸᑦ, ᓚᐃᑦᓯᑑᓐ ᓂᕆᐅᒃᑐᖅ ᑭᒃᑯᑐᐃᓐᓇᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᒻᒥᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓚᐅᓕᕈᓐᓇᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓂᒃ ᐋᕿᒃᓱᐃᓇᓱᖕᓂᕐᒥᑦ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᒍᑎᑎᒍᑦ.

Once Nunavut begins posting the results of its health inspections, Lightstone hopes both the public and private sector will pitch in by consolidating report results through online applications.


ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᓄᑦ ᐃᓚᒃᑕᖅ ᑕᐃᔭᐅᔪᑦ ‘ᑐᒪᑎ’, ᓇᓗᓇᐃᒃᑯᑎᒋᓗᒍ, ᑭᒃᑯᓕᒫᓂᒃ ᖃᔨᒪᐃᑦᑎᒍᑎᖃᖅᐳᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕈᑎᓄᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓂᕆᔭᖅᑐᕐᕕᐅᕙᒃᑐᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᒃᑯᑎᑖᖅᑎᑉᐸᒃᖢᒋ ᓱᕋᐃᓯᒪᙱᓐᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᑕᒪᕐᒥᒡᓗ ᐅᖄᓚᐅᑎᕋᓛᒃᑯᑦ ᕿᓂᒐᒃᓴᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ.

An app called Tomati, for example, provides public data on health inspection reports and assigns restaurants a score, all searchable through your smartphone. The document embedded below is an example of the GN’s new, standardized health inspection reports.


ᐃᑲᔫᑎᒃᓴᑦ ᐋᕿᒃᑕᐅᒻᒪᕆᒃᐳᑦ ᓄᓇᕕᒃᒥᑦ ᒪᒥᓴᕐᕕᒃᒧᑦ

Funding secured for Nunavik healing centre


ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᑦ ᑭᖑᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥᑦ ᑐᓂᓯᕗᑦ $21 ᒥᓕᐊᓐ ᑖᓚᓂ ᓴᓇᓂᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᓄᑖᒥᑦ ᓴᓇᕝᕕᒃᓴᒥᑦ ᑰᔾᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ

Federal government kicks in last $21 million to build new facility in Kuujjuaq


ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᖅᑎᐅᑉ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᖓ ᓄᑖᖅ ᐃᓄᐊᕐᓯᕕᒃ ᒪᒥᓴᕐᕕᒃᓴᖅ ᑰᔾᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ.

An artist’s rendering of new Isuarsivik Regional Recovery Centre in Kuujjuaq.


ᑭᖑᓪᓕᐸᑦ $21 ᒥᓕᐊᓐ ᑖᓚᐅᐃᑦ ᓄᑖᒧ ᐃᒡᓗᒃᓴᒧᑦ ᑐᓴᕈᑎᒋᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᐳᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓂᑦ ᑎᓴᒻᒥᖅ, ᐋᒐᓯ 29-ᒥ.

The last $21 million of funding for the new building was announced by the federal government on Thursday, Aug. 29.


By ᐃᓚᐃᓐ ᐋᓐᓱᒥ


ᑭᖑᓪᓕᖅᐹᖅ $21 ᒥᓕᐊᓐ ᑖᓚᐃᑦ ᐱᔭᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᓴᓇᓂᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧ ᐃᓱᐊᕐᓯᕕᒃ ᒪᒥᓴᕐᕕᒃᓴᓂ ᑰᔾᔪᐊᕐᒥ ᐋᕿᒃᑕᐅᓯᒪᓕᖅᐳᖅ.

The last $21 million required to build the new Isuarsivik Regional Recovery Centre in Kuujjuaq has now been secured.


ᐋᒐᓯ 29-ᒥ ᑐᓴᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᖅ ᐅᕙᙵᑦ ᐃᕚᓐ ᔫᓐᔅᒥ, ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᕆᕕᒡᔪᐊᒥ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑎ ᒥᓂᔅᑕᒧᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐅᑭᐅᕐᑕᖅᑐᕐᒧ ᐊᒻᒪ ᑕᐅᕐᓰᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐊᑐᕐᖢᓂ ᖁᕕᐊᓲᑎᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᓄᑖᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᐅᓂᐊᕐᑐᒥ ᐅᕙᓂ ᓄᕘᒃ ᑲᖏᖅᖢᒥ ᓴᓂᑦᑎᐊᖓᓂ ᑯᓱᐊᒃ.

The Aug. 29 announcement came from Yvonne Jones, parliamentary secretary to the minister of intergovernmental and northern affairs and internal trade, using a groundbreaking ceremony for the facility on Nuvuuk Bay beside the Koksoak River as a backdrop.


ᐅᓇ ᓄᑖᖅ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᒃᓴᖅ ᐅᑯᑎᒎᓈᖓᔪᖅ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᐅᕐᓂᖅ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ, ᐃᓚᖃᒋᔭᐅᓪᓗᓂ $6 ᒥᓕᐊᓐ ᑖᓚᓂ ᑐᓐᓂᖁᓯᐊᓂᒃ ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᑦ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᐅᑎᓂᒃ ᐊᕐᕌᓂᐅᒪᐅᕐᑐᖅ.

The new funding is through Infrastructure Canada, in addition to the $6-million contribution by federal Indigenous Services last year.


ᐊᓯᖏᑦ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᒃᓴᑦ ᐅᕙᙶᕐᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐃᓱᐊᕐᓯᕕᐅᑉ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓕᐅᕋᓱᒍᑎᖏᓐᓂᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑯᐸᐃᒃ ᒐᕙᒪᖓᓂᒃ, ᒪᑭᕕᒃᑯᓐᓂᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑲᑎᕕᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᓕᒫᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᖓᓂᒃ.

Other funding has come from Isuarsivik’s own fundraising efforts, as well as the Government of Quebec, Makivik Corp. and the Kativik Regional Government.


ᐱᒋᐊᓕᓵᕐᓯᒪᔪᓄᑦ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᓄᑦ. ᐱᓇᓱᒻᒪᕆᒐᓱᖕᓂᖅ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂ $40.5 ᒥᓕᐊᓐ ᑖᓚᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᓂᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧ ᓄᑖᒥ ᓴᓇᕝᕕᒃᓴᒥ ᐊᓱᕈᕈᓘᔭᕐᓇᖅᐳᖅ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᖏᔫᑎᓂᒃ ᐸᕐᓇᐅᑎᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᑖᒃᑯᓄᖓ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓄᑦ.

For a grassroots organization, locking down the full $40.5 million to build the new centre was a tall order, and they’ve got big plans for those dollars.


“ᒥᑭᓐᓇᑦᑕ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᓯᒪᓪᓗᑎ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᐅᓚᑕᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᐃᑲᔪᑎᒐᓚᖕᓂᒃ, ᑕᐃᒪᓕ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒻᒪᕆᒃᐳᒍᑦ ᑕᒪᑐᒥᖓ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖅ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᒃᓯᕙᐅᑕᖅ ᑕᐃᕝ ᕗᐊᕆᔅᑦ.

“We’re a small community-based organization run by a bunch of volunteers, so we are extremely excited about it,” said president and chairman Dave Forrest.


“ᐱᑐᐃᓐᓇᕆᐊᖃᓯᕗᒍᑦ.”


ᐃᓱᐊᕐᓯᕕᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪ ᑰᔾᔪᐊᕐᒥ ᑕᐃᒪᙵᓂ 1994-ᒥ, ᐊᑐᓗᐊᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒧ ᒪᒥᓴᕐᕕᐅᕙᒃᖢᓂ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᕕᒥᐅᑕᓄᑦ.

Isuarsivik has been operating in Kuujjuaq since 1994, offering addictions recovery programming for people across Nunavik.


“ᐊᕐᕌᒍᓂ 25-ᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂ, ᓯᕗᓪᓕᑦ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑦ 15-ᓂᒃ 16-ᓄ, ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᕐᐳᒍ 12-ᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᕐᒥᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᓂᒃ 28-ᓂᒃ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᕗᐊᕆᔅᑦ.

“In our 25-year history, the first 15-to-16 years, we were essentially a 12-step model over 28 days,” says Forrest.


ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᐅᔪᖅ ᒪᑐᓯᒪᑲᐃᓐᓇᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᔪᖅ, ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑦ ᖁᓕᑦ ᓯᕗᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ, ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᐱᓕᕆᔨᐅᔪᑦ ᓄᖅᑲᖓᑲᐃᓐᓇᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐋᕿᒃᓱᐃᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᐊᕐᒪᑕ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐃᓅᖕᓅᖓᔪᓂᒃ, ᑐᕋᖓᓗᓂ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓗᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᒃᑐᐃᓯᒪᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᓗᐊᔭᓐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐋᖓᔮᕐᓇᖅᑐᓂᒃ.

The centre shut down briefly, just over a decade ago, with its team taking the time off to develop a program for Inuit, designed by Inuit, that focused on trauma and its relationship to substance abuse.


ᑖᓐᓇ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅ, ᐃᓚᓕᐅᔾᔭᐅᓚᐅᕐᑐᖅ ᐆᒧᖓ 12-ᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᒋᐊᓕᖕᓄᑦ, ᒫᓐᓇ ᐱᕈᖅᐹᓪᓕᖅᐳᖅ, ᐱᓗᐊᕐᑐᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᕐᓴᐅᓂᖓ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓗᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔪᑦ ᐃᓕᖁᓯᑎᒍᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓄᓇᒥ ᐊᑐᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐃᓕᕆᐊᖑᕙᒃᖢᑎᒃ.

That program, which was added to the original 12-step program, has now grown, particularly the centre’s focus on trauma, and connecting its clients with their culture and the land.


ᒫᓐᓇ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᒋᔭᖓᓂᒃ, ᐃᓱᐊᕐᓯᕕᒃ 9-ᓂ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᑦ ᐊᑕᐅᑦᑎᒃᑯᑦ ᑲᒪᒋᔭᖃᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᕐᓂ 6-ᓂ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐅᓪᓘᖕᓂ ᒪᕐᕉᖕᓂ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᑕᒫᑦ ᓄᓇᐃᓐᓇᕐᒧᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᕙᒃᖢᑎᒃ, ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓱᐊᕐᓯᕕᐅᑉ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᔨᖓ, ᐊᓖᓴ ᐊᕋᒍᑕᒃ.

In its current facility, Isuarsivik hosts nine people at a time for six-week sessions and two days of each week are spent out on the land, says Isuarsivik’s executive manager, Alicia Aragutak.


ᓯᕗᒧᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᓗᓂ, ᐊᕋᒍᑕᒃ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᕐᑐᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅ ᐅᖓᕙᕆᐊᖅᑕᐅᓂᐊᕐᑐᖅ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᕐᓄᑦ 8-ᓄ, ᑕᕝᕙᙵᑦ ᐱᖓᓱᓂ ᐅᓪᓗᕐᓂ ᓄᓇᐃᓐᓇᕐᒦᑉᐸᒡᓗᑎᒃ.

Moving forward, Aragutak says the program will expand to eight weeks, three of which will be spent on the land.


ᐱᒋᐊᕈᑎᒻᒪᕆᒃ ᐅᕙᓂ ᐃᓱᐊᕐᓯᕕᒃ ᒪᒥᓴᕐᕕᐅᑉ ᐃᓂᒋᓕᖅᑕᖓᓂ ᓄᑖᒥᑦ ᑎᓴᒻᒥᕐᒥ, ᐋᒐᓯ 29. (ᐊᔾᔨᙳᐊᖅ ᐃᓱᐊᕐᓯᕕᒃᒥᑦ)

Groundbreaking on the Isuarsivik Regional Recovery Centre’s new facility on Thursday, Aug. 29. (Photo courtesy of Isuarsivik)


ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᐊᕐᒥᔪᑦ ᑲᒪᒋᓂᑯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᑭᖑᓂᐊᒍᑦ, ᐊᕋᒍᑕᒃ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ, ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔨᑖᓚᕈᒪᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂᙶᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓱᐊᕐᓯᕕᒃᒧᑦ ᑲᒪᒋᔭᖃᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᑲᒪᒋᔭᐅᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᑯᓂᒃ ᑲᒪᒋᔭᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ.

It will also include follow-up with people who have gone through the program and, eventually, Aragutak says, they’d like to have representatives in each community working for Isuarsivik to provide this aftercare.


ᐊᒻᒪ ᑖᔅᓱᒥᖓ ᓄᑖᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᕐᑎᐅᓂᐊᕋᓗᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ, ᑖᓐᓇ ᓄᑖᖅ ᐃᒡᓗ ᐃᓄᖃᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᕐᑐᖅ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᕐᓇᓄᑦ ᐊᖑᑎᓄᓪᓗ ᑐᕌᖓᔪᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᖅᐸᒡᓗᑎᒃ, ᑖᒃᑯᐊᓗ ᐊᑐᓂ ᐃᓂᖃᕈᓐᓇᕐᓗᑎᒃ.

As well as hosting the new program, the new building will allow for a higher intake and for women’s and men’s programs to run concurrently, in separate spaces.


ᐊᕐᕌᓂᐅᓚᐅᕐᑐᖅ, ᓴᓇᕝᕕᒃ ᐊᖏᕈᓐᓇᓚᐅᙱᑦᑐᑦ 50 ᐅᖓᑖᓂ ᑕᕝᕗᙵᕈᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᐃᓂᖃᙱᓗᐊᕐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ, ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᕋᒍᑕᒃ.

Last year, the centre had to turn down more than 50 applicants due to lack of space, says Aragutak.


“ᐃᓱᒪᔪᒍᓪᓕ ᐊᖏᓂᕐᓴᐅᓂᐊᕐᒪᖔᑦ ᓇᐃᓴᐅᑏᑦ ᑕᑯᓚᐅᕐᑎᓪᓗᑎᒍ ᐅᑭᐅᖑᔪᖅ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ.

“We expect it to be a bit bigger when we see numbers this year,” she said.


“ᐅᕙᒍᑦ ᖃᐅᖁᔨᕙᙱᓐᓇᑦᑕ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᔨᐅᓪᓗᑕ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ, ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊᓕ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᔪᒪᔪᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᑎᑦᑎᔪᑦ.”

“And this is not us reaching out and promoting our program, this is individuals that seek it for themselves.”


ᑖᓐᓇ ᓄᑖᖅ ᓴᓇᕝᕕᒃᓴᖅ ᐊᖏᒡᓕᕚᓪᓕᕐᓂᐊᕐᑐᖅ ᐃᓄᖃᕈᓐᓇᕐᓯᓗᓂ 22-ᓂ ᐊᑕᐅᑦᑎᒃᑰᖅᑐᓂᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓚᒌᓄᑦ ᐃᓂᒃᓴᖃᕐᓗᓂ—ᐃᓚᒋᓪᓗᒍ ᐃᒡᓗᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᖅ, ᐸᐃᕆᕝᕕᖃᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖃᕐᓂᖅ, ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᒥᐊᓕ ᐊᐃᑦᓯᓴᓐ, ᐃᓱᐊᕐᓯᕕᐅᑉ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖓᑕ ᑐᒡᓕᖓ.

The new facility will grow their capacity to 22 guests at a time, as well as offering space for families—including housing, daycare and a classroom, says Mary Aitchison, Isuarsivik’s vice-president


“ᑲᒪᒋᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᖃᐃᖁᔭᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖃᑦᑕᕐᓯᒪᖕᒪᑕ ᑕᐃᒪᙵᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ, ᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐃᓚᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᖃᑎᖃᑲᐃᓐᓇᖃᑦᑕᕈᒪᓂᕐᒥᒃ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᐃᑦᓯᓴᓐ.

“Clients and guests have indicated almost each time they do their evaluation or make comments in general, that they would like an opportunity for their family,” says Aitchison.


ᐅᓇ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᖅ, ᑕᐅᑐᓗᐊᕐᓯᒪᓪᓗᓂ ᐃᓚᒌᓕᒫᓄᑦ ᐃᒡᓗᓂᒃ ᐃᒪᓐᓇᐅᙱᖔᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᕐᓯᐅᑎᒧᑦ, ᐊᔾᔨᐅᓗᐊᔾᔮᖏᓚᖅ ᒪᒥᓴᕐᕕᖕᓂᑦ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑯᐸᐃᒃᒥᑦ, ᕗᕆᐊᔅᑦ ᐅᖃᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᒥᔪᖅ.

This approach, focusing on the entire family unit rather than just the individual, will be unique among recovery centres in Quebec, Forrest added.


ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᐊᐃᑦᓯᓴᓐ ᑕᒪᑐᒥᖓ ᐊᒥᓱᐃᖅᖢᓂ ᑐᓴᕐᓯᒪᔪ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᒐᓴᖕᓂ ᓴᓇᓂᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥᑦ.

Yet it’s something Aitchison has heard a call for many times in her years working in the education system.


“ᐃᓅᓱᒃᑐᐃ ᐅᖃᖃᑦᑕᕐᓯᒪᖕᒪᑕ ᐅᕙᓐᓂ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᒪᒍᕕᑦ, ᐃᑲᔪᓚᐅᒃᑭᑦ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᒃᑲ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᐃᑦᓯᓴᓐ.

“Youth have expressed if you really want to help me, help my parents,” says Aitchison.


“ᐅᓇ ᐱᕕᖃᕈᑎᒋᔪᓐᓇᖅᑕᕗᑦ ᐃᓅᓪᓗᑕ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᒥ ᑐᙵᕕᖃᕋᓱᒋᔭᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂᑦ.

“This is an opportunity for us Inuit to work on a program that we feel is based on our needs.


ᐃᒪᓐᓇᐅᓂᕐᓴᐅᕙᖕᒪᑦ, ᐃᓱᒪᖃᑦᑕᕋᑦᑕ ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᓯᓚᑖᓂᙶᖅᑐᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᓂ ᐊᑐᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ.

Often, historically, we feel we’ve had programs brought in from the outside.


ᐅᓇ ᐱᕕᖃᕈᑎᒋᔪ8ᓇᖅᑕᕗᑦ ᐋᕿᒃᓱᐃᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᕐᒥᑦ ᑐᙵᕕᒋᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ, ᑕᒫᙵᓪᓗ ᐱᔭᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕋᓱᒋᓪᓗᑎᒍᑦ.”

This is an opportunity where we can develop from the grassroots, where we feel there is the need.”


ᐅᓇ ᓄᑖᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᖅᑕᐅᓇᔭᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓱᐊᕐᓯᕕᐅᑉ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐅᒃᑑᐱᕆᒥ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᑐᓕᖅᑎᑕᐅᑐᐃᓐᓇᕆᐊᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᑖᓐᓇ ᓄᑖᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃᓴᖅ ᒪᑐᐃᓚᐅᖅᑎᓐᓇᒍ, ᒫᓐᓇᓕ ᐊᖅᑯᑎᒃᓴᖅ ᐃᒡᓗᒧ ᓴᓇᔭᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᓕᕐᑐᖅ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᓕᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᑎᓴᒪᐅᓕᖓᔪᓂᒃ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᓄᑦ ᐃᒡᓗᒃᓴᓂᒃ.

The new program will be reviewed by Isuarsivik’s board in October, and may be implemented before the new facility opens, though road construction to the new centre’s site is underway, as well as construction of fourplexes for staff housing.


ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊᓕᒫᑦ ᖁᕕᐊᓲᑎᐅᓚᐅᕐᑐᑦ ᐅᓐᓄᓴᖓᓂᒃ ᑲᑕᔾᔭᖅᑐᖃᑲᑕᒃᖢᓂ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᒃᑐᖃᑲᑕᒃᖢᓂ, ᖃᐅᔨᒪᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥ ᑭᒃᑯᑦ ᑕᒪᑐᒥᖓ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᕈᓐᓃᖅᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ.

All of this was celebrated with an afternoon of throat-singing performances and speeches, acknowledging those who have made the project possible.


“ᑕᐃᒪᙵᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᓕᓵᕐᓂᖓᓂᒃ, ᐊᕐᕌᒎᓕᖅᑐᓂᒃ 25-ᓂ, ᐊᒥᓱᕈᓘᔭᕐᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑎᑕᖃᕐᓯᒪᖕᒪᑦ ᐊᒻ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓯᒪᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓱᐊᕐᓯᕕᒃᒥᑦ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᕋᒍᑕᒃ.

“Since the beginning, in the past 25 years, there’s been a lot of volunteers and time put into Isuarsivik,” says Aragutak.


“ᐅᓇ ᑐᑭᖃᓪᓚᕆᒃᑐᖅ ᓄᓇᓖᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᒻᒪᕆᖕᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ.”

“It’s definitely a perfect definition of a community initiative.”


ᐊᒥᓲᓂᕐᓴᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᔾᔪᑎᒃᓴᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃᒥᑦ ᐅᑯᓇᙶᕐᓂᐊᕐᑐᖅ ᓄᓇᕕᒃ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓄᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᓂᒃ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᑖᓐᓇ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂᙶᕐᓯᒪᓪᓗᓂ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᖑᓂᐊᕐᓗᓂ, ᒪᑯᓂᖓ ᐊᖏᓂᕐᓵᓗᖕᓂ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥᐅᙱᑦᑐᖅ, ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᕗᐊᕆᔅᑦ.

The majority of the centre’s operating budget will come from the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, though it remains a community-based organization, outside the larger health network, says Forrest.


ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂᒃ ᐱᕈᖅᑎᑦᑎᓇᓱᓂᖃᒻᒪᕆᖕᓂᐊᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᑖᓐᓇ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᓐᓇᑦᑎᐊᖁᓪᓗᒍ ᓄᓇᕕᒻᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐋᕿᒃᓱᐃᕙᓪᓕᐊᒍᓐᓇᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕈᑎᒃᓴᓂ ᐱᔭᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᒃᑯᑦ.

And there is still a lot of fundraising to do to keep growing the centre to support Nunavimmiut and develop programs that fit their needs.


“ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᑕᐅᑐᒃᑲᑦᑎᒍᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᓂᐅᓂᐊᕐᓗᓂ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᕗᐊᕆᔅᑦ.

“We sort of look at this as a starting point,” says Forrest.


“ᑕᐅᑐᒃᓯᒪᒐᑦᑕ ᐊᓯᐊᒍᑦ ᐊᖏᒡᓕᒋᐊᕈᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ: ᐃᒡᓗᓕᐅᕐᓗᑕ ᓴᓂᑦᑎᐊᖓᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᐅᑉ, ᐃᓐᓇᑐᖃᕐᓄᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᐅᓪᓛᕐᕕᒃᓴᓕᐅᕐᓗᑕ ᓄᓇᓖᑦ ᓯᓚᑖᓂ … ᒫᓐᓇᓗ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕋᓱᕈᓘᔭᖅᐳᒍ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᔪᕈᓐᓃᕈᑎᒋᒻᒪᕆᓕᖅᖢᑎᒍᑦ.”

“We see other avenues to expand: to build a house beside the centre, for elders, and we want to develop the camp out of town … we’re still hustling and we’re getting good at it.”