Issue Briefs

Project Overview

Community, Capability and Development in Nunavik (CCDiN) is a research project exploring social issues and community assets in Nunavik. The project is a collaboration between researchers from McGill School of Social Work and an Advisory Committee composed of representatives from key institutions in Nunavik. The study aims to provide a forum for the voices of community members on the issues most important to them and to inform policy change on the eve of regional governance.

This issue brief is intended as a quick reference guide to social problems and communal strengths in Nunavik in the lead up to regional governance. It summarizes major findings from 52 semi-structured interviews conducted with Inuit and non-Inuit community members in five Nunavik communities: Inukjuak, Ivujivik, Kangiqsujuaq, Kuujjuaq, and Puvirnituq. Interview questions explored perceptions of communal strengths and challenges, availability of social programs and resources, and the development of regional governance in Nunavik. In each of the five communities, the CCDiN research team worked with a local liaison who identified community members willing to be interviewed. The majority of respondents were women, who worked in the public  or social service sector. Most interviews were conducted in English, however respondents were provided project descriptions and written copies of the interview questions in Inuktitut.

This issue brief summarizes major themes and findings from the interviews, focusing on four areas: regional governance, education, family and culture. The brief is intended as a background document for community forums to be held in Kuujjuaq and Puvirnituq in 2010/2011. It is our hope that these forums will yield for information and ideas which will be useful for the future Nunavik government.

Spotlight on Regional Governance 

The current negotiations on creation of a new form of government for Nunavik are rooted in a long struggle to strengthen Inuit autonomy in Northern Quebec (Wilson, 2008).  The existing administrative structure, which was established as part of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (1975), provides Nunavimmiut some measure of control through their operation of three independent regional administrative bodies – the Kativik Regional Government, the Kativik School Board, and the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services.  The structure and terms of a proposed new government, which would amalgamate these entities and take on broader powers, have evolved through a long process involving multiple referenda, public consultation processes and tripartite negotiations between Nunavik, Quebec and Canada (Rodon & Grey, 2009).  Today, negotiators are in the final phase of negotiation to combine the three existing regional administrative bodies and establish the Nunavik Regional Government (NRG) (Makivik Corporation 2010).  NRG negotiators are preparing information for a consultation tour and hope to hold a referendum in Spring, 2011. If the Nunavik Regional Government is established, Nunavik will become an autonomous, democratic region within the province of Quebec (Grey, 2010).

In general, respondents were hopeful that regional governance would allow for Nunavimmiut to have more control over the programs and policies that partially govern life in the region.  They hope that regional governance will bring policies and programs which better address their needs and their culture.  Respondents were particularly positive about the potential for a new government to act as a mechanism for Nunavimmiut to 'help themselves,' rather than relying on or being subject to decisions from the South. However, respondents also recognized the complexity of and challenges to effective regional government and some saw a danger in moving towards self government too quickly.  In particular, they pointed to the complexity of integrating traditional Inuit culture into a modern system of governance, the need for more Inuit who have the training to fill key professional positions, and the necessity of implementing governance processes which develop trust with and invite participation of all Nunavimmiut.

Spotlight on Education

Educational statistics from the 2006 census reveal Nunavik’s need to increase its educational capacity, particularly in the transition to regional government. Approximately 50% of the Inuit population does not complete high school (Duhaime, 2004 Statistics Canada, 2006). Continued high drop-out rates will only further the social exclusion of Nunavik’s Inuit and ensure that jobs requiring higher education remain out of reach for a majority of the community’s Inuit, contributing to high unemployment levels. Individual Inuit community members who participate in traditional hunting, gathering and crafts may not need formal education in order to attain desired lifestyles; however, the collective health, well-being and prosperity of Nunavimmiut is heavily dependent on increasing educational attainment in the region. Addressing these issues of social exclusion for Nunavik’s Inuit depends largely on having an educated workforce which has the expertise and knowledge to control and administer their own programs and services.

Respondents suggested that rapid changes in Nunavik society and the resulting social issues had a direct impact on the children’s and youth’s well-being, and in particular, on their attendance and success in school. Accordingly, their suggestions for ways to increase educational achievement focused on needs and assets within the community at large, not just within the confines of Nunavik schools. For example, many respondents indicated that developing a culture of learning would be helpful in fostering a positive attitude towards education in all spheres of community life. In addition, the need for parenting courses/coaching, the need for more positive role models in the lives of the children and youth, as well as more parental and community involvement in the education system were identified as ongoing priorities. Finally, preservation and development of the Inuit language and culture and traditional lifestyle was mentioned as an important underlying value in current educational and community initiatives.

Spotlight on the Family

The Inuit population of Nunavik has experienced extraordinary transformation during the last century. The family has been both a bearer of adverse effects from these changes, and an agent of communal strength in the wake of many challenges.  Today, as the population surges with those 16 and under representing over 1/3 of the population, youth continue to be considered the worst victims of social ills, according to a report by the Commission desdroits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (2007). The drastic structural changes which have ensued, coupled with this growth have created a situation in which parents with life experiences completely distanced from their children are faced with the challenge of raising a large generation amidst a collective identity crisis (Collings, 2000). Indeed, Duhaime (2008) found that the growing youth population, who are influenced by a distinct cultural climate in the wake of modernization, had very different profiles - in terms of lifestyle, diet and language - than their predecessors. In addition, the literature and statistical analyses from Statistics Canada and Duhaime (2008) point to an urgent need for housing reform in the region, as an increasingly large proportion of families live in overcrowded, poor quality dwellings.

Respondents indicated that families in Nunavik today face myriad challenges which respondents saw as closely interconnected: high rates of family conflict, overcrowded dwellings, high rates of alcohol and drug use and lack of employment. They also suggested that efforts to address the social issues are hindered, in part, by issues of distrust and lack of cultural fit with southern systems and social practice.  Despite the challenges, respondents clearly identified family-based communal assets which serve as a source of strength, and can be used as a building block for future social policy under a regional government. The importance of Inuit role-models was highlighted, namely the contributions of elders, wellness workers, and midwives. The family’s role in the preservation of cultural models, particularly land-based activities, was also noted. Respondents spoke of a need to bridge the growing intergenerational gaps in areas of social climate, educational systems, language, land-based activity, and overall communication. Open conversation between parents, between parents and children, and between parents and outside professionals, was encouraged by many respondents and identified as a current challenge.

Spotlight on Culture

Today’s Inuit must define their identity at the intersection of two cultures: they cannot avoid the impact of Qallunaat cultural influences on the current Inuit way of life (Institut national de santé publique du Québec, 2008).  Despite the rapid changes, the Inuktitut language continues to thrive: according to the 2006 census, 94% of Inuit in Nunavik speak Inuktitut at home and 99% are able to sustain a conversation in Inuktitut (Rodon & Grey, 2009). In addition, strong cultural values such as hospitality and sharing are still widely practiced and continue to be very important in Inuit culture (Gombay, 2005; Pauktuutit, 2006).