Brief by Makivik Corporation

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities

Poverty Reduction Strategies

The Makivik Corporation (Makivik) was created in 1978 pursuant to the Act respecting the Makivik Corporation (CQLR, ch.S-18.1- the Makivik Act) following the signature of the James Bay and Northern Agreement (JBNQA) in 1975. It is the successor of the Northern Quebec Association, the Inuit party to the JBNQA, and it is the Aboriginal party recognized to represent its members, the 11,000 Inuit beneficiaries pursuant to section 1.19 of the JBNQA. Its mandate includes, among other things, the administration of the financial compensation intended for the Nunavik Inuit, to promote social and economic development for the Nunavik Inuit as well as and language.

Makivik has very clear and specific responsibilities for social development. One of our corporate objectives is to relieve poverty, to promote the welfare, advancement, and education of the Inuit. Together with other Nunavik regional organizations, we share the goal of ensuring that Inuit are thriving and contributing to society as a whole. In addition, Makivik has another very important responsibility and that is to ensure Inuit remain confident in their culture, language and traditions and that our land base and subsistence economy is secure.

Following the JBNQA Nunavik gained considerable experience and authority in many domains, including health, education and regional administration. Nevertheless, social and economic conditions in our communities and families continue to challenge us. We have only to look at the number of children under youth protection and the levels of youth suicide and incarceration. We have many credible research and commission reports to support these concerns.

At the national level, Makivik has worked with the Inuit national organization the (ITK) to amongst other things develop strategies for addressing two very critical issues affecting Inuit – low levels of educational success and the alarming rates of suicide. The National Strategy on Inuit Education and the more recent National Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy both have application in Nunavik. We urge you to consult these important documents.

ITK and the Prime Minister recently signed the Declaration on Inuit-Crown Partnership. This will enable the leaders of our regional organizations to meet directly with responsible ministers and once a year with the Prime Minister to develop approaches to investments and policies to improve well-being of families and communities.

In 2013 Nunavik Inuit embarked on a journey to recapture their strength as a People – the Parnasimautik consultations. Leaders of all the regional organizations traveled to every community and ‘talked’. We heard and listened to people discuss the fundamental issues

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affecting their day-to-day lives. In 2014 together we produced the Parnasimautik Consultation Report which is a comprehensive vision for the renewal of Nunavik Inuit, families and communities as well as renewing our relationship with governments and industrial developers. This report and related information are available at www.parnasimautik.com.

The Parnasimautik Consultation Report is the Nunavik Inuit action plan for social development and social justice. It is our vision for the future development of Nunavik. Any plans, studies and strategies must reflect the directions set out in Parnasimautik Consultation Report. We have demonstrated our ability to mobilize and organize at the regional and community levels and this must be respected and supported.

Also, any strategies aimed at reducing poverty or addressing social needs must have an Inuit- specific component. Our priorities are clear and as Nunavik Inuit we are entitled to the same level of public services as all Canadians.

Let us get more specific on four major priorities for Nunavik: housing, cost of living, mental health and suicide prevention, and education.

With regards to housing, it is well known that Nunavik is in the midst of a serious housing crisis:

– 53% of all Nunavik families live in overcrowded housing; – By 2015 housing deficit had climbed to over 1,000 units; – Overcrowding leads to serious public health problems (tuberculosis for example); – The Quebec Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse in two separate reports found the lack of adequate housing in Nunavik placed the security and development of Nunavik youth at considerable risk.

Housing is considered a key social determinant of Inuit health due to a strong link between adequate housing and positive health outcomes. Nunavik’s incidence of active tuberculosis is twenty times higher than in southern and is at least partly attributable to the housing situation, since crowding propagates infectious diseases. Housing affects every aspect of life, including work, school, family, and social relationships, which in turn impact an individual’s mental, spiritual, and physical health and well-being. Inuit in Canada are burdened with the highest hospitalization rates of children with severe lower respiratory tract infections in the world; suffer from an infant mortality rate three times that of the rest of Canada; and live with the highest levels of residential overcrowding in the country.

Makivik has responded by developing a unique and innovative model for delivering social housing on a non-profit basis for Nunavik communities which is:

ü Cost effective and provides for on-the-job training of Inuit through the delivery of social housing, a model which is transferable and instructive for other aboriginal communities. ü Focused on training and employment of Inuit in the construction of housing. These skills are transferable to other northern development projects such as mining. ü Beneficial to both the region and government because the cost of construction is less than other contractors, thus stretching the funding envelope to provide a greater number of housing units for the region.

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We are currently requesting that the Federal government continue funding to adequately address the housing crisis in Nunavik.

With regards to cost of living, food and essentials continue to far exceed equivalent costs in the south. Added to this, the very high cost of hunting equipment and fuel are making regular harvesting of country food out of reach for many people. All this results in food insecurity.

Makivik and the Kativik Regional Government (KRG) signed an agreement with the Government of Québec (Québec) on December 9, 2013. Under the Agreement on the Financing of Measures to Reduce the Cost of Living in Nunavik, Québec committed to pay $10 million in 2014–2015, $11 million in 2015‒2016 and $12 million in 2016–2017, i.e. $33 million for the measures over the next three years. The measures are intended in particular to promote healthy lifestyles and take into account Inuit traditions and culture. The Nunavik Cost-of-Living Reduction Measures and their criteria are determined jointly by the Makivik and the KRG and managed by the KRG, and are subject to modification or cancellation at any time. The six Cost of Living Reduction measures that are currently in place include:

• Airfare reduction programs • Country food community support programs • Household appliance and harvesting equipment program • Food and other essentials program • Gasoline program • Elder’s program

A more detailed description of the measures is available at: http://www.krg.ca/quick- links/nunavik-cost-of-living-reduction-measures.

An in-depth study of the consumer patterns of Nunavimmiut was conducted by Université Laval (Laval) for Makivik, KRG and Québec with a view to developing a comparative cost of living index. The report «Cost of living in Nunavik, research report» produced by Laval was made public in November 2016. The report contains valuable data and information which will help determine long-term solutions to the high cost of living. The results for the low-income households are of particular concern. The report reveals that low-income households spend 43.3% of their revenue on food and 27% on shelter. These figures are somewhat comparable to those of developing countries. The report is available at the www.nunivaat.org/Publications.aspx.

The Parnasimautik Consultation Report identified several specific areas where the Federal government can contribute towards alleviating the high cost of living, including the Nutrition North Canada program (NNC) and the Northern Residents Tax Deduction.

The Nunavik Regional Working Group on Food Security (NRWGFS) coordinated by the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services (NRBHSS) prepared a submission with specific recommendations as part of the consultations being conducted by Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) to hear and learn from northerners on how to improve the NNC program (attached).

Support for improvements in mental health services and suicide prevention is urgent. Nunavik Inuit youth have among the highest suicide rates in Canada. In 2016 Parnasimautilirijiit (leaders of all Nunavik organizations responsible for implementing actions under the Parnasimautik

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Consultation Report) met to discuss the Nunavik Crisis Response Plan (Plan) developed by the NRBHSS. The Plan has received initial financial support from the government of Quebec and the Federal government. Parnasimautilirijiit identified needs for long term support aimed at prevention. These include housing, mental health services, improvements to the justice system, parenting skills, facilities and targeted programs.

Regarding education, Makivik understands the complex interplay between federal and provincial jurisdictions. However this cannot be used as an excuse for inaction. For Nunavik, several important priorities have been identified in the Parnasimautik Consultation Report – priorities where the Federal government can contribute.

One such important priority leads back to the serious housing crisis. Overcrowding and lack of housing has serious repercussions on a child’s ability to thrive and learn. It is well known that lack of privacy and a quiet place to do homework and rest undermine educational success.

Another area where the Federal government has clear responsibilities is early childhood education (ECE). ECE programs in Nunavik struggle with insufficient funding and infrastructure. Lack of services to support children with learning difficulties at an early age creates barriers to progressing in the education system. The 2011 National Strategy on Inuit Education made very specific recommendations which remain relevant today. The Strategy is available at www.itk.ca/national-strategy-on-inuit-education/

Finally, it is necessary to mention that there is a growing Inuit population in . Many of the Inuit in Montreal are in a vulnerable situation and too many end up homeless. Makivik developed its own strategy to assist them and has expressed many times the need for an Inuit- specific component to the Urban Aboriginal Strategy (UAS). This would assist Makivik in better serving our beneficiaries in urban areas.

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