SERVING NUNAVIK INUIT SINCE 1974 Ivakkak 2021 Tests Teams Food Security in Nunavik Getting the Shot Winter 2021 125 Makivik Corporation Makivik is the ethnic organization mandated to represent and promote the interests of Nunavik. Its membership is composed of the Inuit beneficiaries of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA). Makivik’s responsibility is to ensure the proper implementation of the political, social, and cultural benefits of the Agreement, and to manage and invest the monetary compensation so as to enable the Inuit to become an integral part of the Northern economy. Taqralik Taqralik is published by Makivik Corporation and distributed free of charge to Inuit beneficiaries of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of Makivik Corporation or its Executive. We welcome letters to the editor and submissions of articles, artwork or photographs. Email [email protected] or call 1-800-361-7052 for submissions or for more information. Makivik Corporation Executives Pita Aatami, President Maggie Emudluk, Vice President, Economic Development Adamie Delisle Alaku, Vice President, Environment, Wildlife and Research George Berthe, Treasurer Rita Novalinga, Corporate Secretary We wish to express our sincere thanks to all Makivik staff, as well as to all others who provided assistance and materials to make the production of this magazine possible. Director of Communications Carson Tagoona Editor Miriam Dewar Translation/Proofreading Minnie Amidlak Sarah Aloupa Eva Aloupa-Pilurtuut Alasie Kenuajuak Hickey CONTENTS Published by Makivik Corporation P.O. Box 179, Kuujjuaq (QC) J0M 1C0 Canada Telephone: 819-964-2925 *Contest participation in this magazine is limited to Inuit beneficiaries of the JBNQA. 04 Sending a Message to 14 Caribou Parasite Ottawa About Food Identified Security in Nunavik SERVING NUNAVIK INUIT SINCE 1974 12 Getting the Shot 16 Ivakkak 2021 Tests Teams Ivakkak 2021 Tests Teams th Food Security in Nunavik Getting the Shot Winter 2021 125 Cover: A dog team leaving Ivujivik during Ivakkak 2021. This marks the 20 anniversary of the race, which began this year in Salluit and finished in Taqralik Issue 125 Puvirnituq on March 10. Read more about this year’s event on page 16. TAQRALIK ISSN 2562-3206 Cover photo: Caroline Oweetaluktuk 2 ©CARSON TAGOONA ©CARSON This December 2020 photo shows COVID-19 clinic tents set up in Kuujjuaq alongside tents for those attending the flu vaccine clinic. To protect clients and employees of the hospital, a “quick sorting” process was put in place. Anyone going into the hospital for non-emergency reasons first had to go to the COVID-19 tent to get evaluated by a nurse. For recent photos of COVID-19 vaccinations that occurred in Kuujjuaq, see page 12. 19 Legal Tips 27 Green Corner 37 Nunavik Players 22 Air Inuit 32 Salluit Skateboard Project Canadian North Nunavik Research 24 35 TAQRALIK Fact Sheet 3 SENDING A MESSAGE TO OTTAWA About Food Security in Nunavik By Stephen Hendrie On Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020, Makivik participated in an Indigenous and Northern Affairs (INAN) House of Commons Standing Committee meeting on the topic of food security in the North. The committee is studying ways to improve food security in northern communities. Due to the pandemic, the sessions were held virtually. Free samples of produce grown in Kuujjuaq’s hydroponic container handed out at Newviq’vi. Makivik Executive Vice-President, Environment, Wildlife and Research Bay. Total Inuit population is just over 12,000. Think of it as an island. (DEWR) Adamie Delisle Alaku made the presentation on behalf of then The only way to get there is by air year-round, or by ship in the summer President Charlie Watt. months.” He began by describing the Nunavik region for the 12 committee Delisle Alaku explained why being located north of the 55th parallel members from all the federal parties. is a major factor in this issue. “Our region is bigger than the size of France. We have 15 Inuit “Our remoteness greatly affects our food security. While southern communities on the shores of Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, and Ungava Canada benefits from a vast road and rail network, paid for by taxpayers, TAQRALIK 4 ©MARC-ANTOINE FORTIN-ROBITAILLE ©MARC-ANTOINE Inuit pay all taxes and yet the infrastructure gaps that exist in our airport to the 2017 Aboriginal Peoples Survey 76 per cent of Inuit experience facilities, and total lack of deep-sea ports, contributes to driving up our food insecurity. food prices, and food wastage.” “In the context of Nunavik, it is important to consider access to both Food security exists when all human beings at all times have physical traditional foods, and healthy store-bought foods in improving food and economic access to sufficient, healthy and nutritional food enabling security,” stated Delisle Alaku. TAQRALIK them to lead healthy, active lives. Food insecurity exists when an Statistics were provided to illustrate how difficult it is for Inuit in the individual or family does not have access to sufficient food. According remote Nunavik region to afford healthy food, whether store-bought 5 ©PARLVU.PARL.GC.CA Adamie Delisle Alaku made his presentation to the INAN Committee from the Makivik office in Kuujjuaq. Despite programs such as Nutrition North Canada (NNC) which aims to reduce the high cost of living, it is not enough. Delisle Alaku described several additional measures in Nunavik to further assist Inuit. He provided an overview of the Nunavik Cost of Living Reduction Measures administered by the Kativik Regional Government. He listed the six programs that help reduce the cost of living: Elders assistance; Airfare reduction program; Country Food Community Support Program; Household Appliance and Harvesting Equipment Program; Food and other Essentials Program; and the Gasoline Program. He noted that the government of Quebec committed to pay $115.8 million ©PARLVU.PARL.GC.CA over six years starting in 2019 for these six The virtual equivalent to being on “hold.” programs. In addition to these measures, there are or from the land. The University of Laval cost of living study revealed grassroots, community, and regional initiatives to address food security. in 2011 that groceries cost 81 per cent more in Nunavik compared to Delisle Alaku described the hydroponic containers in Kuujjuaq, and Quebec City. The 2016 Census reported median income for Inuit was Inukjuak (The Growcer units as seen on the CBC’s Dragon’s Den). $25,627 versus $79,328 for non-Inuit. He summarized the Pirusiivik Project in Inukjuak to create a year-round “So, if groceries cost 81 per cent more, and income is three times greenhouse focussed on growing traditional plants and gardening. He less than in the south, it all adds up to considerable food insecurity, highlighted the Family Houses in Puvirnituq, Kangiqsujjuaq, Salluit, and additional social consequences to physical and mental health,” Kangisualujjuaq, and Kuujjuaraapik. Most have a variety of food programs TAQRALIK concluded Delisle Alaku. 6 ITK President Natan Obed presenting to the INAN Committee from Ottawa. ©PARLVU.PARL.GC.CA including cooking activities, meal sharing, and food boxes for people in research directly on the country food we eat and control that information. need. That’s part of what we consider as Inuit Food Security.” “For us, however, food from the south is only part of the picture In concluding his presentation Delisle Alaku stated, “It’s clear many when it comes to the food we eat,” said Delisle Alaku. “The food we factors contribute to food insecurity in our region. While we appreciate hunt is just as important, if not more, because it not only feeds us programs such as Nutrition North Canada, and the Harvesters Support physically it feeds us culturally, and spiritually as well.” Grant Program from the federal side, you can see it takes combined Inuit food security includes culture, health and wellness, and food efforts to address this issue. This includes the province of Quebec, sovereignty – Inuit decision-making power and management over food the Nunavik organizations working together, grassroots projects, and resources. Delisle Alaku informed the committee members that Inuit are additional assistance from outside the region.” members of numerous wildlife management committees. The other presenters at the Dec. 10 meeting were Natan Obed, “In addition, Makivik has owned and operated the Nunavik Research President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), Johannes Lampe, President Centre (NRC), based in Kuujjuaq, for decades. We conduct our own of the Nunatsiavut Government, James Eetoolook Acting President of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI), and Hannah Uniuqsaraq, Chief Administrative Officer of NTI. Anytime one presents at Parliament, it makes a difference. The testimony is now available online, and can be used in future reports, and to support future policy making decisions. It enables members of Parliament, members of the Senate and federal government employees (and the general public) to learn more about the region and the needs of Nunavik Inuit. The committee is obliged to report back to the House of Commons with their findings. The government may then table a comprehensive response to the report. The Dec. 10 meeting can be viewed online at: http://bit.ly/3rPFJzj TAQRALIK ©CHARLIE GORDON ©CHARLIE The Growcer hydroponic container in Kuujjuaq. 7 Norman Grist 30 Years of Flying at Air Inuit By Stephen Hendrie When Norman Grist was a boy returning from summer camp on a During his career, Norman became Chief Pilot for the Twin Otters, flight with Johnny May, he was lucky to sit beside the pilot, with his a management position, which meant moving to Montreal to be pet goose in his lap. During the flight Johnny asked if he wanted to closer to the Air Inuit head office in Dorval. Now, he is flying jets, fly the plane.