Iqaluit resident starts fundraiser to support
John Amagoalik’s care in Nunavut
GoFundMe seeks $50,000, which would fund approximately 3 months of care
John Amagoalik, seen here in this file photo from Ottawa, wants to spend the rest of his days in Nunavut surrounded by his friends and family. His family wants the Government of Nunavut to fund his medical care and housing. (File photo by Jorge Antunes)
An online fundraiser is collecting money for the medical needs of John Amagoalik, revered by many as the “Father of Nunavut.”
Amagoalik, 78, had been residing at the Embassy West long-term care home in Ottawa after a surgery forced the partial amputation of one of his legs. He was lonely there, he has said, and eager to return to the territory he helped create through decades of land claim negotiations.
He returned in June, with money that his friends and family helped fundraise. That money is now running out after the territorial Health Department declined to fund the roughly $16,000 per month in medical support and housing costs he needs in order to live out his final days in his homeland.
Iqaluit resident Jessica Hale, who describes herself on GoFundMe as a qallunaaq that cares deeply about social justice, created the fundraiser and set a $50,000 target. If reached, the amount could cover about three months of his care.
“John Amagoalik dedicated more than 25 years of his life to creating Nunavut,” Hale wrote on her GoFundMe page.
The fundraiser, which had raised $2,600 as of Thursday morning, was created on Sept. 18.
Amagoalik has filed a civil suit against the department, seeking a judicial review of the Health Department’s decision not to fund his care.
Steve Kelliher, Amagoalik’s spokesperson, close friend and lawyer, said Hale is a friend of Anne Crawford, a seniors advocate in Iqaluit who is among those fundraising on Amagoalik’s behalf.
“I’ve been getting phone calls from people all over the country who want to contribute,” said Mark Stiles, another close friend of Amagoalik. He said he’s grateful to see that people are contributing to the GoFundMe.
“It’s an interim measure until the Government of Nunavut comes to its senses.”
His legal counsel is also requesting an urgent hearing through a separate court application, so that Amagoalik immediately be provided with medical care and housing.
1. What about all the Fathers and Mothers of Nunavut?
This is for one person and does not fix the issue of sending away our elders.
2. The money spent for Embassy in Ottawa, for one example, might be in the millions to use to fund our own buildings.
Reply to Father:
You are so right on both points.
There are many elders wanting to be in their home communities, and the Embassy money could provide for that transition.
Its a question of convincing the GN LTC that communities are capable of caring for most elders with proper supports and some training.
John is not the whole story, but he can be the leading edge when all other persuasion has failed.
Yes, this. The GN needs to get it’s act together to allow all elders to have home supports.
Why does the GN not have better programs to allow elderly individuals to stay at home? Why is living in an institution the only option? Why is only 2 hours of home care a week all that can be provided (that is such minimal support it almost might as well not exist because which elderly folks can actually stay at home with just 2 hours per week support).
Everyone wants John Amagoalik and every elder for that matter home in Iqaluit, but before framing this as purely GN neglect, look at a few thing…..
I is that he is in an accessible unit owned by an Inuit development corporation (NCC). If the very Inuit organizations founded because of John’s life work own that building, why is any rent being charged at all? With NTI leadership publicly weighing in on this case, why can’t Inuit orgs step up and let the “Father of Nunavut” live in that apartment rent-free, instead of passing a $2,000/month commercial lease to donors and the GN?
The care: CBC made clear that the requested $16,000/month is not for clinical nursing—it is for 8 to 10 hours a day of private Personal Support Workers (PSWs). GN public home care caps out around 2 hours a week due to territory-wide staffing shortages. Public healthcare cannot legally issue a $16k/month private cash subsidy to one prominent individual while 70+ other elders remain at Embassy West with no such option.
The provider: Neither CBC nor Nunatsiaq News names who is actually providing this private care. Which private agency in town holds this contract, and how much of that $16,000 is going straight to southern agency overhead?
We urgently need elder care facilities built in Nunavut. But demanding a customized, five-figure private subsidy from the public purse—while the Inuit organizations he helped create charge him rent on an apartment they own—sidesteps the real issues.
So are we going to start fundraising for all the other we have left behind at the Embassy? Wish we could have done this before all the others had past!
And in all these discussions, does the term “elders” include non-Inuit residents or are we just speaking of Inuit elders?
Does the GN have a responsibility to the non-inuit as well?
Elder means senior citizen in this context, and yes, the GN’s services for elders don’t racially discriminate.
OH”” Then why can’t non Inuit stay at Larga when they go out on medical??
The investigation into how many medical travel clients stay longer, delayed or wrong appointment dates is worth investigating. Follow up with each file. This could expose OSHNI who fails too often. Also, they are awarded the contract without an RFP. An MLA could raise these questions for written responses.
Add asking questions about Keewatin to that list. Why are they a for profit company?!
Medevac services in the rest of Canada are provided by non-profit entities.
Why is it for profit in Nunavut?
That is a lot of money each month. Does he have 24 health care provided by registered nurse. Or an other health care profreshional. Or is it family and friends. That are being paid to look after him.
No non Inuit would not receive the benifit. Think back to when we were isolating during Covid. Non Inuit never received vouchers for food hampers. In many locations.
There are hundreds of thousands of lonely, abandoned old people (and many young people also) inside institutions all over Canada. In most cases they are there due to social and economic reasons. I do not have the resources to save any or all of them. Nothing against John or any of others; nonetheless, no one of them is more important, meaningful or valuable than the next.
NTI has both Elder and Long term care & Housing and Homelessness portfolios, I’m hoping that these Departments are at least TRYING to work somwthing out as he falls into both needs. There is also a Personal Support Workee program being provided through NAC, great opportunity for Inuit to apply into.
It’s unfortunate that the echos are still around and being filtered to the point of being muffled theough the ears of Senior Management to Advisors then Executives…$$$