Nunavik school violence catches the attention of Quebec politicians

Provincial politicians say they want to meet Kativik School Board and Nunavik officials to help curb violence in the region’s schools.

After reports of violence at a Puvirnituq school in May, education minister Michelle Courchesne met Luc Ferland, the member of the national assembly for Ungava, which includes Nunavik.

Ferland, who is the Parti Québecois’ critic for northern development and aboriginal affairs, said he told Courchesne that Quebec should work more closely with Nunavik schools to prevent violence.

“It’s not always a question of more funding,” Ferland said. “We need to make sure that education in Nunavik is adapted to [the Inuit] reality. That goes for teachers too, they have to adapt to Inuit conditions.”

Ferland said Courchense agreed to travel Nunavik sometime during the national assembly’s fall session to meet with the school board and other local organizations.

“This issue of violence is present in all of Quebec’s schools, but it seems to be demanding attention in Nunavik’s schools right now,” Ferland told Nunatsiaq News. “And we want to help deal with this.”

Ferland said education should be a part of Quebec’s plan nord strategy to develop northern Quebec.

“I told Courchesne that the basis of the northern plan should be the education and training of our youth,” Ferland said. “If we want to develop the economy across this massive territory we have to make sure that our youth have access to the job market.”