ITK calls for action on life expectancy gap for Inuit

Improving the life expectancy statistics for Inuit, published this week by the Conference Board of Canada, will take “imagination, energy and toil,” said Mary Simon, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.

In her May 20 statement, Simon called on Canadians, governments and Inuit leaders to work together on improving the life expectancy for Inuit in Nunavut and Nunavik.

“The starting point is with our Inuit political leadership. We are willing to do our part. It will also take partnership, a generous spirit and investment of time, energy and financial resources by many segments of Canadian society including Inuit themselves, governments and Canadians from all walks of life,” Simon said.

The map issued by the Conference Board of Canada’s Centre for the North on May 19 shows Nunavik and Nunavut lag far behind the rest of Canada when it comes to life expectancy.

A child born in Nunavik today can expect to live 66.7 years. That’s the lowest life expectancy in Canada, which has a national average of 81 years.

“I have been underlining this very unfortunate statistic in many of my public speeches over the past five years. It is a sad fact that the life expectancy between Inuit and the average Canadian is 13 years, and that gap is not closing.”

Simon said she applauded the Conference Board of Canada for raising awareness of this issue with Canadians across the country.

“It has been my experience that when fellow Canadians discover that statistically parts of our great country are worse off than some developing countries, they react with dismay and indeed ask me often how they can help. I urge them to inform themselves, their families and their neighbours. In this way when enough Canadians are aware and involved, change will come. Education is at the root of societal involvement and evolution,” she said.

“Together, someday, hopefully someday soon, we will proudly point to Statistics Canada data which proves that all Canadians no matter where they live or their cultural heritage enjoy a standard of wellbeing and life expectancy second to no other country in the world.”

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