2016 half over, but still no money from Ottawa for Inuit women’s org

Rebecca Kudloo, the president of Pauktuutit, presents a gift to Deborah Kigjugalik Webster Feb. 12, on the last day of the organization’s four-day pre-consultation meeting in Ottawa in February on the federal government’s upcoming national inquiry on missing and murdered Indigenous women. (FILE PHOTO)

While she appreciates assurances that Inuit needs will be recognized in an upcoming inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women, the head of the national Inuit women’s organization is still looking at an empty wallet when it comes to anti-violence program funding.

Rebecca Kudloo, president of Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, said June 1 that the year is nearly half over and Ottawa has inexplicably failed to commit yet to funding the kinds of programs whichhelp to keep Inuit women in Canada safe from harm in their homes and communities.

“For violence prevention, we need those programs — we need them now,” said Kudloo, from her home in Baker lake. “We can’t wait around for the inquiry to start.”

Ottawa just released a summary report which compiles information gathered during a series of pre-MMIW inquiry consultations conducted across the country, including one in Ottawa with Pauktuutit’s help.

Talk is good but money is better.

According to Pauktuutit’s audited financial statements, federal funding for the organization has fluctuated wildly over the past 10 years and has come from different departments including Indigenous Affairs, Canadian Heritage and the Status of Women.

From 2011 to 2013, Pauktuutit also received extra one-time funding related to Truth and Reconciliation Commission and residential school settlements.

From 2006 to 2010, federal funding to Pauktuutit decreased from $478,000 annually to $216,000.

Then there was the jump from 2011 to 2013 with that extra TRC funding where Pauktuutit received between $729,000 and $857,000 every year from Ottawa.

In 2014, federal funding dropped significantly again to $195,000, and last year, Pauktuutit received only $115,000 in program funding.

So far this year, the organization has received no program or core funding dollars from Ottawa and risks having to cancel programs and lay off staff, Kudloo said.

Kudloo said she wrote to Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett more than two months ago with a strategic plan and to request funding for Pauktuutit community support programs for women, violence prevention programs and other initiatives, but has yet to hear back.

“We’re trying to do our part but we haven’t received any response yet and also no response as to when the inquiry will start. But we’re ready to help out, as soon as they give us some details,” she said.

“Pauktuutit is in a position where we can really help out with the inquiry because we’ve been at this 30 years, family violence always being our priority for that long.”

Pauktuutit supports the work Bennett is doing around the national MMIW inquiry.

But Kudloo stressed that Inuit women can’t wait for an inquiry to unfold, recommendations to emerge and programs identified or created to address those recommendations, Kudloo said. That could take a year or more.

“While we’re waiting, there are women getting killed, murdered,” said Kudloo.

Kudloo added that she hopes the upcoming inquiry on missing and murdered women has at least one Inuk commissioner. But that has not yet been confirmed.

Ottawa’s pre-consultation summary report says only that commissioners “should reflect the diversity of Canada’s First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities,” among others.