Inuit women voice concerns in Puvirnituq

ANNETTE BOURGEOIS

Information technology will play an important role in keeping Inuit women up to date on issues affecting them and their communities.

Mary Nashook, secretary-treasurer of Pauktuutit Inuit Women’s Association addressed about 45 delegates who attended the association’s annual general meeting in Puvirnituq, Nunavik, last week.

Nashook led a discussion on how the association will use new technology to keep in touch with people in various communities.

She said this type of communication will become more important as budget cuts and costly airfares restrict the number of people able to attend out-of-town conferences.

She pointed out that during the week-long meeting, several communities were plugged into workshop discussions via satellite transmissions.

Nashook said it’s technology such as this that will also help keep Pauktuutit connected to the Inuit women it represents.

Delegates at the meeting voted to continue its promotion and use of these communication tools, as well as encourage public access to Internet systems.

Delegates also discussed the lack of security in communities that currently operate without policing services.

“The communities in question are in a state of crisis and are in desperate need of such services, have requested resident police services for many years and have had all such requests rejected or ignored,” stated a resolution to examine funding avenues to research ways to legally force governments to provide security services.

Pauktuutit also passed a motion to inform the federal government that Inuit women are interested in participating in a joint program to address issues relating to teenage pregnancy.

The association wants to see an education campaign to provide young mothers with the information and training to care for their children.

The association also passed a resolution calling on the federal government to accord Pauktuutit full status as a national organization.

Pauktuutit wants to Ottawa to allocate funding to it on an equitable basis with national organizations such as the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada and the Métis Women’s Association.