Nunavut MLA argues for better relations between Inuit, non-Inuit

Appreciation to new members of our community: that’s what Amittuq MLA Louis Tapardjuk rose in the Nunavut legislature to talk about March 2.

Tapardjuk asked for more tolerance and mutual understanding between Inuit in Nunavut and non-Inuit who come to work and live in the territory.

“The people who arrive into the territory undergo a very hard time, especially those in Igloolik and Hall Beach. I thank you for having come to our community to assist us… the majority of people come to provide assistance to the community, but there are still some who cling to the old ways,” he said, adding that he especially wanted to thank nurses, because “many of them have given their lives to serve the North.”

“Yes, there are always rotten apples in every barrel, so of course, we’ve had problems. So I want non-Inuit to know that we are not necessarily against them, but what we want them to understand is that they have to realize where we’re at in Nunavut,” Tapardjuk said.

Tapardjuk said Inuit often treat teachers, nurses, bureaucrats, business owners, churchgoers, Roman Catholics, reverends and priests as scapegoats.

“Whenever an Inuk or non-Inuk has a concern or problem, everybody looks for a scapegoat or somebody to blame whenever they have an issue or problem. As Inuit, sometimes we blame our government, either that or our corporations, our education system, our health system, and particularly our churches and/or religion. We tend to look for an easy scapegoat.

“But the one thing we tend to overlook… is that these are our fellow human beings. They have their own relatives. They have children. They’re working in their lives to live the healthiest they can,” Tapardjuk said.

Sometimes “just because they have different beliefs or cultures, we automatically dislike them,” he said.

That can cause what Tapardjuk called a “chasm of misunderstanding.”

“I believe one of the things that can help to close this gap is to try to understand each other’s culture and I will make that a priority,” he promised the assembly.

Tapaarduk said newcomers to Nunavut should nevertheless know that “this territory’s foundation is Inuit in its nature, Inuit culture.”

“The attempts at assimilation of the Inuit into western society are already over. That area is over, so now they have to come and try and assist Inuit because they are living in our territory,” he said.

But Inuit in Nunavut also need to recognize they they need help to move ahead, he added.