Nunavut poverty roundtable heads to Rankin Inlet

The Nunavut Roundtable for Poverty Reduction will hold a gathering in Rankin Inlet next week to discuss another topic important to Nunavummiut: parenting and family.

After an opening event at the Rankin Inlet community hall, May 12 at 6:30 p.m., members of the roundtable will hold public discussions May 13 to May 14 around inunnguiniq — childhood development and parenting — a theme that was identified as a priority during initial discussions of the roundtable’s mandate.

Nunavut Deputy Premier Monica Ell will be attending along with Jeannie Ugyuk, the minister responsible for poverty reduction.

James Eetoolook, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. vice-president and Natan Obed, director of NTI’s department of social and cultural development, will also be at the meetings since NTI co-chairs the roundtable with the Government of Nunavut.

The roundtable, which includes representatives from government, Inuit organizations, businesses other groups, grew out of a poverty summit in November 2011 and met for their first official gathering in June 2013.

On May 5, the National Food Security Coalition, which grew out of the Roundtable for Poverty Reduction, released the Nunavut Food Security Strategy and Action Plan which sets out a road map ensuring Inuit have access to affordable, nutritious food going into the future.