Quebec minister’s visit to Nunavik highlights infrastructure, training needs

Quebec health minister Gaétan Barrette, left, shakes hands with veteran Nunavimmiut midwife Leah Tulugak-Qinuajuak Sept. 1 at the Inuulitsivik health centre in Puvirnituq, as part of his two-day tour of the region. (PHOTO BY BEN WATT/NRBHSS)

Quebec’s health minister says his recent trip to Nunavik will help to better inform the government’s response to the region’s health care needs.

But Nunavimmiut must meet the province half way, said Dr. Gaétan Barrette.

Barrette, accompanied by Aboriginal affairs minister Geoffrey Kelley and Ungava MNA Jean Boucher, spent two days in Nunavik this week, visiting both of the region’s hospitals and meeting with health and community leaders in Kuujjuaq and Puvirnituq.

“Unfortunately [Nunavik is] suffering from the same problem we do down south, especially infrastructure,” Barrette said. “There are improvements to be put into place in both facilities that I saw. They’re a bit tight.”

A lack of space and manpower were two major issues that stood out to the minister during his first visit to Nunavik.

“The personnel are doing a great job,” he noted. “But the future has to be by training people locally. And I hope we’ll be able to implement decisions that will be able to help with that.”

Barrette did not make any funding commitments towards improved training or health programs during his Nunavik visit, but said those are issues his government intends to address.

As part of the Quebec Liberal government’s re-launched Plan Nord, the province has pledged to bring better vocational education to the North, while also providing support to southern colleges and universities to offer training adapted to northern communities.

“There must be efforts put in place to ensure that those have the capacity to enter post-secondary programs… have access to that training,” Barrette said, in the context of health care.

The minister said Quebec’s Inuit are in many ways in “a transition period” as the region struggles to cope with its many social and mental health issues.

“It’s saddening to see how much small communities can be plagued by alcohol and drug abuse,” Barrette said. “You’re surprised to see the depth and damage of this abuse.”

But while community leaders raised the need for better mental health support and treatment centres in Nunavik during his visit, Barrette said the community also has a significant role to play in putting those measures into place.

“When I met with community leaders I said that we, as a government, are there to provide help. But it’s a two-way street,” Barrette said. “In society, there has to be a movement coming from the people themselves.”

The minister did not offer an example of how Nunavik communities could better advocate for much-needed programs and services.

Barrette’s trip to the region was cut short by one community; ministers were supposed to travel to Aupaluk to announce funding for the construction of a new health centre in Nunavik’s smallest community.

But a Sept. 1 news release confirmed the province’s go-ahead to building a new health centre in the Ungava Bay community of 200, which Barrette said comes with a $16.7 million investment.

“I understand it’s a much-needed investment for the community,” he said.