Nunavut women’s council president takes no joy in MLA’s resignation

Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women president Donna Adams is seen during a meeting of the Nunavut Liquor Act review task force in Iqaluit last month. Qulliit is calling on the Government of Nunavut to adopt a strategy to combat violence against women. (FILE PHOTO)

The president of Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council isn’t taking any joy in the resignation of Pangnirtung MLA Adamee Komoartuk this past week.

Komoartuk resigned after being suspended from the Legislative Assembly by his fellow MLAs in the wake of a drunken incident with his wife earlier this month.

“I wouldn’t be glad to see anyone stepping down, even my enemy,” said Qulliit president Donna Adams.

Adams expressed regret that her organization isn’t in a position to offer counselling and support to Komoartok, who faces assault charges in connection with the incident, even though Qulliit had called for his resignation.

“I guess it’s half a success,” Adams said. “A whole success would be if they [Komoartuk and his wife] did find some help and make changes for the better.”

Adams says Qulliit needs more funding to be able to provide services and counselling both for women who’ve been abused and their abusers.

But right now the organization only gets enough money from Nunavut’s Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs to employ one full-time staffer, executive director Sheila Pokiak-Lumsden.

“We’re just responding at this point,” she said.

But she credited the Government of Nunavut for its decision to establish drug and mental health treatment centres in Iqaluit and Cambridge Bay.

“It is great news,” she said. “We’d just like to make sure it’s culturally appropriate programming.”

However Qulliit is calling on the GN to adopt a strategy on domestic violence to ensure women who’ve had enough of abusive situations aren’t left to fend for themselves.

“When a woman presses charges, there’s really very little support for her,” she said.

Adams said women in Nunavut need encouragement when they decide to press charges against abusive spouses, which can often lead to anger and resentment from the abuser’s family and communities in general.

She said the organization wants to develop educational materials, especially for youth, to help prevent domestic violence. Qulliit also needs to be able to directly support victims of violence, Adams said.

“You’re shunned by the whole community sometimes,” Adams said. “A lot of times.”