Makivik delegates ponder enrolment glitches

Noah Tayara, a recently-elected Makivik Corp. board member, takes his oath of office at the organization’s annual general meeting in Kangiqsualujjuaq last week. (PHOTO BY SARAH ROGERS)

KANGIQSUALUJJUAQ — Nunavimmiut want to see a clearer policy on beneficiary enrolment to prevent non-Inuit from taking advantage of the system.

At Makivik Corp’s annual general meeting last week in Kangiqsualujjuaq, delegates expressed frustration on behalf of Inuit – mostly elders – who have been denied beneficiary status because they lack birth certificates.

But in larger communities like Kuujjuaq, growing numbers of non-Inuit are seen carrying rifles and hunting and fishing without permits, they said.

“We see total strangers carrying their rifles to go out on the land,” said on delegate. “We have enough non-Inuit beneficiaries on our list.

“Qallunaat are taking over our fishing and hunting. We really want to protect the lands and keep them from taking the lands out of the hands of the Inuit,” another delegate said.

At the meeting in Kangiqsualujjuaq, delegates also discussed how Inuit struggle to find homes, while qallunaat find employment in the region and often arrive to new, fully furnished houses.

Some speakers suggested relaxing the rules for Inuit who have been denied beneficiary status because they lack the proper paperwork.

Noah Tayara, the Makivik board member for Salluit. said there are residents who are still waiting to enrol as beneficiaries — many who do not have birth certificates.

“Why are you refusing these applicants when you know the criteria is filled?” Tayara asked the assembly during his community report.

Normally, a person must produce a birth certificate to be enrolled as a beneficiary under the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement.

This status grants them access to the region’s land, its wildlife and a multi-million dollar fund managed by Makivik.

But Michael Gordon, the organization’s vice-president, said Makivik does not refuse any qualified applicant.

“We have lawyers who work to help these people prove who they are,” Gordon said.

Nunavik’s Inuit residing in or outside of the region and who are 12 years of age and older qualify for a beneficiary card. Some non-Inuit married to non-Inuit.

Since amendments to the JBNQA in 2005, non-beneficiaries who marry beneficiaries no longer receive automatic beneficiary status.

And non-Inuit who become beneficiaries through marriage have their status reviewed if they are divorced or separated from their partner.

A person is eligible to be enrolled if she or she is “alive,” is a Canadian citizen, is an Inuk “as determined in accordance with Inuit customs and traditions,” identifies herself or himself as an Inuk and is associated with a community in Nunavik or the Nunavik region.

Nunavik Inuit who have lived more than 10 years outside the region may remain beneficiaries if they meet certain conditions.

Communities may also recognize a person of Inuit ancestry, born outside of Quebec, as a beneficiary if they have lived in Nunavik for a number of years.

The registry of beneficiaries is held at Makivik’s Nunavik Enrolment Office.

One committee is supposed to deal with applicants, another for members whose status requires modifications or clarifications, and another to deal with appeals for those removed from the beneficiaries list.

But Tayara said it’s taking too long to create these committees and some residents of Salluit have been left in limbo.

Makivik president Pita Aatami said the executive will meet to determine if there needs to be a universal system for enrolment in Nunavik or if each community can develop its own policy through its local landholding corporations.

The Nunavik Enrolment Office will soon produce new enrolment cards with photo identification, which should be available later this year.