Baker Lake to hold town hall meeting on Israel-Hamas war
Community hall hosting public discussion Wednesday
Baker Lake residents are invited to join a public discussion Wednesday evening at the community hall on the Hamas-Israel conflict in Gaza. (File photo)
Community members in Baker Lake will have the chance to discuss the Hamas-Israel conflict at a town hall meeting this week.
Local teacher Morteza Beepanah organized a meeting at the hamlet’s community hall for Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m.
The event is meant to be an evening of dialogue and conversations about the conflict to “raise awareness and shed light on some misinformation and myths surrounding this issue,” Beepanah said Tuesday.
“I am hoping that people will have their say and have a question-and-answer session towards the end.”
Beepanah will first introduce what has been going on since Oct. 7 in Palestine and offer a brief historical outline of events from the late 19th century to now, before opening the floor for others to join in on the conversation.
Attendees are encouraged to ask questions and contribute their thoughts. An interpreter will be on hand to assist with the discussion.
“There seems to be a lot of interest about this event and I hope that we get an informative and productive meeting,” Beepanah said.
Israel’s bombardment of Gaza started Oct. 7, after a surprise attack by Hamas militants that led to the death of about 1,160 Israelis, most of them civilians.
As of Tuesday, more than 32,000 Gazans — a vast majority of them civilians — are believed to have died in Israel’s attacks since October, according to news reports.
Canada’s Public Safety department’s website lists Hamas as an Islamist nationalist terrorist organization.
In January, Baker Lake Mayor Kevin Iksiktaaryuk and the hamlet council wrote letters to Premier P.J. Akeeagok and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asking the leaders to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
“We understand the complexities involved but firmly believe that a ceasefire is a crucial initial step to reduce the impact on human lives, especially innocent children,” Iksiktaaryuk’s letter said.
Canada is of only marginal relevance to this issue. Nunavut is of only vanishingly tiny relevance. Baker Laker, we’re talking about homeopathic doses of relevance.
Looks to me like municipalities across Canada and the U.S. are using this issue to distract from their various failures.
Because there are absolutely no issues closer to home to deal with, right?
Wow, just from reading this and not being located anywhere near Baker, I can tell this will be a one-sided propaganda info session about the Zionist invasion. I am not an Israelite but I will bet that this will be a one sided Iranian/Hamas talk. We need to talk about the atrocities that has been happening now and on Oct 7th. Someone should ask about the 100+ hostages still being abused and need to be released.
Also, I am glad that Baker has solved its housing situation, water issues, truancy, and by law concerns to focus their attention on Gaza
Israel doesn’t control Palestine, it controls the world!
Loved this post….if any country is able to defend itself, they are strong and can tackle any problems…
This was the argument used by Hitler during WW2 to promote the genocide of the Jews.
If you buy into the Elders of Zion rhetoric about Jews controlling the banks, the world or the weather, you might be an antisemite.
I can’t help but be struck by the cynicism of the previous commentators. Is it any surprise that there are folks in Baker who want to discuss the horrors they see on the TV news, including the genocide charges at the International Court of Justice? 32,845 people dead as of April 1, the majority of them women and children. And today, the drone killing of Western food aid volunteers. Baker-miut are citizens of the world as well as being citizens of Canada, Nunavut, and Baker Lake. Old-timers may recall how generously the Hamlet of Eskimo Point (as it was known then) responded to a famine in Ethiopia in 1985. Good on you, Baker Lake. Hope you have a serious discussion at the meeting.
Hamas knew exactly how Israel would react when they launched October 7. Hamas celebrates every Palestinian death. The death of what are essentially Palestinian human shields is all according to Hamas’s plan. They are clear that they would kill every last Israeli if they could. This is what Israel is fighting.
Hasbara says “What?”
It should be a simple matter for any community to declare that they support an end to apartheid and genocide. The crimes being committed by Israel are barbaric and horrific.
The western media barely shows the reality of Israel’s bloodlust.
The US is complicit. They’re sending more bombs.
Does it matter now that they’ve killed a white Canadian and pretend it was unintentional?
A few words of truth condemning the crimes is simple. It doesn’t have to detract from any local issues.
No, it should be a simple matter for any hamlet to acknowledge that Hamas is a genocidal terrorist organization dedicated to the elimination of the entire people of a country. Anyone carrying signs supporting Hamas should be identified as hate-filled and referred for prosecution.
How hard can that be?
As if it will stop the war what a waste of time and effort,like a country will listen to a small town from Canada
“Mr. Netanyahu, tear down that wall”.
-Baker Lake Mayor
He’s not the mayor one of my relatives is, do your own research before commenting you weirdo
Open discussions are simply discussions. Their purpose is to discuss. There is nothing wrong with it, but there it this case, there isn’t much outcome other than perhaps some new lenses for members of the community in Baker Lake. War blows.
I can’t believe baker lake voted for this guy
imagine starting a fight than getting ur ass beat and use people to shield you, victory for Israel
I would argue that Hamas is getting what they want. They are getting thousands upon thousands of innocent people killed, including humanitarian aid. They are simply enticing Israel to do their killing. That is what terror organizations do.
Hamas is not committing genocide, Israel is, 13,000 death in two months most of them children, if you believe in eye for eye, then Israel got there revenge more than 10 times. We are part of this world and we can’t watch genocide happen and not feel empathy for the victims. No one is supporting Hamas, it’s supporting the people of Palestine and their struggles.
If this was truly an eye for an eye, then the Israelis have a long way to go. This is just one more battle in a war that they have had to endure in their history. Direct your concerns to Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah.
Israel is creating illegal settlements on land that is not theirs.
Not in Gaza they aren’t.
Yes they are. But, since we’re here, Mr mayor is running the hamlet like it’s his boys club or after school program. It’s like school all over again and this time, he’s not a school boy. He’s the mayor.
Hamas literally called for a genocide of Jewish people in their Charter and some of their leaders continue to express those views.
Palestinians deserve a better life. Hamas is a genocidal terrorist organization that will secure a miserable future for Palestinians. They don’t care about the people they govern. They only care about genocide and power.
Apparently no one in the Nunatsiaq comments section has heard of the “Nirvana Fallacy”.
Hey John, 1400 years ago my ancestors lived where your house sits. If I show up with a gang and violently throw you out, will you fight back or just say “Oh well, that guy’s had a rough time…”?
Good idea! Let’s kick out those colonizing Canadians and go back to living in igloos hunting with harpoons! That’ll show em!
1400 years ago your ancestors were living in what is now a region of Russia. I’m sure they would welcome you all back.
A useful overview of what’s going on can be found in last week’s report by the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. You can find it on the UN website or by Google-ing “Rights expert finds ‘reasonable grounds’ genocide is being committed in Gaza”.
What Hamas did in October is bad
What Israel is doing now is bad.
The majority of the world citizens want peace, only the war profiteers want this carnage to continue.
It is sick that people are profiting because other people are dying this must stop. No one should make money off of war, death and destruction. END OF STORY!
All over the world Pro Palestinian / Anti Israel (antisemitic) individuals organize these type of events to promote their view of the situation. The fact is the current war in Gaza is a tragic result a people (Palestinians) controlled by a terrorist regime (Hamas) which is only interested in killing Jews and not in doing anything good for the Palestinian people who elected them.
Since 2005 Gaza has been controlled from within Gaza, when Israel removed its settlements and military personnel from the area as part of an earlier peace initiative. Unfortunately, Israelis were rewarded with rocket attacks and numerous attempts by terrorists to infiltrate Israel via tunnels from Gaza etc.
The extent and severity of the October attack which killed over 1000 innocent civilians and the taking of 235 hostages was just too much. No other country would have reacted in any other way.
Israel needs to protect its citizens. Individuals who think calling for a ceasefire is the answer are either misinformed or ignorant of the true facts. The fact is Hamas will never stop trying to kill Jews until it is destroyed. And Iran which funds, trains and encourages Hamas in its efforts will find another group to replace Hamas if it is destroyed.
The Nazi regime of the Second World War was not defeated until the Allies were in Berlin and over 2 million German civilians had died in bombing raids. Unfortunately Hamas will not be eliminated until Rafah falls and even more civilians pay the price.
As Golda Meir the former leader of Israel once said. There will only be peace between the Arabs and Jews in the middle east when the Arabs love their children more than they hate the Jews. Based on what I see from all the demonstrations were are a long way from there.
Perhaps Unclench and Extract, you want to read this comment twice. Maybe, just maybe, you might understand what is truly happening.
The Irish Republican Army was desginated a terrorist organization
Yes, which they clearly were. The world is better off since they became inactive and became a political party.
How is that related to anything in this conversation?
In South Africa, the African National Congress was declared a terror organization too by many counties.
How is it related? How is it not related?
Hamas in Gaza being declared a terror organization similar to the IRA in Ireland and ANC in South Africa.
Ireland, South Africa and Gaza all suffered from racism and apartheid
IRA became a pollical party in Ireland and so did the ANC in South Africa. the IRA and ANC became solutions out of apartheid.
Hamas may end up like the IRA and ANC. Open your eyes learn about the history of apartheid and how other counties over came it.
USA had to wage a civil war that left countless dead and injured becuase some people wanted to keep slaves while the others wanted to get rid of slavery, this was 180 years ago.
IRA was still active until 2001
ANC becae the ruling party in Africa in 1994
Both sides, Israel and Hamas need to sit down and agree the other side has a right to life, has a right to peace and control over their own destiny without hinderance. But with both side hell bent on killing the other, there is no chance at peace.
IRA was declared a terrorist organization in England – they ended up becoming part of the solution – became a pollical party and were elected to run Ireland’s Covernment
ANC was declared a terrorist organization in South Africa – the ended up becoming part of the solution – became a pollical party and were elected to run South Africa’s Government.
From history these groups end up becoming part of the solution so Hamas may end up becoming part of the solution and one day may end up being elected to run a Palestinian Government.
IRA was designated as a terror organization – ended up becoming a political party in Ireland
ANC was designated as a terror organization – ended up becoming a political party.
Hamas designated as a terror organization – fate yet to be determined.
So long as both sides are hell bend on destroying each other there will be no peace. Both sides need to accept the other side has a right to exist so there will be peace.
I would say focus on how to improve your own place and help your own people before poking your nose into things you only see from the Media. I wouldn’t trust everything the media shows. If you have fought in a battle in Gaza, then I give you credit but if you sit at your home couch and watch everything on YouTube and the TV, please don’t comment. Cause you don’t really know what is going on. Help the people of Nunavut first. From the comments I see 1 particular user that is allowing his/her hatred to fester uncontrollably. I guarantee you, no matter what movement to start, you will only make things worse. Netanyahu will not stop and he doesn’t care what this Bakerlake meeting is discussing about.
So the town hall was held last night. Will someone report/comment on it? How many attended and what was the general feedback?
Gaza has had elections, democratic elections in fact, if you believe Hamas. This tells me that the majority of Palestinians support Hamas, and by extension they support everything that Hamas is doing and has done – firing rockets into Israel, random car bombings and murders of Israelis, and yes, even the atrocities that were committed by Hamas last October.
This war could end tomorrow if Hamas lays down their arms, releases the hostages and helps bring to justice the perpetrators of the October raid into Israel. Will they do that? Not likely! And so the war goes on and will continue until Hamas is destroyed. By their actions, Hamas has put civilian lives in danger but they seem not to care about that.
Israeli -Hamas better Duck and Run. Now you gone and pissed off Baker Lake.
Expect a stern chastising letter from Baker Lake, “None of it” with big grown up words and severe condescension.
Glad to see Baker Lake has their gambling in control and no hungry children.
Now they can tell the world what to do.
Innu-miak-naat!😂🤪 Cuggies
Sargent Prickles IMO (in my opinion) is missing the point saying Canada is small change in the Middle East. An open air concentration camp and the overkill response to October 7, 2023 need be raised and re-raised in all forums and by all of us and that includes a national Canadian condemnation of the administration of Israel. Their lobby plays the game well sourcing funds to political parties where it is most effective. That includes our bright and shining Conservative and Liberal parties and leaders and caucuses.
That the UN is waiting with bated breath to see how this town hall meeting with cookies from the local coop turned out. The fate of democracy and western civilization may rely on this meeting…
Think small and you are cannon fodder. Your and my concerns stop at the polling station by a class of people with one objective to concentrate its wealth and power. When state and business work in concert for itself and not for the peopler there is a name for that, you may take a wild stab at what it is..
Ahem. Uhmm. 42+1 Cannonfodder are people who get sent to the Frontline battle with no experience. The meat grinder if you must.
Where you/we are/were born and raised is The Difference between our good fortune and the bad fortune of the people inhabiting the Middle East’s hell on earth.
There is a reporter Pepe Escobar that does top notch work on the geo political.