Bloc Québecois MP Sylvie Bérubé campaigns on experience

Nunatsiaq News is profiling candidates in the April 28 federal election. In Abitibi–Baie-James–Nunavik–Eeyou, incumbent Bloc Québécois MP Sylvie Bérubé is running against the NDP’s Thai Dillon Higashihara, Conservative Steve Corriveau and Liberal Mandy Gull-Masty.

Incumbent Bloc Québécois MP Sylvie Bérubé says she is the best candidate to represent Inuit in Nunavik.

“I have the experience of being an MP, I did good work, and I will continue to do so,” she said in a French interview over the phone as she was travelling in her riding.

“That is what will make me stand out from the other candidates.”

Bérubé was first elected in 2019 to represent the Abitibi-Baie-James-Nunavik-Eeyou riding, then re-elected in 2021.

She says that if given another mandate, “I will continue to manage like I have been managing for the past five years and a half.”

Relations between Indigenous communities and the rest of the riding remains a priority for Bérubé, calling it a question of “respect.”

She said she intends on improving relations between the different regions.

“Our strength is to work together, in partnership,” she said.

Bérubé pointed to her work with Makivvik president Pita Aatami to look into expanding Kuujjuaq’s airport. These talks happened during her visit to the community in January 2024, although no money has come from the discussions.

“There are a lot of people that travel to Nunavik,” she said.

“And I started the work to provide an extension to Kuujjuaq’s airport.”

Bérubé also takes credit for securing the federal government’s dog slaughter apology in November in Kangiqsujuaq. The apology came with $45 million for Makivvik to revitalize dogsledding and for what the government called “reconciliatory programming.”

“I was able to get the federal government to finally move and do the apology,” she said.

She also said she wants to open an office in Kuujjuaq. Money to fund this was part of her budget, which she planned to announce in April, but the snap election forced her to change focus.

“We will see what follows, because I have the intention of being elected again,” Bérubé said.

The MP has visited Nunavik twice over her two terms. She originally planned to make her first trip in March 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted those plans. Budgetary restraints also stood in the way of visits, Bérubé has said.

The first trip took place over one day to Aupaluk in the fall of 2022. It was a $13,456 stop that residents said at the time felt “rushed.” The second time she flew to Nunavik, in 2024, she spent three days in Kuujjuaq.

“In my next mandate, I want to go to Nunavik a bit more often, at least once or twice a year,” Bérubé said.

“It is important for me to create even more connections, because we have so much to learn from the people of Quebec,” she said.

“And it is important to bring this to Ottawa, and work in parallel with Indigenous communities.”

Advance polling opened April 18 and continues until April 21.