Education, training needed for Inuit employment

Mr. Harvey Mesher’s letter in Nunatsiaq News, February 4, 2000: “Give trainees a chance in Nunavik.”

It is true that 25 years after the signing of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, there are still not enough Inuit holding technical or professional positions in Nunavik. There is a simple reason for this, and it is all related to education and formal training.

I am sure that many people can relate to the difficulties associated with leaving your home community to pursue an education. The facts do speak for themselves; the percentage of students who do complete collegial and university studies is still pretty low. But bravo for the ones that do hang in, and as far as I know, there are not too many graduates who are unemployed.

In addition, the Kativik School Board in partnership with other regional organizations and southern learning institutions have and are still working very hard investing in Nunavimmiut who want to pursue certain studies.

There are many Inuit adults who have also successfully graduated from specially adapted courses as full-time working students. They also can be proud of their achievements. I truly believe that Inuit should be given the opportunity to access employment on a priority basis, but after that, the individual must perform at an acceptable level. Insubordination and racism are not something on which to gain popularity, believe me.

Over the past years, there has been major progress for Inuit training and employment in Nunavik, which many Inuit can be proud of. Mrs. Minnie Grey, Executive Director, Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, is supported as a senior manager capable of dealing with challenging issues, and we are all proud that in addition to being competent, she is an Inuk with a proven track record.

As for the “program” you mention, you may not be aware of this, but the health and social services network has invested close to two million dollars over the past few years in funding community organizations that are mandated to provided services in the social sector, and we have permitted the majority of this money to be used to train Inuit personnel in order to have Inuit providing services for Inuit. We are still counting on positive results even though that money could have been used to provide direct services for Inuit by non-Inuit. I feel that you are quick to judge and draw conclusions without being aware of too many facts.

Furthermore, I served for seven years as chairman of the Kativik Regional Government, and during that term, we managed to have a southern-rooted “union” agree with an “Inuit Priority of Employment” clause in the first collective bargaining agreement fully negotiated in Nunavik.

Your letter seems to want to lead the reader to believe that the situation is much worse than it actually is. Inuit priority “yes,” there are jobs for Inuit in Nunavik. Let’s not allow emotional and personal issues to settle professional conflicts.

Thank you to Nunatsiaq News.

Jean Dupuis
Chairman,
Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services