ICC a no-show at racism meeting

IQALUIT — Inuit aren’t representing themselves at the United Nations World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.

The conference begins today in Durban, South Africa.

Violet Ford, a consultant for the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, was scheduled to attend, but says medical problems prevented her from going.

“We bought the ticket as an excursion fare, so we couldn’t put another Inuk on it,” said Ford, who is an Inuk from Labrador.

ICC applied to the federal Department of Canadian Heritage for money to go to the conference.

Unfortunately, Ford said, nobody could apply for money until the end of last April, and therefore she didn’t know until July 17 that ICC’s application was approved.

ICC received $7,000 from Canadian Heritage to cover travel, accommodation and food.

More than 6,000 people are expected to attend the seven-day conference.