Inuit vagrants in Montreal a disheartening sight

I think a lot of big cities in Canada have their so-called “drunken natives” on the street. In Montreal, the natives living on the street seem to be mostly Inuit. And almost all of these Inuit appear to be from Nunavik.

Other terms used for these people are “vagrants” or “beggars.” I have seen that these homeless or semi-homeless Inuit have already gained a grim reputation among other Montreal residents, especially among those who normally frequent the downtown area.

The general routine of these Inuit is that they position themselves on the sidewalk, especially during times when there are lot of people walking by. They hold out containers such as a disposable cup, a baseball cap, or their bare hand to indicate that they want passersby to give them money.

The purpose for this activity is often to collect enough funds to purchase personal supplies such as tobacco, narcotics or alcohol. Often it appears that these individuals are under the influence of mind-altering substances, and sometimes they even appear to be out of control.

I can recall the first time I saw an Inuk vagrant on the sidewalks of Montreal, about 13 or 14 years ago. It was a disheartening sight, and certainly unexpected.

A few years after that, I was in the home community of that particular man during a community feast. Lo and behold: that same man was the chief organizer of these festivities and making a huge effort to bring happiness to everybody.

It was such an inspiring experience to see that man being of such service, compared with how I’d seen him a few short years earlier. If there were other Inuit still begging on the streets of Montreal back then, I certainly never saw them around.

The scene of today’s Inuit vagrants in Montreal is different. In fact, it might have already escalated into a serious situation. The personal stories I have heard through casual conversation with these Inuit are usually melancholy and without much hope.

I think it is a topic that needs to be talked about, especially by the people who live in Nunavik.

Bob Mesher
Montreal