Kakivak funding policies too narrow

My recent application to the Kakivak Association for school funding was rejected, as my application was for “a general college program that does not clearly lead to long-term work. Kakivak’s mandate focuses on specific job-oriented training leading to long-term employment. We usually leave funding for general college and university programs to FANS.”

I find this stance by Kakivak disturbing and outrageous.

It was set up to assist all Inuit of the Qikiqtaaluk region, and I believe their position needs to be updated. Not only is a college degree a guarantee of long-term work, especially for an Inuk in Nunavut where we have a difficult enough time hiring educated white people to fill high-end jobs; but also a necessity for Inuit in general if we are to realize the dream of Nunavut — this dream, among other things, being a certain percentage of Inuit employment and Inuit representation at higher levels of all organizations, government and non-government.

I believe the “dream” of Nunavut is being stifled by my regional association’s narrow-minded view of “training and development” and it’s inability to recognize real-world issues, and the real-world solutions to those issues.

We will never achieve the lofty goals set out by the men and women who negotiated our land claim if we continue to think that short-term, job-specific training is the way to educate our people.

Now, I anticipate the negative responses I will receive stating that the government of Nunavut has set up the Financial Assistance for Nunavut Students program to assist Nunavummiut in attending university, but statements such as those will merely demonstrate (once again) the unwillingness of the Inuit organizations and territorial government to work together to advance the lives of Nunavummiut, and necessarily, the state of the territory.

FANS is set up to help all Nunavummiut, not just Inuit. Kakivak was setup to advance the well being of the Inuit of the Qikiqtaaluk region, something they have not done in my case.

Mosha Folger
Iqaluit