Kivalliq Inuit Association directs COVID-19 money to elders, traditional activities
Goal is “to support the health and well-being of Kivalliq Inuit and to avoid transmission of the COVID19 virus”
The Kivalliq Inuit Association has $4.3 million to spend on fighting COVID-19, its share of the Indigenous Community Support Fund. (File photo)
The Kivalliq Inuit Association plans to use its share of federal funding for COVID-19 measures on temporary programs “to support the health and well-being of Kivalliq Inuit and to avoid transmission of the COVID19 virus,” the association said in a news release on Friday, April 3.
The KIA’s three new programs flow from the association’s $4.3-million share of the Indigenous Community Support Fund:
• The Elders Support Fund will provide elders with support to buy groceries in local stores “as their needs determine.”
• The Traditional Activities Support Fund will supply a one-time financial contribution to support traditional activities and physical distancing.
• The Community Essential Aid Fund will offer communities money to help with their local radio stations, snow removal on community access roads, and distribution of food and cleaning supplies.
There’s also a contingency fund that will be used for “special circumstances” and for additional relief, as the public health emergency requires, the KIA said.
The money comes from the Indigenous Community Support Fund announced by the federal government on March 25.
Of that, Inuit received $45 million, which the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami board decided to divide among the four Inuit regions: Nunavut, Nunavik, Nunatsiavut and the Inuvialuit settlement region.
Of that, Nunavut’s allocation is 52 per cent or $22.5 million, divided as follows:
- Urban Inuit: $2,505,000
- Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.: $6,012,000
- Qikiqtani Inuit Association: $6,132,544
- Kivalliq Inuit Association: $4,341,223
- Kitikmeot Inuit Association: $3,554,233
NTI plans to spend $1.25 million of its allocation on Nunavut water and sewer services, while elders, families and harvesters are the focus of the QIA’s pandemic response plan.
The Kitikmeot Inuit Association plans to use the money for elders and on-the-land activities during pandemic.
It feels like Inuit have to be worthy of these programs being provided to beneficiaries but the view of worthy does not include working Inuit. All programs so far being tailored towards Inuit who are not working or elders. Working Inuit struggle as well. Some just as much as Inuit not working.
I am blessed to have a full time job but there are Inuit that aren’t working that are better off than I am. I have bills that have to be paid by me while some get their bills paid for and get full benefits from Territorial and Federal Governments.
Groups, Governments can’t forget that there is also Inuit who work hard and stop the penalizing attitude to Inuit who want to work for their wants. So many programs out there for Inuit but I do not qualify due to the fact I make too much money. Yes, I may make more money than some but my net is considerably less than some families using Territorial and Federal benefits.
The silver lining to being an inuk in nunavut is that you are often better off not working.
In Nunavik, the Inuit workforce is greater, and a study showed that this is because they dont gear rent to income. In Nunavut, the more babies, the bigger the check. Once u start working, there goes a big chunk from your earnings, so why work?
Also, we are supposed to be at home. Some of this funding seems to defeat the whole purpose of isolating.
You are exactly correct. And if you are non-Inuit and a 2nd or 3rd generation Nunavummiut you don’t even rate consideration because you aren’t Inuit. They seem to have gotten the traditional activities funding right since it is a one-time only funding allocation.
That is good ..elders fund..in pass month and 2019..child care been going sky high..in government funds..even now another raised by governments..but Elders none …NONE…elders need to pay payments too. Kia is making the right move about elders support.
Hello nobody at the Kia office to apply for elders where do we go to apply for elders?