Life hard for Nunavik students

This letter is in response to the article written by Jane George in the August 27, 1999 issue of Nunatsiaq News, “Quebec showers benefits on Nunavik students.”

She stated that Nunavik students will never lack for money. As a former student from Nunavik I would like to express my thoughts. Nunatsiaq News seems to have painted Nunavik students as spoiled compared with Nunavut students.

I just want to make one thing clear that we are not that spoiled as Miss George has stated. I studied Fashion Design for three years and for my last year’s income tax, I owed $2,993.31 to the federal government due to my trips, tuition and benefits.

Thanks to Makivik’s petition to the Québec government I don’t owe anything to the provincial government. I had to pay for my own heating, plus I had to pay $600 in order to go back to school as opposed to what you said on your second last paragraph that Nunavik students don’t pay any penalty. I frequently experienced a lack of money.

I don’t take my benefits lightly and I’m not ashamed of being well provided for thanks to the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreemeent and I’m proud to say that I’m one of those successful Nunavik students, and I’m sure that Nunavik society will benefit from my success.

Victoria Okpik
Fashion Designer
Montreal