Makivik ignorant of Nunavik beneficiaries in Montreal

By NUNATSIAQ NEWS

In April of this year, Nunavik beneficiaries heard from Quebec, the Raglan Mine, and the Makivik Corp. that healthy amounts of money will go to all beneficiaries this year and that Nunavik is getting $9.3 million from its profit-sharing deal with the Raglan mine.

According to Makivik, all the Nunavik beneficiaries received some money through the co-ops or by cheque – except for Inuit in Montreal who are beneficiaries.

Inuit Montrealers like myself who have lived at least five years in Montreal are still partly beneficiaries, even though we may not be working for Inuit organizations. On behalf of Inuit living in Montreal, I decided to write to Nunatsiaq News to speak for them about Makivik’s ignorance of those Inuit Montrealers.

Inuit beneficiaries in Montreal need to be heard on how difficult it is to live in the city. Some Inuit in the city may be collecting welfare or working for non-Inuit employers here or anywhere else in Canada.

More and more Inuit have decided to live in the cities, especially Montreal, not knowing what their future will hold, and consequently, homelessness and addiction become the only solutions.

I myself ask: when will Inuit Montrealers get what they deserve? Is it so hard to understand that some Inuit moved to the cities because there is no housing? Is it so hard to understand that so many women moved to southern cities because they were abused by their husbands? Isn’t it time to clean up the mess in Nunavik caused by all the abuse that is going on?

I am trying to get us Montrealers recognized by Makivik since we have not been treated fairly or equally, although we are beneficiaries.

What I’m trying to say is that Inuit beneficiaries in Montreal need help socially. They have needs, such as a place for women to start step-by-step in dealing with their past abusive relationships and addictions.

I’m writing this because I feel isolated from my own governmental organizations. We Montrealers need help and I am speaking for them that it is very difficult to find jobs here because of language or lack of education.

Some become drug dealers because of the lack of jobs. And some have tried to work, but only get fired because of behavioral problems. I myself would like my own child to have a better future with the organizations in Nunavik.

Raingi Uqaittuq
Montreal

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