More help for babies and mothers in Nunavik

IQALUIT — There was time for baby-kissing and even a performance of throat singing as Linda Goupil, Quebec’s minister of state for child and family welfare, came to Kangiqsualujjuaq to officially open its daycare and sign a deal on daycare administration with the Kativik Regional Government.

“I felt privileged,” Goupil said. “The entire community turned out.”

During this first trip to Nunavik, Goupil said she was impressed by residents’ pride in their culture and children.

“This community chooses to have children. They treasure their children,” she said. “Maybe we could learn something from that.”

The quality of Nunavik’s leadership also struck Goupil, who said she felt at ease transferring administrative power over daycare services to the region.

“I’m not worried about whether they’ll do the best for their children and their community,” she said.

As a sovereignist — a Québécois in favour of Quebec’s future independence from Canada — Goupil said she felt daycares offer a positive example of how people can work together.

She said a key to attaining sovereignty is an alliance between three groups: French-speaking Québécois, First Nations and Inuit, and allophones — Quebeckers whose first language isn’t French. All these are involved in daycares, either as clients or service providers.

Bringing Quebec’s policy of universal daycare to Nunavimmiut provides a way to share and benefit from what each group has to offer, said Goupil.