Nunavik needs houses, not marine infrastructure

Every time I go out berry picking, I always pass by the big sign near the sewage dump site near Inukjuak.

The sign says, “The realisation of the marine infrastructure project in the 14 Northern Villages of Nunavik, the Quebec Government participated in $44 million dollars for the project.”[sic]

It really makes me upset, because in Nunavik, we have a lack of housing, not a lack of marine infrastructure. Why not set up houses to rent in Nunavik? Due to the lack of housing in Nunavik, we are having major social problems with our own loved ones because we are crowded in our houses.

It’s not possible to have four adults in one three-bedroom house. It is destroying our relationships with our loved ones. I think the number one social problem is the lack of housing, because relatives are being enemies to each other.

And what is wrong with our marine infrastructure that is already there? Why do we need more when we are dealing with problems with our own relatives? Our politicians are not aware of our social problems, because they make a good living, never mind those ordinary people who are trying to be at home suffering from a lack of housing.

We as voters have a right to complain about what is not right and what is wrong. I can say this because I applied for a house to rent more than 10 years ago.

Another social problem is that when one is elected to be on a housing committee, his or her relative becomes the first priority to get a new house to rent when very few houses are built, never mind those who applied for a house to rent 10 to 20 years ago, and when their relatives get a new house to rent, the committee member resigns his position because they have taken advantage of their position. It’s true, they remove themselves when their relatives get a house.

We are told that Nunavik people have too many rent arrears, which is why the government cannot provide new houses. Living in a crowded house is not a healthy living mentally and physically. Lack of housing causes social problems, it can even lead you to think of committing suicide, violence, verbal abuse to loved ones.

Who can we turn to about these issues as voters and as beneficiaries? I just wish that $44 million were for houses to be built in Nunavik instead of marine infrastructure.

(Name witheld by request)
Inukjuak