Nunavik’s schools to close for two weeks, Makivik cancels AGM
While Quebec has 17 confirmed cases of COVID-19, there are none in Nunavik
Quebec Premier François Legault says the province’s schools, childcare centres, CEGEPs and universities will shut down until March 30. (Screenshot)
Quebec’s schools and daycares are closing down until March 30, Premier François Legault said today in a news conference in Quebec City.
With that announcement, Nunavik’s education and childcare system will also shut down for two weeks.
The decision to close CEGEPs and universities will affect Nunavik’s post-secondary students in southern Quebec.
Nunavik’s childcare system, which is overseen by the Kativik Regional Government, employs more than 200 people and provides services to more than 1,000 children.
Legault said that it wasn’t an easy move to take, but that was the “least bad solution.”
And he asked for people to stand together and show “solidarity” on managing the coronavirus. As of today, there are 17 confirmed cases in the province.
A statement from the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services said there are no cases of COVID-19 in Nunavik at the moment.
“There are less than five people who were tested for COVID-19 because they may have been in contact with people affected by COVID-19 and have minor symptoms similar to the flu or cold,” said the health board, which has a website dedicated to COVID-19 information.
These residents are isolated at home.
“As a precaution, they have been tested for COVID-19 and we are waiting for the results. If they turn out to be positive, the population will be informed,” said the health board, which has declared a ban on gatherings of more than 250 people.
Also today, Makivik Corp. said it is cancelling its annual general meeting, which was to be held from March 23 to March 26 in Akulivik.
“We are taking immediate action to protect Nunavik Inuit from the potential spread of the virus into our communities,” said Makivik President Charlie Watt in a news release. “We are taking this pandemic very seriously, and are taking every precaution to lessen the possibility of the virus entering our region.
“Because of the rampant overcrowding in many of our homes, there is no way for many Inuit to self-isolate if they get the virus. There is nowhere to go when a home is occupied by several families. Also, our health system would soon be overwhelmed. We must take extraordinary measures, and we are doing this by starting with the Makivik Corp.”
Meetings are cancelled, including a meeting of all Nunavik organizations and a meeting with Legault.
“The corporation is also taking steps to cancel other Makivik-sponsored events like the upcoming regional hockey tournament in Nunavik,” the release said.
Makivik has implemented a ban on travel for Makivik employees.
Makivik has also advised its staff not to take vacations in sunny destinations outside the country, and has developed a list of banned travel destinations.
Makivik has asked staff who feel ill to work from home, get tested, and not come to the office.
Makivik’s airlines, Air Inuit and Canadian North, have both taken special measures against the coronavirus, the release said.
This virus is now ours to endured, just like any flu virus in season. There are some positive aspects of having it upon us. The biggest benefit to to reduce travel by the public. Nothing wrong with a vacation now and again, but our society tends to not look after our own backyard, instead are galloping along on other shores without any reason , other than to get away from the backyard that they keep messy. If people stay home more , our world would be better place. Take Nunavik. The meetings in this town, that town, this person paid ticket and salary to go here and there, to do utterly nothing , but just to go there, to say what could be said by telephone or email. This person shows up in that community to do what? Little children left home , while mom and dad gone off to a meeting, to discuss the same thing , that was discuss at the last meeting. On the end of the day, we have abandoned kids, infidelity, and less money.
Nice to hear that not all people are in total fear.
Or that someone can think about things differently.
The fear of Covid 19 is complete. Sure it kills, but everyone and everything is on the defensive. I would sooner personally overcome this or just be totally immune to it.
Think immune to many things.
You ever wonder why toilet paper is being bought up in roll after roll? Yes, toilet paper, even fighting over it some places. If you got lots of toilet paper, it will not prevent the virus from getting to you! Nope. You see people’s behaviour in the best times is funny, and in the worst times concerning. This toilet paper buying spree has got its origin in both the funny and the concerning aspects. Funny in thats it’s toilet paper buying spree, concerning , because it’s people being lead over the cliff, by other people jumping over the cliff. Now, go wash your hands, after wiping with that good roll of newly fresh aroma toilet tissue, and slow down the covid-19, but rest assure, it’s coming anyway, but you’ll probably be ok.
Could it be that the toilet paper customers are those that will have loose bowels in fear of this virus? Those same people are greedy and self centred. They want to get everything before others can get it, but they’re the most fearful, and dangerous, as they would injure others just to get their medicine. I think it might be so.
As you are putting it ,Go Joe – it’s the fear. Complete fear in all people, I’m not so sure. But fear is causing the turmoil at this time. But, you know fear is very important for several reasons. One reason why it’s important, is that it needs to be identified, so that we can help the fearful, to be not so fearful. Like, I don’t want my family being afraid. I don’t want my kids being anxious about this, in a very debilitating way. I want to be concerned, but not be afraid to the point of not wanting to be within a hundred feet of others. No way , am I going to allow that kind of fear to overcome my senses. The second reason why fear is important, at least why we need to be aware of it, is because it becomes the reality of the virus, more powerful than the virus itself, as I’m pointing out. May I suggest you watch the movie, titanic again, and see how the fearful, even the fearful crew, got in life boats, rather than helping the women and children first. You see fear is our enemy. Although we can use it to get good things done, but it’s very dangerous.
Now, I heard the latest: no visits to health centers, ulivik, elders homes in Nunavik. What will we do? We spend our time visiting, or otherwise bothering each other. Our whole life depends on close proximity to each other. We need to be close to cost trouble. We’ll be missed by the courts, jails, hospitals. We’ll be normal again.
The days of meet and greet are gone people. No more these large groups going in and out of communities. No more chatter about nothing. It’s over. Now it’s time to live life in a more realistic way. Do good for your family and community by being in your own community. It’s been large waves of travelling flu and disease spreaders, now stopped in their tracks. There will also be less hangovers in hotel rooms, and not as much waiting up with a stranger in bed, less stds.
Suddenly the premier is everybody in Nunavik’s big boss. Because he said it, even small town employees with one or two staffs are refusing to go to work now.
Never mind what their supervisor’s say.
Come on , every LOVES their paycheck , but hate going to work .
I heard they’re cutting off the booze sales as well, people need a break. The people that are victims are all in favour, of less drunks and idiots around.
Nunavik, like other areas of the country and province, needs to follow a concept as by the concepts applied federally or provincially. If the country is closing the border, then Nunavik needs to close its border, mirroring the steps taken by the Federal government. The province too. Even getting down to a very limit flow of people between communities. Since the authorities are asking a personal, social distance of people , why not close off the area for people in the mean time.
Premier was kind of hasty in his announcement. He forgot in this province that there are towns with hardly any people. They should have been excluded.