Nunavik’s year for advocacy, activism and communal change

In this year-end series, Nunatsiaq News reporters look back on their most memorable stories from 2025.

Dominique Gené

In my nearly six months of reporting in Nunavik, one common thread has emerged from the region’s stories: there are relentless efforts to bring about change.

People across the different communities have gathered to address pertinent issues, mobilize resources and lobby leaders for policy reform.

In October, I interviewed Roda Grey in her home in Kuujjuaq about her work as a substance use counsellor at Isuarsivik, a local healing centre.

Over two cups of tea, an emotional Grey shared how the loss of traditions, namely the killings of sled dogs in Nunavik, disrupted Inuit culture and way of life and led to mental health issues and substance use.

“It was a huge change in people, especially in men, because they had no more way of transport to go hunting,” she said.

At that time, Isuarsivik operated out of an old building with nine beds. In the winter, the pipes would freeze and the toilets couldn’t flush, but the staff worked with what they had.

Although these issues are systemic, Grey did her part to improve the well-being of Nunavimmiut.

“I did something for my people. I feel good that I came back,” she said at the end of the interview.

On Nov. 4, community organizers Olivia Ikey Duncan and Suzy Kauki organized a Nunavik-wide march for Inuit who died from police shootings.

In Kuujjuaq, Mary Mesher and Annie Kumarluk stepped up to lead the march. More than 40 people showed up with signs calling for justice and an end to police brutality.

“I want people to be able to feel safe to request assistance without the fear of being harmed,” Mesher said.

There have been three police-involved deaths in Nunavik since November 2024, which has sparked an audit of the Nunavik Police Service, a petition calling for justice for Inuit, and a call for a meeting with Quebec Premier François Legault, asking for changes to policing in Nunavik.

At a post-march debrief, some people shared stories about friends and relatives who had been injured in their interactions with police.

This moment was heavy, but a unique opportunity as a reporter to simply listen and empathize. Facts matter in this line of work but so do emotions, because they reveal the full story and help us understand the people we’re reporting on.

In addition to advocacy for policing reform and trauma recovery, Nunavik is driving change in innovation and sustainability.

The community of Inukjuak — which previously relied entirely on burning diesel for power — has switched to clean energy.

The Innavik hydroelectricity project is a 7.5-megawatt run-of-river hydro dam that supplies 90 per cent of the energy needed to power the community. The project won two national awards in October.

Tommy Palliser, president of Pituvik, the organization behind the project, said the goal is to achieve net zero emissions by 2030 with cleaner air and fewer greenhouse gases.

Journalism in Canada has historically harmed Indigenous communities through stereotypes and misrepresentation. Stories such as these are a step toward reconciliation, centring diverse voices and community-led initiatives.