Nunavimmiut press Cauchon on gun control

ODILE NELSON

Nunavik officials pressed Canada’s justice minister last weekend to explain why many of the region’s hunters have yet to receive gun licenses they applied for months ago.

Martin Cauchon was in Kuujjuaq from March 29 to 31 at the invitation of Makivik Corp.

He spent his time in Nunavik discussing gun-control and other justice-related issues with various representatives from Makivik and the Kativik Regional Government.

Sandy Gordon, director of the KRG’s renewable resources department, said he spoke briefly with the minister on two issues related to the new gun control legislation: licensing delays and difficulties applying for the license.

The new legislation required all Canadians to register for a license by Jan. 2001 and to register certain firearms by Jan. 2003.

“We informed him that there were still some applicants that had taken the gun safety course that had not received their license and had been waiting for some time and we would like the minister to check into progress and see what the delay was,” Gordon said.

These delays have ranged from several months to years, he said.

Gordon passed on concerns that some hunters in the region are now having difficulty purchasing ammunition or firearms. The delays, he said, are beginning to affect their ability to provide for their families.

He also told Cauchon many unilingual Nunavimmiut have had difficulty filling out the forms because the paperwork is only in English and French. He asked the minister to provide funding so the regional government could hire staff to help Inuit fill out the license applications.

Cauchon reportedly made no promises but agreed to check on application delays and funding possibilities.