Salluit family gets home after an 8-month battle

James Tarkirk and family in precarious living situation while waiting for a place to live

James Tarkirk, right, his partner Alaku Poassie and her two children celebrate with the keys to their home. (Photo courtesy of James Tarkirk)

By Cedric Gallant - Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

After an eight-month struggle to get a home in Salluit for his two children and pregnant partner, bylaw officer and volunteer firefighter James Tarkirk was handed a set of keys July 19.

“After we had signed the papers me and my partner looked at each other and started crying,” Tarkirk said in a phone interview. 

Tarkirk, 24, first applied for housing with the Nunavik Housing Bureau in November 2023. He was hoping to get a home in his hometown of Salluit after he had moved back from Inukjuak. 

The bureau handles housing for the vast majority of Nunavik residents, as part of the Quebec Housing Corp.

Tarkirk described a precarious living situation while he and his family waited for a home, moving from place to place and sleeping in cars at times.

He said he eventually became impatient with the lack of movement on the housing bureau’s side, especially since his partner Alaku Poassie is pregnant, and he started filming his interactions with the people he was dealing with and posting the videos online.

Tarkirk became more vocal and persistent in his demands, which led to criminal harassment charges for alleged actions against a housing manager in Salluit.

He is set to appear in court on these charges on Oct. 23.

The details of what exactly led to the charges are not clear, but Nunavik Housing Bureau communication director Patrice St-Amour accused Tarkrik in an email to Nunatsiaq News of using intimidation, foul language and threats in his interactions with employees.

Nunatsiaq News published a story about Tarkirk’s housing situation on July 19. Less than two hours after the story was published, Tarkirk said he was surprised by a visit from a housing bureau employee from Kuujjuaq. In the employee’s hands were paperwork and a set of keys to a house for him and his family. 

Tarkirk said the employee told him the bureau was able to free up a home that was meant to host families whose homes are being renovated.

“It took a battle, but we finally got it in the end,” says Tarkirk. “I am so relieved, all this stress I had is gone.” 

Now, Tarkirk said he intends on concentrating on his work in Salluit, but that his most important work is with his family, since a new baby is on the way. 

He said this story taught him a lesson to “never give up.” 

Tarkirk said he repeatedly went to multiple provincial departments and the housing bureau for answers and continued to apply pressure when the answers he was given were not acceptable to him.

“The explanations I was given were extremely vague, and people have a tendency to just accept these answers,” he said.

“If we have to push, we should push.”

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(17) Comments:

  1. Posted by Mit on

    World record for fastest applicant to get public housing. Morel of the story i guess criminal harassment pays off sometimes.

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  2. Posted by Old Fart on

    Only 8 months I waited 5 years .

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    • Posted by Gotta Scare Them on

      Not enough criminal harassment. Step up your game.

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    • Posted by Let me guess on

      You didn’t get media attention?

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  3. Posted by Never on

    Never give up trying to get handouts. The story should publish the monthly cost of rent.

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  4. Posted by alex on

    This guy is up on charges for intimidation,foul language and threats(whatever this all means) is the bylaw officer for the town?

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    • Posted by Lol on

      New to the North, are you?

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  5. Posted by Uviluk on

    Squeaky wheel get the grease, don’t get me wrong, this guy did what he had to do to help nd provide for his family, but dude you went about it all wrong and it looks bad. No shame posing with keys after harassment and bullying to get your way because you got media involved. People are happy for your kids, not you.

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  6. Posted by 867 on

    So much for trying to set a good example for his kids. This is entitlement at its finest.

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  7. Posted by Daaniallie Niviaxie on

    That’s super quick tenant, I waited 24 years.

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  8. Posted by Inuuvunga on

    Vuaiiii as of he was the only one homeless held in Salluit 🤦🏻‍♀️ many ppls are on waiting list. I for sure he used his job as a by law officer 🤦🏻‍♀️
    Sorry but not sorry I feel sad for the people who are waiting to get a house numerous years

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  9. Posted by What a shame on

    What a sad world we live in. This guy has been harassing the staff there for many days, he even got criminal charges for it. Some people have been waiting so many years for a house and yet still waiting for it, but he gets what he wants by harassing kmhb workers and media pressure after only 8 months applying… SHAME ON YOU James Tarkirk

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    • Posted by Resident on

      How do we know the charges are real. What if he was trying to make contact to find out his situation without harassment? What if the KMHB worker charged the guy without actual reason?
      All us Inuit in Nunavik should be given reasonable access to housing.
      The current system is garbage.

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      • Posted by Inuuvunga on

        He got charged for threatening the employee of KMHB of Salluit he will have to appear in court

    • Posted by Encore! on

      While Nunatsiaq get played like a grand piano, clueless as usual.

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  10. Posted by Well wisher on

    Congratulations on your new home! Very happy for you!

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  11. Posted by Rocky on

    Oh yeah good job man! Sometimes ya gotta fight the good fight for your family!

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