Silence of the lambs: the Nunavut elections

Another election in Nunavut is about to begin, only the second in Nunavut history.

But it leaves me to speculate just how many of us Inuit out there really care about this process.

We have command of the world’s largest cache of minerals and mineral rights. Keeping that statement in mind, what are Nunavut’s biggest concerns and what can be done about them? These are the questions that should be asked and talked about amongst ourselves (the voting public) and our representatives in office.

Personally, I think it is time to put away that age-old argument about lack of respect between the elders of our communities and our youth. There are bigger problems we all can work on together, such as health care and education or the lack there of.

Every year, I hear of kids going down south for a secondary education but failing miserably for two reasons: lack of socialization skills and the poor standard of education in the North compared to what is taught in secondary schools in the South.

Kids are failing the minute they open their books in the South because they haven’t been given the right tools or an even playing field to learn on. Health care is a big concern and a big business where ever you go in Canada.

My thinking is to educate the people better on health issues before they become apparent.

Preventative medecine instead of treating a baby with FAS. How do we overcome all that? By talking to one another, communication, and to take the time out to educate ourselves on the issues on hand.

The population of Nunavut is roughly 25,000 people. We as a people should take back our land and our mineral rights and make everyone else pay for doing business on our land. Saudi Arabia did it. So who’s to say Nunavut can’t do it?

We, as a people, should set our own agendas in each of our communities and have a say in what is important to each of us. Whether it’s a housing shortage, or fishing rights, or the lack of education dollars, or substandard health care.

We, as the biggest land mass in Canada, should be leading the way for all of Canada in the economy, business, culture, and anything else. I am tired of my people being portrayed as “the nice little Eskimos” who just smile and nod their heads to things they don’t understand.

It is time to end the silence of the lambs and time to take control of our own futures, because if we don’t – someone else will.

Ross Taptuna Tonokahak
Edmonton