A new report from the Conference Board of Canada on social outcomes in the territories doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 paint a beautiful picture of the North.

The report found that the territories generally fall behind the Canadian average on measures of equity and social cohesion; key challenges that explain these outcomes are educational attainment, service availability, geographic isolation and lack of infrastructure; and culturally specific measures of social cohesion are vital to understanding the issue in the territories and especially in remote Northern Indigenous communities.

The Northwest Territories generally take second-worst only to Nunavut in statistics across the board.

More than 21 per cent of the NWT population has less than a high-school diploma, next to a staggering 46 per cent in Nunavut.

But Bobbie Jo Greenland-Morgan, president of the GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n Tribal council, doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 put too much stock in statistics about the North.

SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 take the stats too serious,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 skeptical about how they produce these reports.SA国际影视传媒�

The combination of a small population to draw from and the number of people who donSA国际影视传媒檛 answer surveys makes her skeptical of some of the findings.

Income distribution at first looks good for the NWT in the report, as 42 per cent of individuals in the territory occupy the top two Canadian income deciles.

SA国际影视传媒淭he story SA国际影视传媒� changes considerably when looking at the income distribution of Indigenous individuals in the territories,SA国际影视传媒� states the report.

About 24 per cent of Indigenous people in the territory occupy the bottom two Canadian income deciles.

A large split in income emerges when looking at family makeup.

SA国际影视传媒淚n NWT, eight per cent of couple families and 41 per cent of lone-parent families are considered low income,SA国际影视传媒� states the report.

Greenland-Morgan said single-parent households can definitely be more challenging than dual-parent households, but that burden can be eased with a large familial support network, as is traditional for many Indigenous people.

She joked about that cultural difference with non-Indigenous traditions and harkened back to her days as a child watching TV shows.

SA国际影视传媒淚 used to wonder whySA国际影视传媒� the kids always seemed to not like when the grandparents were coming over,SA国际影视传媒� she laughed. SA国际影视传媒淚n my mind, I loved when my grandparents (were coming).SA国际影视传媒�

What matters more is how healthy the home relationship is, she said.

SA国际影视传媒淚 believe that we should promote dual-parenting when itSA国际影视传媒檚 in a healthy way,SA国际影视传媒� said Greenland-Morgan.

SA国际影视传媒淚 know some people who say they would have ratherSA国际影视传媒檇 their parents divorce than raise them in an environment (where) theySA国际影视传媒檙e constantly fighting and itSA国际影视传媒檚 negative. The dual-parenting I do promote, so long as itSA国际影视传媒檚 healthy.SA国际影视传媒�

On employment, the report finds Indigenous unemployment rates much higher than non-Indigenous across the board. In the NWT, around three per cent of non-Indigenous people with university credentials are unemployed, while closer to 15 per cent of Indigenous people with university credentials are unemployed.

Greenland-Morgan said some very skilled and experienced people fall out of work because of their struggles with addiction, while many youth of today seem to show little ambition to achieve.

She relayed hearing from high school students about their desire to live on income assistance as an adult.

The lure of welfare seems stronger and doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 carry the same stigma she remembers from her elders.

SA国际影视传媒淭he mentality itSA国际影视传媒檚 not looked at as a last-resort thing anymore,SA国际影视传媒� said Greenland-Morgan. SA国际影视传媒淔or some, itSA国际影视传媒檚 almost looked at as the government owes it to me. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 free money.SA国际影视传媒�

She wants to see more ambitious Indigenous youth taking over Northern stores and other pillars of the communities.

Though she supports diversity, the GTC president wonders if some of the areaSA国际影视传媒檚 traditional culture is being lost as excessive drunkenness and social ills seem to become more public.

SA国际影视传媒淪ociety here, weSA国际影视传媒檝e got to be very careful but ISA国际影视传媒檓 seeing it more and more these daysSA国际影视传媒� ItSA国际影视传媒檚 like weSA国际影视传媒檙e becoming southern, where we see something and some of us right away want to help but some of us get afraid and we donSA国际影视传媒檛 want to go there so we just walk by,SA国际影视传媒� said Greenland-Morgan.

She believes some of the rise in social ills could be from deep wounds opened up during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and not enough services to address people who shared their stories.

SA国际影视传媒淚f somethingSA国际影视传媒檚 not dealt with, it doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 matter if itSA国际影视传媒檚 50 years or 100 years, the problemSA国际影视传媒檚 still going to be there,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

The rise in drugs and different kinds entering the communities is no help either, she said.

SA国际影视传媒淧ut residential school aside SA国际影视传媒� ISA国际影视传媒檝e never met a person who said alcohol really helped my life,SA国际影视传媒� said Greenland-Morgan.

Ultimately, she wants to stop talking about the economic and social difficulties and take action to address them.

People need to do less gossiping and criticizing and more empowering, she said. Instead of complaining about youth not engaging in traditional activities, she said, bring them out on the land yourself.

SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 a gap we have to fill ourselves,SA国际影视传媒� said Greenland-Morgan.

The full report from the Conference Board of Canada is available on the organizationSA国际影视传媒檚 website.